Residents walk past the Cardiff Central Library in the City Centre recently. Photos by Jennifer A. Okech
Readers will get books at discounted rates, have a chance to meet publishers and authors.
The Cardiff Central Library will host five publishers at the library’s inaugural Publishers’ Christmas Pop-up Bazaar next month.
The bazaar, which will be held from December 16 to December 17 between 10am to 5pm on the ground floor of the library, will be a chance for readers to meet local Welsh publishers and buy book Christmas gifts for friends and family.
The bazaar is part of the events organised by the library’s literary initiative, “Open Space”, which holds monthly public talks with authors, allowing them share their work with readers.
Ms Preeti Pathak, the Central Library’s community resources and recreation librarian, and brain behind Open Space, said the idea of the bazaar is to: “Promote reading books, new authors, find new ways of engaging with potential partners in the publishing world.”
She added: “The bazaar will help promote Welsh talent and connect readers to a local community of authors…it is a great time to buy books for friends and family. Be part of Christmas festivity.”
The Cardiff Central Library displays its book-Christmas tree recently.
Simon Hicks, the marketing manager of SerenBooks, one of the participating publishers, said: “Readers should expect a broad range of writing including fiction, poetry, biography and memoirs, art, photography, and general interest books about Wales.”
He said some of the authors his publishing house will showcase include Owen Sheers, Gwyneth Lewis, Peter Finch, Iolo Williams, Booker-longlisted Patrick McGuinness and Costa Award-winner Jonathan Edwards.
The bazaar will be a chance for readers to get books at discounted rates. Mr Hicks said: “We’ll be offering three for two on all our books, so it’s a great opportunity for people to buy wonderful Christmas gifts at bargain prices. A book is a present that can be opened many times.”
He added that: “As well as buying books, people get the opportunity to talk to Seren staff about reading, writing and the publishing industry.”
As readers warm up for the bazaar, the Central library will host Derec Jones, Author of Boys from the Blackfields and Mark Lock, crime author of Dead Man’s Hand at their monthly Open Space event on December 15. Both events are free to all members of the public.
Costa award winner Jonathan Edwards, one of the SerenBooks authors whose work will be showcased at the bazaar. Net photo