The Taiwan Reading Festival is an annual grand event in the library community. In recent years, there has been continuous innovation in reading promotion, spanning across different domains to provide the public with diverse reading promotion models. This year, using "clothing" as a medium, the event is themed as "Unique Stories in Attire," encouraging people to read stories or memories through clothing, connecting the past, present, and future. The themed exhibition will be showcased at the National Central Library's first-floor arts and culture exhibition hall from October 31 to December 2, featuring clothing with stories and library staff uniforms.
In 2023, coinciding with the centennial of the National Central Library's establishment, the festival is soliciting a hundred pieces of clothing with memorable or nostalgic stories, aiming to connect people through reminiscing stories and showcasing emotional exchanges between individuals. The collected clothing stories are all fascinating, touching, and filled with interesting anecdotes.
Reading is one of the fundamental ways humans learn, and with technological advancements, the forms of reading continue to evolve from physical books to digital reading. To rekindle the joy of reading, the festival uses clothing as a theme to shape the reading symbol of library staff attire. Uniforms from various libraries are curated, enhancing the fashionable and diverse impression of libraries, making them more approachable and lovable. The designed uniforms allow flexibility, with options to wear the top open or tied, and female staff uniforms can be paired with custom-printed scarves to create a professional image.
"Unique for Reading - Reading with Clothing" aims to showcase the diversity of reading through the indispensable daily item of clothing. The goal is to help the public discover that the library is an innovative and diverse reading space, using reading to transform themselves. Simultaneously, the event hopes to promote the concept of sustainability, encouraging institutions to grow while fulfilling social responsibilities and embracing the sustainable concept of environmental protection. Ultimately, through reading, it is hoped that individuals will gain strength, realize the value of life, and create a beautiful life!
In addition to the planned thematic exhibition, this year's Reading Festival, "Unique Stories in Attire," includes the promotion of vocational groups. Over a dozen workshops and lectures in the fashion design category are organized, along with a competition for the design of librarian uniforms. Emerging designers or students are invited to design librarian attire for the new era, with the top prize being NT$20,000. The series of activities will culminate on December 2, the day of the Reading Festival, featuring a story clothing fashion show, dynamic performances, design competition awards, a creative market for reading promotion, interactive games, and more, inviting everyone to join in the festivities.