Much to the book lover’s delight, the ‘Book Garden’ in Tehran will host permanent exhibitions and several related activities all year round. The idea of a book garden was first floated in 2004, when the authorities realized that a one-week International Book Fair in Tehran was not enough to satisfy the numerous book enthusiasts.
During a one-day seminar with the Publishers Association last week, the managing director of the book garden, Ali-Akbar Ashari said the aim of the book garden is to compensate the shortcomings of the Tehran book fair by providing ample space and amenities to promote book reading. He added that plans for construction of similar book gardens in all major cities in the country are in the pipeline.
Classification
According to Ashari, the book garden, covering a total area of more than 35,000 square meters, includes 16,000 sq. m. of general books display. The books in this section are classified into 16 different categories based on their subjects. People can visit the exhibition throughout the year to flip through the books or purchase them, while taking assistance from the available guides whenever necessary. “Special events such as commemorating birth anniversaries of prominent poets and writers will also be organized to promote their works,” said Ashari.
The book garden also includes an 8,000 sq. m. area for children and adolescent books categorized into four age groups of 0-5 years, 5-8 years, 8-12 years and 12-16 years, which are further classified according to the subjects.
Some of the other features include a book therapy clinic, around 1,500 sq. m. for stationeries, multimedia products and e-books, 6 assembly halls, one theater and one amphitheater which will host seminars and stage plays related with books, and a TV station for producing programs about books and reading. In addition, 70 games and book workshops will keep children entertained while the parents visit the exhibition or simply leaf through the magazines and journals.
The Tehran Book Garden is located on Haqqani Highway, adjacent to the National Library and Archives Organization of Iran (NLAI).
