What's Your Reality? One Book, One Vancouver Explores the Media's Influence on Culture

For Immediate Release, May 10, 2007

(Vancouver, British Columbia) -- From reality television and documentaries to newspapers and internet blogs, the Media, Culture, What's Your Reality? Panel Discussion takes a revealing look at the issues around media and its role and influence on today's culture. Join VPL's One Book, One Vancouver for a lively and interactive event hosted by CBC's Mark Forsythe, with author and filmmaker Ruth Ozeki, and Vancouver Sun Arts & Live Editor, Dominic Patten on Tuesday, May 22 at 7:30 p.m. at the Central Library (350 W. Georgia St.) in the Alice MacKay Room.

Ruth Ozeki is an award-winning author, documentary filmmaker, and lecturer, whose work has garnered international critical acclaim. She has worked in commercial television and media production for over a decade. She is also the author of this year's One Book, One Vancouver selection, My Year of Meats.

Dominic Patten is the Arts & Life Editor for The Vancouver Sun. He also an author and journalist who has worked as a culture correspondent for CTV's National News; a producer and correspondent for CBC-TV's media series, Undercurrents; and the co-creator/host of 21, a critically acclaimed documentary series for teens and young adults.

Mark Forsythe, the long-standing host of CBC Radio One's BC Almanac, is a well known and respected CBC commentator and co-author of British Columbia Almanac.

Visit www.vpl.ca for more information on One Book, One Vancouver and upcoming, author readings, book discussion groups, and other events at VPL branches throughout the summer.

One Book, One Vancouver is presented by Vancouver Public Library with support from Penguin Group (Canada); Book Warehouse; the Necessary Voices Society; The Listel Hotel; the Public Library Services Branch, Ministry of Education; Word on the Street; and media partners CBC Radio One and The Vancouver Sun.

Founded in 1869, the Vancouver Public Library is one of Canada's largest library systems, dedicated to meeting the lifelong learning, reading, recreation, and information needs of the people of Vancouver. Each year, the Library's 22 branches serve over 370,000 patrons, offer over 2.5 million items and countless online resources to the public, and answer more than one million reference questions. In 2006, a record 10 million items were circulated.

For more information contact:

Marya Gadison
Acting Manager of Marketing & Communications
Vancouver Public Library
604-331-3681
maryagad@vpl.ca