An Chomhairle Leabharlanna, in association with The Irish Times and International Education Services, has invited young people to give their views on the topic: "The Future Of The Book/ Cinniuint An Leabhair Sa La Ata Romhainn".

Entries are invited for in two categories: under 14 and under 18 years of age. Winners will receive a trophy courtesy of The Irish Times and a book prize courtesy of International Education Services, Leixlip, Co Kildare. Each prize-winning essay will be published in full in The Irish Times.

The panel of adjudicators comprises Rosemary Hetherington, librarian chair, the poet, Thomas McCarthy and the novelist, short-story writer and Irish Times journalist, Mary Morrissy.

The closing date for receipt of entries is Friday, April 3rd, 1998. Entries should be no more than 1,000 words long and should be original work. Entries can be hand-written or typed, be in Irish or English and should be forwarded to your local public library, or The Director, An Chomhairle Leabharlanna, 53-54 Upper Mount Street, Dublin 2, telephone: 01-6761167.

Please print your name and date of birth on your entry and mark your envelope "Essay Competition". The decision of the panel of adjudicators will be final. It will not be possible to return entries. No correspondence will be entered into. The rules are available from An Chomhairle Leabhairlanna.

Front Row's e-mail address is frontrow@irishtimes.ie