Notes & Quotes
Please Join Us in “The Big Read!”
by Mary Lou Neighbour, AV Librarian
“Fiction is like a spider’s web, attached ever so slightly, perhaps, but still attached to life at all four corners.”
As stated on the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) website, “The Big Read” is an initiative of the NEA designed to restore reading to the center of American culture. The aim of the program is to bring together partners across the country to encourage reading for pleasure and enlightenment.
A 2004 NEA report, “Reading at Risk: A Survey of Literary Reading in America,” found that literary reading in the U.S. is declining rapidly among all groups, but especially among the young. “The Big Read” was created to address the crisis. It provides the opportunity for people to read and discuss a single book within their communities. There are to be innovative reading programs in selected cities and towns, comprehensive resources for discussing classic literature, and a national publicity campaign. Communities apply for a $20,000 grant to implement “The Big Read” locally.
Each community focuses on one book which is chosen from a list of recommended titles offered by the NEA. The community “Big Read” lasts approximately one month. There are to be major events devoted specifically to the chosen book, and using the book as a point of departure. Events can include book discussions, film screenings, and theatrical readings.
The Brendlinger Library and the College worked collaboratively with Gwynedd Mercy College, the Wissahickon Public Library, and the Upper Dublin Public Library to write the grant to bring “The Big Read” to Montgomery County. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee was chosen as the book for the community to read because the novel can be read and appreciated by middle school students through adults.
And now, in addition to the original four libraries, other organizations have joined in – Wissahickon High School, Upper Dublin High School, Act II Playhouse, the Ambler Theater, and Ambler Main Street Association. The events for “The Big Read” in Montgomery County will run from October 4 to November 15.
The kick-off event is a progressive dinner on Ambler Main Street on October 4. The “Little Taste of the Big Read” features Southern foods prepared by Ambler restaurants. This is followed on October 16 with a screening of the 1962 film based on the book at the Ambler Theater. Mary Badham, the woman who as a little girl played Scout in the movie, will be speaking that evening as well. There is also to be a scripted reading of the novel at the Act II Playhouse and a costume stroll in Ambler, mimicking a scene from the book. In addition, book discussions will take place at libraries, senior centers, and high schools. Charles Shields, author of Mockingbird: A Portrait of Harper Lee, will give a presentation at Gwynedd Mercy College. Dr. Claudia D. Johnson, author of numerous works of literary criticism including “To Kill a Mockingbird: Threatening Boundaries,” will be hosting workshops on teaching of the novel to area teachers.
On our campus, Database Management Librarian, Lisa McColl, is acting as coordinator of events, county-wide. Information Literacy Librarian, Mary Beth Parkinson, is acting as coordinator of book discussions on campus and at Graterford Prison. Mary Beth has encouraged College faculty to incorporate “To Kill a Mockingbird” into their classes this fall semester. Also, there are to be book discussions at both Central and West campuses. Retired English professor, Charlie Reilly, is leading a book discussion on the Central campus from 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 23rd, in the Library Lounge. In addition, Mary Beth and Charlie are taking book discussions to Graterford Prison, where two groups of inmates will discuss the novel.
Thus, there are to be numerous activities celebrating reading and the reading of this particular novel. Please consider reading or re-reading To Kill a Mockingbird and getting involved in “The Big Read.” To see a schedule of all of the events, please go to:
http://www.neabigread.org/events.php or http://www.callofthemockingbird.org
