CLA Weblog Submissions
To navigate our archives, please click on a category to the left. Do you have information that would be of interest to the library community? Please send your weblog submissions to the CLA office at rberta@cla-net.org.
Revamping the Community Reads Programming Model
Back in 1998, Librarian powerhouse, Nancy Pearl, began Seattle's "If All of Seattle Read the Same Book" with the book The Sweet Hereafter. At that point in time, this was an innovative programming idea and it made a huge splash in the Library world. Since then, the concept of an entire community reading the same book has taken hold across the nation.
Today, if you were to search the Internet for "community reads" one would retrieve thousands of relevant websites. There is enough information floating out there from various sources for someone to plan a program from start to finish with insider tips and tricks. Communities, Librarians, authors and publishers love it.
Well, mostly adult folks love it. Most communities focus on one book-hence the concept of a Community Reads, but in doing so neglect to reach other readers (or even non-readers). In 2008 my library, the Alameda Free Library, jumped on the bandwagon, though we changed the concept a little bit. Our program was named, "Across the Pages: an Alameda Community Reads Event." The goal was to truly make it a community event. We featured both an adult and a children's title: Bee Season by Myra Goldberg and The View from Saturday by E. L. Konigsburg. These books had similar themes and thus, crossover programming potential. I'd like to say that the program was a success, for not only were we able to reach a terrific adult population, but we also included our other, younger, population as well. (This other population, as I'm sure most of you are aware, constitutes over 60% of circulation in most, if not all, public libraries.)
Not satisfied with that success, we tried something else. Frankly, we needed something that would cost us less money than purchasing hundreds of the same title to fulfill our community's reading needs. What did we do? We went with a theme! Summer Reading Programs do it, why not implement a Community Reads with the same idea? Mystery at the Library, the Alameda Community Reads Program for 2009 was born. We were able to get several great mystery authors in, thanks to the Sisters in Crime group. We worked with our local Police Department, showed films for all ages, hosted book discussion groups, held several Mystery in a Box programs for kids and teens, and even hosted a fundraising Murder Mystery program. I'd have to say, the program was certainly a success, everyone sure got into the theme. We were able to include the entire community, all ages and most importantly, all reading levels.
In 2010 we're at it again. This time, we're focusing on Speculative Fiction. With a theme this broad, we're sure to have record participation. Our programs will run the gamut from a history of the Horror fiction genre to (hopefully) an appearance by the volunteer organization, the 501st Legion: Vader's Fist (check them out, http://501st.com, if they do come, I'm sure it'll draw a huge crowd!) We're also planning a scavenger hunt for all ages, movies for all ages, and an author visit or two to keep things interesting for our community.
It's fun to take a 'classic' program like a Community Reads and mix it up a little. Who knows what will be next, perhaps a Twitter/Facebook mashup program!
Submitted to California Libraries by:
Annemarie Meyer
Alameda Free Library
Posted on January 21, 2010 8:39 AM | Permalink