BOB Book Groups, One Book, One Town

BOB stands for Best of Breed; this workshop showcased best practices in community wide reading programs just in time to celebrate  National Book Discussion month in October. 
Leslie McDonnell, Holliston Public Library; Diane Wallace, Bacon Free Library; Karen Perkins, Morse Institute Library; Tom Viti, Westwood Public Library; Susan Brennan, Weston Public Library, discussed how they procured funds, produced programs and got their citizens engaged in literature.

Diane Wallace from the Morse Institute Library and Karen Perkins from the Bacon Free Library (two separate and unique entities, Morse is very very big and Bacon is very very small) did a collaborative community-wide read in March 2006.

TIP: Starting early was a really good thing! The program was the culmination of 10-12 months of hard work. The thing that took the most time was selectingthe title. What to choose? A classic? A new book? Fiction? Nonfiction? Took staff suggestions.

Title Criteria:

1. Available in multiple formats (LP, pbk, audio)
2. Living author – wasn’t able to come but sent a letter of support
3. All ages appeal
4. Something that would attract boys

The community was invited to join the committee, and getting the community at large involved was important. A planning committee of 5-6 people read a lot and had a lot of s suggestions. The possibility of themes and events played into book selection; Natick decided on a young adult book to attract people of all ages. Carl Hiassen’s Hoot was a last minute entry into the mix that emerged as a winner.

The committee picked a date (the month of March) and reserved meeting rooms though no programs had been booked. The timing was important - February vacation was an ideal time to start reading.

Karen stressed the collaborative nature of Natick Reads several times.

PR
In January, community leader (local VIPS) read chapter by chapter, aired on the local cable station. Characters from the book included an ER doctor, a police detective, teachers, a fireman, a selectman, a state rep, etc.

Each library had 40 free copies to give away and limited to one per family, giving books away at an event with refreshments

Money was spent to design a logo for the event that was not title-specific or seasonal. It had to be graphic for easy reproduction in black and white.  The logo went on everything included pins and labels (stickers).

TIP: Having a mission statement was important to this big event; it was nice to have a reminder of what we were supposed to be doing, said Diane.

PROGRAMS:
In Hoot, the Pancake House is a big part of the book – McDonalds donated pancakes for a breakfast and a local farm provided syrup.

English teachers and Math teachers tied in to the book in their lessons, and the YA librarian led book discussions with school librarians in the schools. Hoot was required reading for one grade the year before, so many kids were familiar with it already. 73 softcovers of Hoot cataloged into collection have been withdrawn and are now being given to English teachers for classroom libraries.

Conservation is big theme in the book. A conservationist spoke at the senior center.

Owl themed storytimes were offered.

The local MA Audubon sanctuary offered ½ price admission to specific programs.

The staff did trivia night at a local pub Center for the Arts in Natick
Family teams played against one another.

TIP: Tie in with the film! Walden Media sent Hoot buttons, posters, discussion guides, and environmental resources

Prizes related to story were given away at every event (Oriental Trading Company was a great resource for hard hats, owls, pencils, etc)

Art projects made by seniors with recycled materials become the centerpieces for the Pancake Breakfast

Three live owl shows were offered for different age groups

A program on bullying was offered for parents

TIP: Get all the staff on board!

BUDGET:
Budget: Friends group was the funding resource
Morse: $3000
Bacon $1000
$3179  was spent on books, buttons, PR and programming

THE FUTURE:
Next year:  Smaller scale with one major activity

“We had a ball… we did work hard, but we had a great time” says Diane.

No negative comments; in fact, there were great testimonials from patrons – such as how the program was instrumental in getting a 10 boy to read! The program really developed community around the book.

TIP: Make it fun

Everything was very well attended -208 at breakfast 1300 in attendance over March (not including all readers, people who saw it on cable.


Leslie McDonnell presented “One Book, One Holliston”
The community voted on a book, choosing on from a list of 10 titles put together by a committee. They looked for appeal on a number of levels:

1. Not too dry or light
2. Appeal to men and women
   

People voted online and at Celebrate Holliston, a community-wide program. 200 people voted. The Kite Runner by Jhaled Hosseini was the winner. It has some very adult themes, so the concentration was on adults for first year, but in the next year, complimentary books is the plan.

"You can’t do anything until you pick the book!" said Leslie. The next step is a logo.  Holliston put the logo on everything they did! Holliston worked with a logo company that does signs, and recognitions, etc.

TIP: everything takes longer than you think its going to usually, due to the human factor

PR
TIP: Town mailing is really crucial, participants said this was way they found out about it

Lawn signs were great for PR; dark is important for winter – same colors & logo are used consistently. They also hung a banner across Rte 16 banner, on Washington Street

Holliston produced a PR pamphlet that included information about:

• the program
• the book
• the author
• read alikes
• websites for more information

Holliston made sure to explain who thought of this idea and where it started; it’s not just little towns, it’s big cities!

Reporters were a little dubious, but people do love to read and love to talk about it.

Book club members asked to email everyone they knew I just want to let you know what our library is doing

Banner read: have you read The Kite Runner? And pointed readers  to the library website for more information.

Car magnets and buttons, created affinity groups – people spotted buttons, and conversations ensued.

TIP: the idea is for everyone to think, Everybody is reading it! I want to read it too.

PROGRAMS
Holliston, a town of 14,000, has 20 book groups! Each was asked to read the Kite Runner over the winter, and/or come to discussion at the library

4 book discussion programs were held, on Mon/Tue/Wed/Thu evenings to accommodate all schedules.

High School offered extra credit for participation

Kickoff Program included a RI national guard colonel talked about US efforts in rebuilding Afghanistan, a healthcare provider who’d worked in Afghanistan, and Afghan native.  Tea and traditional desserts were served.

The library displayed a burka throughout the program.

TIP: A little charity project adds another layer. Knitters and crocheters made afghans for Afghans, as well as mittens, blankets etc. that were shipped in the spring

A few things didn’t go right; the kite demo never panned out and an online guest book didn’t work out…virus through the guest book brought the website down!


TIP: Try to get the right book at the right time . It was well timed – interest was high. Winter is a good time to do this kind of program, there is less competition for people’s attention. They are looking for something to do.

Holliston bought a lot of books and got books for free from Cambridge and Winchester. They found they bought too many large type and that people liked audio books.

TIP: Recycle books from other projects

BUDGET:
Holliston mostly worked with the Friends group. They were On the Same Page grant recipients.

The FUTURE:
Our hope is that as people get into the program, people will ask well what did you read in previous years?

People really enjoyed it, and have been asking when are we going to do it again?

March by Geraldine Brooks will be the next book.
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

TIP: Develop a clever slogan:  "February is March…"

TIP: Random House has a printed resource for one book own town.


Tom Viti presented the Westwood Library’s 2003 community read that was actually TWO programs: one for adults, one for children. He recommended that in choosing a book, you tie into your history, setting, if you can – New England is rich in literary tradition. Pick a title with broad appeal.

Westwood did Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie for adults, and The Arkadians by Lloyd Alexander for children.

Appeal:

• Good stories
• Interesting characters
• Not too long
• Many themes for discussion: censorship, culture, politics and an ambiguous ending that lent itself well to discussion.

Staff and friends formed a committee to choose a book. It was difficult to get consensus on one book – everyone has their favorites! Director made the final choice.

TIP: Pick the book and go forward

TIP: Publisher’s websites are a good resource – for discussion questions

PROGRAMS:
TIP: This program is not the equivalent of 3 credits at the college level!

Numerous book discussions were held at the library & senior center

Crazy inventive things too!
Chinese cooking program

Chinese folk dance

Professor from Wellesley college and his wife spoke about living through the Cultural Revolution

A panel discussion of high school teachers – their opinion of the book

Music programs

Over 100 people attended the February kickoff in 4 degree weather!

PR
Publishers gave permission to reproduce jacket as a poster

450 copies of both titles were given away -- most of the money was spent on books and people were asked to pass along to a friend

Westwood has about 20 book clubs (someone emailed the contact person of each and sent copies)
Books were even given away at the local Starbucks

Publicity:

• townwide newsletter
• library newsletter
• website

TIP: Steal and borrow from other success programs! Lots of libraries are doing this! Wakefield’s idea to use the local police or fire dept is a great one.  Give copies to the officers and take photos, and post around town.

TIP: You can partner with anybody to build program. It’s sometimes a challenge to get things done – make it as easy as possible

BUDGET:
Westwood Education Foundation
Friends of the Library
Library Trustee’s State Aid money

Total Cost: $7000 went to gift certificates for speakers,  program refreshments and books.

600 people attended programs over 2-3 months in winter; book circ is estimated at ~1500. Lots of leftover books.

TIP: Start big, but regroup – budget is smaller in year two.

THE FUTURE:
2005: Snow Island by Katherine Towler, a first novel by a local author who put in an appearance as part of the program

2007: Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Staggering it every other year to allow for other projects worked well.

Tom spoke for a moment from “The Library Director’s Perspective:”
This is a very popular program  - you’ll bring a lot of attention to your library

What else are you doing in the community? New bldg? more budget? Embark on this the year before a special request. It raises your visibility.

This is a unique opportunity to snag the “traditionalist” staff members who don’t buy into tech or think you are spending too much money on CDs & DVDs

Things that didn’t go well:
Activity or craft oriented programs for kids, not book discussion

Now, Westwood will do adult books only, but youth programming ties in with themes in the adult program i.e. Chinese culture.

Susan Brennan shared the "Weston Reads…" program, now in it’s 3rd year
2005 Weston Reads Poetry
2006 Weston Reads Mystery
2007 Weston Reads Biographies

She reported that people are eager to see what’s going on each year.

TIP: Collaborate! Public & private schools, every town building and town department was involved. A lot of people on the committee but bulk of work let to librarians.

PROGRAMS
TIP: Kick off event with as big a name as you can get
Robert Pinksy, former poet laureate, lectured at Regis College -- over 300 people attended
Play in poem format
Family poetry workshop
Regis student poetry readings

TIP: Involve public in producing something that can be left at the library. A poetry contest for residents gleaned 400 contributions! Winners were selected by teacher judges for each grade level; retired teachers judges adults’’Chapbook” of winner with high school student cover design.

ALL entries bound into a book paid for by library ($10 per book) sold to public for $26 wonderful fundraiser sold 298/300

PR
Poem a day bookmarks

Weston Reads Mystery was a smaller scale program with events in every town department and Bookmarks with booklists on them

PROGRAMS:
Nicholas Kilmer curator and art detective, told  wonderful stories about Isabel Stewart Gardner musem thefts  and forgeries

Even the math teacher tied into the poetry theme

Finale: Visit by Robert Parker on his winter book tour 350 people

This year: Weston Reads Biographies
PROGRAMS:
MA book award winner Megan Marshall coming
Memoir workshops and a Timeline project are in the works, along with a snapshot in time in Weston, a collection of memoirs to share with the public, to bind and sell.

TIP: Council on aging are a wonderful resource

PR:
No logo in the past, working on it this year

Local newspaper has been very supportive

FUTURE:
It will go on and on – the genre is easier to fit into all the different school ages
Length and content can be tailored

Budget: Pinsky was expensive- cost split with Weston education foundation
$2500 each but did workshops at schools and did an evening lecture

Robert Parker did evening lecture, writer in residence went to the school
TIP: Do a larger event the first year, and a smaller event the first year

BUDGET:
$6000 included all the printing, the money to do the anthologies, PR

TIP: Have lots of takeways, people love takeaways ie I’m a poet ribbon, bookmarks

TIP: Do displays! Poetry, mystery circs have skyrocketed

Not sure if we will try one title, everyone has gotten used to it

QUESTION: What was the best part and what was the biggest problem

Natick
How much creativity is within the staff and community and the choosing the book is an enjoyable problem to have
Off site programs were the most work
Karen put in an extra 10 hours a week to do it put into the budget

Holliston
People drawn together for the love of reading
"We had snags but the million little things is the hard part the printer didn’t call me back, this costs more than I thought..."

Part of the grant added hours to a part time person who ended up hurting her back and out on disability.

Weston: Enormous support, contribution and participation from community
Hardest thing is the large committee with great ideas committing to the work, starting a year in advance is very helpful

Question: How do we make this happen with limited staff?
It is a lot of time & effort, use volunteers, build into strategic plan. Natick is lucky to have a community relations person, many directors took this program on themselves.

TIP: Make it work by tying into the other existing programs

TIP: Build into your strategic plan

“Children’s librarians, all you have to do is give them the idea and it’s already done,” said Tom.

MA Foundation for the Humanities is a resource
They have a number of discussion topics and books to use.

Shelley Quezada, who was in attendance, mentioned that the MBLC has a $7500 grant for community reads called On the Same Page. You do have to plan it in advance and follow the guideline. Almost without exception, people continue the program even after the funding ends. Dec 1 is the deadline for long range plans to be filed, letters of intent are generally due the first week of December.

Shelley is coordinating a list of who has done what to facilitate book swapping and connecting with someone else who might have done it, i.e. Falmouth did To Kill a Mockingbird and got ideas from Chicago.  Marblehead did The Whale Ship Essex and someone in the Northeast region did The Orchard.

Shelley also suggested that Minuteman/Metrowest may want to investigate the successful MVLC Book Club Kits. One of the panelists mentioned that a grant forces you to do things you should have been doing anyway, like a budget, a timeline, evaluations, surveys.
 

tags: ce  workshopnotes  continuing  education  

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