Friday, February 22, 2008

The Big Read is coming in March!

The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and Arts Midwest. The Big Read aims to bring the power of reading into the lives of Americans by encouraging communities to read and discuss a single book. Last year, Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird was chosen. The highlight of last year's events was when the C-SPAN Book TV bus stopped by and we had a jazz band performance. Did anybody tour the bus? I couldn't even tell that I was inside of a bus!

This year's book choice is Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451. The theme of censorship resonates in this book, and coincidentally, is a theme that our own library system has faced this past year. The El Paso Public Library System has faced censorship issues that have dealt with Internet use and the display of controversial materials and artwork. One of our programs will feature a speaker from the El Paso Museum of Art that will discuss censorship, as well as Francisco Delgado's "Aquilo o Sol." This is only one of the many events that will be featured during the month of March. There will be children's events, too!

Be sure to pick up a copy of Fahrenheit 451, and be ready to have fun discussing this important work at your library! A complete list of programs will be available on this blog and at the library in March.

Can't wait till March for the Big Read?
>Learn more about the Big Read initiative
>Reserve your copy of Fahrenheit 451
>Check out the full listing of Big Read events
>Visit the MCAD website

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