Increase Community-Wide Book Readings and Discussions

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Community-wide book reading programs encourage members of a community to read and discuss a single book simultaneously, with the goals of fostering important conversations on social issues from community members.

Background

When communities read the same material, community members become better problem solvers as they are more engaged and empathetic towards each other, and have meaningful conversations surrounding important social topics and ideas.

Community-wide book reading program brings together members of a community through reading and discussing the same literary piece.  It has the ability to create the same experience shared between a varied spectrum of community members.

Having a book-reading program in the community leads to several benefits. Including increased willingness to participate in volunteer opportunities, in cultural or political activities, and engaging with fellow community members in general. The experiences that connect readers through community reading help individuals become better versions of themselves, and impacts overall positivity in their lives.

 

Tools and Resources

1. One Book One Community Guide

• Guide has been created by the American Library Association (ALA). It entails an introduction to community-wide reading, goal planning and budget planning information, and how to select a book for your community. It also includes an evaluation form for participants to fill out after the program finishes, to reflect and improve the program for the future. Guide can be access here: https://www.ala.org/tools/sites/ala.org.tools/files/content/onebook/files/onebookguide.pdf

2. Scholastic Community Reads Program Guide

• Guide created by Scholastic, entailing a timeline to follow for communities, with specific information on what should be completed for a successful program each month. Access the guide through this link: https://www.scholastic.com/content/dam/scholastic/educators/discussion-guides/community-reads-program-guide.pdf

3.Penguin Random House 

• Article includes important tips from Penguin Random House on a successful Community Reading Program. Tips include defining program audience, developing events to promote your community program and building a budget to support the program as well. More tips can be seen here: https://commonreads.com/2017/06/21/tips-creating-community-reads-program/

 

Digital Tools for a Virtual Community Book Reading 

• The Book Club App
  • User-friendly app that helps to organize meetings, connect with book club group members and has the ability for the book club to choose the next book to be read. http://bookmovement.com/bookclubapp/
• Slack 
  • A messaging software that promotes real-time conversation between book club members. https://slack.com/
• Trello
  • An online tool that promotes collaboration between members, and helps to track progress on book reading. Members can also suggest books for future reading sessions, and set tasks for others to accomplish. https://trello.com/

 

Promising Practices and Case Studies

How to promote community-wide book reading:

1. PACEs connection, an organization that connects individuals who are interested in implementing resilience-building and trauma-informed practices, have created chapter-by-chapter detailed study guides of a book that is being read under their Connecting Communities One Book at a Time reading initiative.  The study guide helps with growing and learning with fellow community members.

A webinar held on June 28th with best-selling author Bruce Perry of “What Happened to You? Conversations on Trauma, Resilience and Healing”, co-authored with Oprah Winfrey will entail conversation around historical trauma, and will provide an opportunity for PACEs Connection members and different communities to connect through the Connecting Communities One Book at a Time initiative. More information on the webinar can be accessed here: https://www.pacesconnection.com/g/Parenting-with-ACEs/blog/register-now-author-bruce-perry-to-discuss-historical-trauma-and-help-launch-new-connecting-communities-one-book-at-a-time-book-study-with-his-best-seller-what-happened-to-you-1

2. Books and Breakfast Louisville 

Books and Breakfast Louisville is a community program held on a monthly basis, encourages and promotes community book reading to discuss social issues. Information on how to join and future events can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/booksandbreakfastlouisville/

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Actions to Take

Actions for Coalitions

Actions for Individuals