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February 16, 2010
SOMERVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY LAUNCHES “ONE CITY, ONE BOOK” CAMPAIGN
“Somerville Reads” Program Kickoff Set for March 28th; Program to Encourage All Residents to Read Selected Vietnam War-Era Book, “The Things They Carried”
SOMERVILLE. - Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and Executive Director of the Somerville Public Library Nancy Milnor announced today that the City of Somerville will launch its first "one city, one book" campaign, entitled "Somerville Reads," in March 2010. The program, made possible through a federal grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, promotes literacy and community dialog by engaging community members in book discussions, art displays, community read-alouds, and film screenings throughout the month of April. Somerville's program will be based on The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien, a collection of related stories about a platoon of American soldiers in the Vietnam War.
"We are extremely grateful to have received this grant, and to be able to bring such a wonderful, community-building program to the City of Somerville and its residents," Milnor said. "Tim O'Brien's collection of touching stories in this book presents a unique opportunity to not only host a series of book discussions and art exhibits, but more importantly to bridge generational gaps to encourage all residents - veterans, immigrants, teens, parents, teachers - to come together to learn and share personal experiences."
Copies of the book are available for checkout at all three Somerville Public Library locations. All locations also have copies of the book on CD.
The program will kick off with a concert on Sunday, March 28th from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Center for Arts at the Armory, 91 Highland Ave., featuring music from the Vietnam War era by The Band That Time Forgot. Additional events will be held throughout the month of April, including:
- April 2010, Central Library (79 Highland Ave.): Somerville High School student art exhibit related to Vietnam
- April 1, 2010, Central Library, 7:00 pm: Lecture on the history and culture of Vietnam by Harvard Professor Hue-Tam Ho Tai
- April 8, 2010, East Branch Library (115 Broadway), 7:00 pm: Community read-aloud from "The Things They Carried"
- April 13, 2010, Porter Square Books (25 White Street), 7:00 pm: Book discussion led by author Margot Livesey
- April 17, 2010, Central Library, 2:00 pm: Book discussion led by Tufts English Professor Michael Downing
- April 24, 2010, Central Library: Film Festival, featuring "Good Morning Vietnam," "The Quiet American," and "Born on the 4th of July."
- April 26, 2010, West Branch Library (40 College Ave.), 7:30 pm: Book/movie discussion
- TBA, Nave Gallery (155 Powderhouse Blvd): Concert to benefit the New England Center for Homeless Veterans
All events are free and open to the public, with the exception of the Nave Gallery's concert.
"I'd like to thank the co-sponsors and facilitators for this series of events for helping us to make this program possible," Milnor said. "I also want to thank Philip O'Brien, a Principal with Johnson Roberts Associates, Inc., for creating the logo for Somerville's program. I encourage all Somerville community members to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity, and remind everyone that the book is available in print and on CD at all three Somerville Public Library branches."
Somerville Reads is presented by the Somerville Public Library with the support of a generous grant from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Library Service and Technology Act administered by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation's 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The Institute's mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas. The Institute works at the national level and in coordination with state and local organizations to sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge; enhance learning and innovation; and support professional development. To learn more about the Institute, please visit www.imls.gov.
The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) is a state agency that supports, improves, and promotes library services throughout the Commonwealth. To learn more about the MBLC, please visit mblc.state.ma.us.
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