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The Adventures of Tom Sawyer By Mark Twain. The Big Read: Alabama READS. Where to Start?. History of The Big Read: Alabama Reads The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and Arts Midwest
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The Adventures of Tom Sawyer By Mark Twain The Big Read:Alabama READS
Where to Start? • History of The Big Read: Alabama Reads • The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and Arts Midwest • The Big Read: Creating a nation of readers • www.neabigread.org
Why the Big Read? • Designed to promote reading for pleasure – especially among reluctant readers • 2002 NEA survey showed 46.7% reading; 7% decline since 1992 • Decline among teens and adults, especially college students • 2004 NEA Reading at Risk survey results launched The Big Read initiative • Introduce or revisit “classics” or “literary” reading (novels, short stories, plays, poems) • Negative trends have social, economic, cultural, and civic implications
Why The Adventures of Tom Sawyer? • On the NEA selected book list & no Alabama public library has used it yet • On school reading lists • Promotes the idea of community which is a very important aspect of The Big Read • 2010 is the Year of the Small Town • Old favorite! Re-read it!
Statewide organization • Alabama divided into 9 regions and applied for 9 grants • Designed to make it easier to communicate and partner with local areas • Regional Project Coordinators statewide will coordinate events and assist the public libraries in their areas
When Will This Take Place? • The Statewide Committee selected February through April of 2010 for statewide marketing campaign • Individual communities can select the best time and length for their events whether a two week program, a three month program or something in-between
Participating Public Libraries • Participation is voluntary • Each public library participating is required to offer at least two programs: • Kick-off Event • Book Discussion
Contact Your Local Public Library • Please partner with your local public library • If your local public library is not participating, contact me for the info of the Regional Project Coordinator covering your county
Statewide partners • Alabama Public Libraries & APLS • Alabama Center for the Book • New South Books • The Birmingham News • University of Alabama – SLIS & Dept. of Advertising and Public Relations • Alabama Department of Tourism • Alabama Public/Private Schools/ Home school community • Universities/Secondary Colleges
Public Relations • Statewide Strategies/Events to Promote the Program: • Governor’s participation & planning a Legislative kick-off in early Feb. • New South Books special edition • Alabama Book Festival
In Order to Reach a Wide Audience • Website: AlabamaReads.org • News releases • Media alerts • Feature stories • Facebook • Twitter • Blogs • Podcasts • You Tube
NEA Promotional Materials • Provided to Participating Public Libraries (share with community): • Bookmarks • Posters • Reader’s Guides (English and Spanish) • Teacher’s Guides • Companion CDs • PSAs • Graphics • Teacher’s Appreciation Certificates
Alabama Reads Materials • Additional materials: • Statewide marketing campaign • Promotional materials for use by public libraries at their events • Book bags and T-shirts for purchase from public libraries • Other promotional materials to support the Alabama Big Read program
Programming • What can you do in the schools or academic settings? • Statewide Written Poetry Contests for Middle School Students/ regional contests art, essay, etc. • School Library Activities – English, drama, art • Student & faculty book groups • Plan a scholar’s event
Classroom participation • Read the book as part of a class assignment • Projects: • Elementary – storytime, coloring pages, crafts • Middle – literature fair, poetry contest • High School – spoken word poetry contests, essay and art contests • As simple as you want to make it – a simple version of painting the fence with a coloring page, or a fence craft activity using popsicle sticks • Select one chapter to read and discuss. Email a chapter to all students.
Classroom Projects • World Book Online ebooks/full-text of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (statewide paid subscription provided by APLS) • Mark Twain house online • http://www.marktwainhouse.org/ • http://www.marktwainhouse.org/teacher/homework.shtml (homework help, biography and reference help) • 2 week curriculum provided by Teachers Guide available for download on NEA website
STATEWIDE POETRY CONTEST • Sponsored by individual schools; coordinated by each region • Junior Division (5th – 6th Grades) • Senior Division (7th – 8th Grades) • May submit one poem, must be original, unpublished, inspired by the book, no longer than 50 lines
NEA WEBSITEhttp://www.neabigread.org • Information about selected titles • Full-text, downloadable version of teachers guides/readers guides/companion cd
WIKI Resourceshttp://bigreadresources.pbworks.com • Performer’s List • Program Ideas for all ages • Links to full text copy of book & other Tom Sawyer resources • Downloadable Versions • Statewide Poetry Contest • Bibliography & companion titles lists • Press documents • Forms
State Website: AlabamaReads.org • Statewide website will be up in January • Post your comments • Link to your local public library • Access the statewide calendar of events
The Good News!The printed word is not dead. • An NEA survey Reading on the Rise published in 2008 put the % of adults reading at 50.2%, a 3.5% improvement since 2002 • Progress in all age groups, with 18-24 year olds showing the greatest gains • Also, increase among all races, with notable improvement among African-Americans and Hispanics
Found that nearly 15% of adults read some form of literature online • 84% of adults read books, in print or online • Reading preferences online included mysteries, thrillers, romance conforming to print favorites • The Big Read project has been implemented in over 500 communities nationwide • Reading at Risk survey was used to gain media attention about the decline of reading
Questions & AnswersContact/Website Information: • Pat Ryan, AL Reads State PR Chairman • pryan@bham.lib.al.us • 205-226-3615 • Regional Coordinators Contact info: Available at the Statewide Big Read WIKI site: http://bigreadresources.pbworks.com/ • www.AlabamaReads.org Up January 2010 • NEA website: www.neabigread.org