The Big Read: Alabama READS

1. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer By Mark Twain The Big Read:Alabama READS

2. Contacts of Presenters • Jan Cederquist • jcederquist@apls.state.al.us • 1-800-723-8459 ext. 3987 • Tiffany Vaughn • tiffanyvaughn@bellsouth.net • 334-683-6411 • Pat Ryan • pryan@bham.lib.al.us • 205-226-3615

3. Components of The Big Read: Alabama Reads • Overview of The Big Read • Partnerships • PR and materials • Programming • Resources • Continuation of Alabama Reads

4. Where to Start? • The Big Read: creating a nation of readers! • 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. • www.neabigread.org

5. Why the Big Read? • Designed to promote reading for pleasure -- to influence readers, non-readers, and reluctant readers alike • Introduce or revisit “classics” in literature • To supply a venue of communication in local communities

6. 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 • Old favorite!

7. Statewide organization • Alabama divided into 9 regions and applied for 9 grants • Designed to make it easier to communicate, plan, and partner with local area as well as on a statewide level. • Regional Project Coordinators in each region will coordinate events and assist the public libraries in their regions

8. 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

9. Participating Public Libraries • Participation is voluntary • Each public library participating is required to offer at least two programs: • Kick-off Event • Book Discussion

10. Contact Your Local Public Library • Please partner with your local public library. • If any problems arise or your local public library is not participating, contact the Regional Project Coordinator covering your county. • If all else fails, then email or call Jan Cederquist, Tiffany Vaughn, or Pat Ryan

11. Regional Project Coordinators Contact List • Available at the Statewide Big Read WIKI site: http://bigreadresources.pbworks.com/ • List of all public libraries and contact information on APLS website http://statelibrary.alabama.gov

12. Statewide partners • Alabama Public Libraries • Alabama Public Library Service (APLS) • Alabama Center for the Book • New South Books • Alabama School Media Specialists

13. Public Relations (PR) • Statewide Strategies/Events to Promote the Program: • New South Books book distribution next week • Legislative participation, Governor’s participation • Alabama Book Festival

14. In Order to Reach Reluctant Readers • News releases • Media alerts • Feature stories • Facebook • Twitter • Blogs • Podcasts • You Tube • Website

15. Student Participation • Engage schools, colleges, and universities • Student participation in as many schools as possible • Statewide Poetry Contest

16. NEA Promotional Materials • Provided to Participating Public Libraries (share with community): • Bookmarks • Posters • Reader’s Guides (English and Spanish) • Teacher’s Guides • PSAs • Graphics • Teacher’s Appreciation Certificates

17. Alabama Reads Materials • Addition 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

18. Programming • What can you do in the schools? • Classroom Participation • School Library Activities • Faculty Reading Group • Mentoring Program • Sponsor a Public Event

19. Classroom participation • Read the book as part of a class assignment • Projects: • Elementary – storytime, coloring pages • Middle – literature fair, poetry contest • High School – Statewide poetry contest, writing contest, art contest • As simple as you want to make it – a simple version of painting the fence with a coloring page on the reverse side • Select one chapter to read and discuss.  Email a chapter to all students.

20. 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 and biography and reference help) • 2 week curriculum provided by NEA

21. STATEWIDE POETRY CONTEST • Sponsored by individual schools • 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

22. How Does the Contest Work? • Each school will hold its own contest and select the top three (3) poems in each division. • School winners will proceed to Regional contest where the top three (3) poems in each division are selected • Regional winners will proceed to the Statewide contest where the top (3) poems in each division are selected. • The 6 finalists will perform at the Alabama Book Festival next March where the state winners will be announced!

23. NEA WEBSITEhttp://www.neabigread.org • Information about selected titles • Full-text, downloadable version of promotional materials • CAUTION: Contact a Regional Project Coordinator before you create or distribute any promotional materials (NEA STRICT GUIDELINES)

25. OUR BOOKS SECTION (NEA)

26. COMMUNITIES SECTION (NEA)

27. WIKI Resourceshttp://bigreadresources.pbworks.com • Forms • Lists • Performer’s List • Program Ideas • Downloadable Versions • Statewide Poetry Contest

29. We Are Looking For… • Links to free Mark Twain content, canned story times, coloring pages, activity sheets • Inexpensive door prize items related to Twain or Tom Sawyer (erasers, toys) • Posters & stand-ups

30. Continuation of Alabama Reads • After evaluation of this pilot program, there will be a plan developed by the statewide committee to continue the Alabama Reads program. • Future partnerships with NEA are most definitely in our plans! • Continuing partnerships between schools and public libraries

31. Conclusion • The printed word is not dead. • Reading is FUN. • Develop programs that will bring a community together. • Find quality partners, like School Media Specialists, to make this program a bigger success.

32. Questions & Answers