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CONTACT: Stan Siegel, 853-0085 / pio@norwalkpubliclibrary.org Les Kozerowitz, 899-2780 ext 123 / lkozerowitz@norwalkpubliclibrary.org
THE NORWALK PUBLIC LIBRARY RECEIVES AN NEA ‘THE BIG READ’ GRANT FOR 2009 AS ‘THE BIG READ – NORWALK 2008’ ENDS
Norwalk CT, June 30, 2008 – As announced by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Norwalk Public Library has been awarded a grant to participate in its national The Big Read program. “The Big Read – Norwalk 2009” campaign which will kickoff on April 9, next year. This will be the third NEA grant received by the Norwalk Public Library – in 2006 the event was built around To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. This year the program, which ends June 30, was built around Ray Bradbury’s classic sci-fi novel, Fahrenheit 451.
“The book chosen for 2009 is The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain,” explains Stanley M. Siegel, the president of the Norwalk Public Library Board of Trustees. “We chose Tom Sawyer in the hope that we would appeal to a younger audience as well as including teens and adults. Further,” Siegel continued, “here in Connecticut we have the history of Mark Twain’s life as well as the Mark Twain House and Museum in Hartford.”
Siegel, and Les Kozerowitz, Norwalk Public Library Director, attended the NEA The Big Read orientation program in Minneapolis earlier this month and were recognized as “Repeat Readers” for their past efforts.
Since “The Big Read – Norwalk 2008” kickoff on April 5, the Norwalk Public Library has distributed more than 985 free copies of Ray Bradbury’s classic sci-fi novel Fahrenheit 451, involved a dozen or so book-discussion groups, held weekly special events for audiences of all ages, and in so doing encouraged the Norwalk community to read – not only the chosen book, but books of all sorts.
In addition to the book itself, Fahrenheit 451 Reader’s Guides and accompanying audio CDs were distributed to complement the novel.
The 2008 kickoff, held at Norwalk Community College featured Sam Weller, the author of The Bradbury Chronicles, the biography of Ray Bradbury. Coincidental to Weller’s presentation – who was introduced by Mayor Richard Moccia – the Norwalk Public Library’s Children’s Department held a Fahrenheit 451-related arts and crafts workshop session for children. And the Norwalk Fire Department’s Engine 3 crew delighted children and adults alike by explaining and showing the various components of their fire truck and equipment. Their robot Sparky the Dog interacted with the public while teaching fire safety.
Initiated by Susannah Violino, of the Norwalk Public Library’s Reference department, Fahrenheit 451 was the featured book of the Library’s Books Sandwiched In and Laid Back Book Club regular discussion groups. Other Fahrenheit 451 groups included Mark Ross of the South Norwalk Branch Library who moderated the Senior Book Club; David Hay, principal of the Brookside School who organized a teach-staff group; and Susan Arnold of the Side-by-Side Magnet School who arranged a parent discussion group. Various other city-wide regular book discussion “clubs” took the book and their selection during the 3-month program. In all it is estimated that more than 100 readers took part.
During this year’s effort there were two film showings of the movie of Fahrenheit 451 – one each at the Main and Branch Library; a special live reading of the novel, as a stage presentation, by the Carriage House Arts Center players; an improv audience-involved production of Fahrenheit 451 by the Hudson River Playback Theatre.
As part of the free book distribution, recipients were asked to complete and return a questionnaire regarding the content, the characters and sense of Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 underlying “message.” Certificates of Accomplishment will be sent to all responding as a memento of their participation.
“To ‘bridge the gap’ between each of the Norwalk Public Library’s “The Big Read” campaigns,” adds Siegel, “we have developed an ongoing reading initiative – Norwalk Is Reading – an effort officially proclaimed by Mayor Moccia which states in part: “Therefore, the Norwalk Public Library under the auspices of the Norwalk Public Library Foundation had broadened the scope of its 3-month Big Read campaign to provide and ongoing program to help reverse the “imminent cultural crisis in literate reading” – Norwalk Is Reading – a Norwalk Public Library city-wide initiative.”
“What we intend,” Siegel concludes, “is to utilize the Norwalk Public Library’s resources, and staff, to continually and vigorously foster and promote the joy and benefits of literate reading throughout the Greater Norwalk Area.”
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.
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This event is part of The Big Read, an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and Arts Midwest. www.neabigread.org.
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