One Book Rates a Read in Towns from
Bowral to Alice Springs
In an Australian first, a project is being jointly undertaken in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales and Alice Springs in the Northern Territory to motivate more adults to make time in their lives for reading.
The community-wide reading project known as "One Book - One Town" was launched on Australia Day 2002 in the Southern Highlands.
When Alice Springs Library learned of the idea via the internet, a link between the two communities was established and a decision was taken to twin the regions by reading the same book in a unique Australian collective reading experience.
Other libraries have also been in contact about the project with a view to including their own communities.
The idea behind the One Book - One Town project is simple: It is a public campaign to encourage the reading of a particular book in a particular community during a particular period of time.
In addition to promoting the book, various events such as a visit by the author, workshop events and the formation of book discussion groups are used to help motivate people to make more time for reading in their lives.
The One Book - One Town is supported by the local bookshops, the Council Libraries, and the six major Australian publishers that nominated titles for selection.
The first-ever Australian reading campaign will commence with the announcement of the chosen book on World Book Day (April 23) and finish four months later during Book Week (August 17-23).
The book that has been chosen is Maestro by Peter Goldsworthy (recently re-issued as an A&R Classic by publishers HarperCollins). Peter Goldsworthy will visit both towns as part of the project. [Ed. Note: A separate release is available with specific information on this book and interviews with the author/publisher can be arranged]
One Book - One Town is adapted from highly successful programs that have taken place over recent years in several dozen North American cities and towns
The first program took place in Seattle during 1998, and has been repeated every year since then with other major cities, such as Chicago and New York, also choosing a book for their communities
BookTown Australia Convenor and overall project coordinator, Paul McShane, says that the reports from the US programs reveal that public campaigns focused on reading a specific book have also helped create a sense of bonding within the participating communities.
"Aside from rekindling for many adults the forgotten pleasure of reading a good story, this project creates a collective literary experience, something that has largely been lost since the advent of television and other forms of modern communication and entertainment," said Mr McShane.
"Many people, despite their best intentions otherwise, do struggle to find the time to read books these days or don't read much outside their genre or area of special interest. "
"A national survey by research company, AC Neilsen, last year showed that 58% of adult Australians would like to spend more time reading for pleasure and relaxation but lifestyle pressures prevented them doing so."
"This program is an opportunity to read at least one good book this year in the knowledge that others in your community are also reading it at the same time."
"Aside from the creation of book discussion groups and reading circles in each town, there will be an online chat forum on the BookTown Australia website that will enable individuals from both the Southern Highlands and Alice Springs to discuss the book," said McShane.
The Mayor of Wingecarribee Shire Council, Clr Phil Yeo, warmly welcomed the involvement of Alice Springs as an exciting development for the community reading program.
"Although our two regions are different in many ways, it is a positive thing that reading fine Australian literature can be a way of bonding within our community, as well as between our two communities."
"The project organisers hoped that eventually the idea would be adopted by other Australian towns and cities but this is encouraging to have it happen so soon and proves the merit of the original proposal."
Mayor of Alice Springs, Fran Kilgariff, said the One Book-One Town community reading program would give Alice Springs people another reason to promote and develop literacy in the community and help celebrate World Book Day.
"One Book - One Town is a real chance to spur Alice Springs adults in to picking up a book and having a good read."
"It's also a great community way of increasing adult literacy," she said.
Twelve titles for the One Book - One Town program were submitted by the major Australian publishers and these books have been evaluated by a panel of Southern Highlands readers over the past few months.
The nominated books had to be Australian, certainly in subject or character, if not also in authorship.
Most submitted titles were fiction, though biographical works written in a strong narrative style were also considered".
The main requirements were that the story have broad appeal, be provocative without being merely controversial or sensational, and be accessible to the average reader.
More information about the One Book - One Town
project can be found at the BookTown Australia website www.booktown.com.au and
www.alicesprings.nt.gov.au/council/news/pr_20020419.asp
ENDS
For more information contact
Paul McShane, BookTown Australia Convenor
Mobile: 0408 65 9896
Email: info@booktown.com.au
 |
||
|