MHC - One Book: One Community - Bangor Reads

Stephen King's book cover

“People have come to look forward to this program — they start asking in the summer what the book for January is going to be.”– Barbara McDade,
Bangor Library Director

“Seeing City Council take this project seriously has been a delight.”– Barbara McDade,
Bangor Library Director

Bangor Reads

A non-fiction work outside of the usual range of Bangor’s most famous author was selected as this year’s community read. As Bangor Public Library PR Coordinator Diane Smith put it, “This honest, revealing and very funny book appealed to the writer and reader in all of us.”
2005: On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King
Synopsis	Part memoir (of King’s life and development as writer) and part writing course (with assignments included), this book weaves many elements into a varied but cohesive whole. From his childhood fascinations, to his much-publicized near-fatal accident, King chronicles his own growth as a writer, and the advice and assignments encourage the reader to grow as well.
Partners	The Bangor Public Library was the sole organizer.
Activities	Book discussions — held weekdays, Saturdays, evenings to attract wider audiences. City Council Dinner Meeting & scholar-led Bangor Reads Book Discussion at Eastern Maine Medical Center. List and display of some of Stephen King’s favorite books near the circulation desk. “The Art and Craft of Making Books — Workshops” Jan Owen, a teacher at Bangor High School, presented several hands-on workshops on calligraphy, illumination, and making books. Intended for children and adults, these attracted mostly adult participants and were filled to capacity every time. A number of local authors were invited to speak on the nuts and bolts of writing, getting published, finding an agent, etc.
Materials/ Promotions	Bangor Public Library Website Promotion Flyers, Bookmarks, Press Releases Lapel Buttons Radio promotional spots Word of mouth: building on prior years’ success A booklist demonstrating King’s eclectic reading tastes (download below)
Book Distribution	The Library bought ten copies. In addition to their usual on-site sales, local bookstores offered the books for sale at the One Book events.
Attendance	Since this project takes place in January, program attendance depends on the weather. After several years, it has also become apparent that some events attract people who have read the book, some who haven’t, and that there are some readers who don’t attend any programs. Library staff sensed that more people read On Writing than came to the programs. Attendance ranged as high as 100 for some events, while others brought in only two or three.
Community Impact	Beyond straight book discussion, the various corollary activities provided opportunities for the public to actively get involved, share, and learn. Each year now, the Bangor City Council hosts a scholar-led discussion of the book, usually inviting one of the city departments. This is even being used as a way to foster better communication, reflection and teambuilding.
Budget/ Funding	The Bangor Library budgets approximately $2,000 a year for their community reading program. One of the largest expenses is the information packet, offered to anyone who asks about Bangor Reads. It includes a brochure, calendar, and information about the selected book and the program.
Funders	This program is entirely funded by the Bangor Public Library.
Challenges	Ordinarily, a library would jump at the chance to host a local author visit. But because Stephen King has become such an international celebrity, as Bangor Library’s Diane Smith put it, “If Stephen King had made an author appearance, it would have had to be held at the Civic Center to accommodate the crowd!” The challenge was to respect the author’s privacy while creating a rewarding and interesting event — in his absence — around his work. The booklist and display demonstrating King’s eclectic reading tastes helped to satisfy the public’s curiosity and whet their appetite for the One Book program.

For More Information
Contact Barbara McDade,
Library Director
bmcdade@bpl.lib.me.us
or
Diane Smith,
PR Coordinator
207-626-2415
dmsmith@bpol.lib.me.us