November 19, 2008
Washington, DC

The most recent issue of Library Journal features a terrific article by Beth Dempsey on The Big Read - ?Big Read, Big ROI: How the one-book program extends the library's most trusted brand.?

Here's a brief excerpt:

The Big Read is about big literature. Old or new, domestic or imported -- the featured books are classics. [IMLS Deputy Director for Libraries Mary] Chute says there's unique power in literary narrative reading. One of the most inspiring moments she's had with The Big Read was listening to [NEA Chairman] Gioia describe the reasoning behind the program's literature-only policy. "He told us that with fiction, we give the author permission to guide our thinking," she says. "It give us the ability to empathize with another being . . . and that's what triggers civic engagement."

You can find the full article at http://tinyurl.com/5w4jvg.