The Big Read Quincy was a Huge Success!

A BIG thanks to the Quincy Community for the tremendous support of the 2009 BIG READ!  The Quincy Public Library distributed 756 free copies of the book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Hundreds of patrons attended the BIG READ activities including the Kick-off, a Court-room Drama film series, the Understanding Mockingbird Lecture series and the final Theatrical Performance at the Adams County Courthouse. Special thanks to the BIG READ sponsor Great Debate Books and community partners WGEM, Quincy Herald Whig, Quincy Society of Fine Arts, Adams County Judges, Teen Reach, Quincy University, Quincy Public Schools, Quincy Notre Dame, Many Voices, One Goal Study Circle, Young Professionals.

The winner of the "Who's Your Atticus" Essay contest is Claire Scully, the second place winner is Harley Gibson and the third place winner is Emma Ridder.


Essay Contest Winner
Who is My Atticus Finch?

By Claire Sculley

Someone moral, someone honest, someone intelligent, someone who is willing to risk it all to seek the truth and defend the weak: this “someone” is Attitus Finch, the main character in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. He is not boastful, he is kind, but, most of all, he provides. As a single parent, however, he never forgets to focus on his children and teaches them the building blocks of social maturity when ignorance and prejudice permeates their town. Throughout the book, his character and strength grows word by word, page by page, into a human we should all try to emulate.

Honestly, I do not think I can write that I have an Atticus Finch in my life, but I can, in fact, write that he is someone I aspire to be, someone that my generation should aspire to be. I feel that Atticus is difficult to match to any real human, mostly because he is a symbolic character that represents the bit of good we all stand for.

The dissemination of information, especially via the internet, can be both positive and negative, filled with a display of war, terror threats and examples of people doing horrible things to each other. This avalanche of unsettling information demands that we sift carefully through what we see and hear and make intelligent and cautious interpretations. Atticus Finch could filter all information from the detractors in his town and focus on doing what he believed to be morally right, which was to defend Tom Robinson. My generation needs to be able to focus on and attempt to further his cause. We need to reconfirm our values and be mirrors of Atticus, determined to live our lives in the pursuit of social justice, anti-Semitism and the support of minorities. Concurrently, we should demand honesty and accountability of our local, state and federal governments.

What better model of a sterling character to follow than the one exhibited by Atticus? His steadfastness against racial prejudice reinforces my resolve. It is so easy today to lash out against those who seem to be a drag on society, but we must help them by getting involved in the many established social programs available. We should recruit our friends and neighbors to join us, therefore emulating our inner Atticus.

Big Read Ends Tonight at the Adams County Courthouse

The Big Read will culminate with a theatrical performance of the famouse courtroom scene from To Kill a Mockingbird at the Adams County Courthouse.  The well-known story of Jem and Scout Finch, two children growing up in the deep South during the Great Depression in the 1930s, will be performed 5:30pm and 6:30pm on Thursday, October 15.

 

It was originally slated to be performed once at 6:00pm, but we had such an overwhelming response from the community, that we had to offer two showings.  Big Read participants are invited to sit in the jury box and court chambers and watch as the Quincy University Theater and Political Science departments bring the pivotal courtroom scene to life.

 

Here's a summary of the play itself:

Wide-eyed Scout is a young girl fascinated with the people in her quiet southern town of Maycomb, Alabama, where there's a rumble of thunder just under the calm surface of life. Playwright Christopher Sergel dramatizes Harper Lee’s beautifully written story, evoking the solitude and richness that characterize Maycomb’s community of eccentrics, loving families and Scout’s mysterious neighbor, Boo Radley. The story of To Kill a Mockingbird is simple, yet it speaks deeply and eloquently of human nature and of human values. The action is set in the 1930's in a sleepy Southern town, where Atticus Finch, an attorney and the widowed father of two young children, stands against his fellow townspeople by defending a young black man falsely accused of raping a white woman. Through every step and with every word, Atticus instills in his children the traditional moral values of respect for others, honesty, courage, integrity, and above all, responsibility for one's actions.

Discussing Mockingbird

The Big Read Open Book Discussion generated some interesting insights from participants.  Quincy Public Library Book Club Coordinator, Katie Kraushaar, led a very energetic and lively discussion of To Kill a Mockingbird, at Great Debate Books on Tuesday, October 6 at 1:30pm.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is rightly considered an American classic. Lee writes wonderfully, in the voice of a Southern child. The story is easy to read and the action is entertaining. While all these characteristics would qualify To Kill a Mockingbird as a good read, they do not necessarily indicate a classic.

What moves To Kill a Mockingbird to classic status is its morality and ability to draw sympathy out of readers as much today as when it was written in 1960. To Kill a Mockingbird deals with heavy issues--racism, oppression, injustice. Amazingly, it is able to handle these deep and sensitive areas without feeling depressing or preachy. Lee accomplishes this by making the narrator a child and allowing us to learn along with her.

Lee's writing makes it is easy to enter the world of depression era Alabama. Despite all the flaws of the town, it is also easy to love many things about the place and many of the characters. If you have not yet read To Kill a Mockingbird, you will not regret picking it up. If you read it awhile ago, it may be time to visit this world again.

Understanding Mockingbird Lectures a Huge Success!

Many flock to the Understanding Mockingbird lectures on Thursdays at the Quincy Public Library.  Participants have heard presentations from Dr. Caroline Collins, Associate Professor of English at Quincy University, and Julie Schuetz, Quincy attorney.  Both lectures have dealt with the Big Read book, To Kill a Mockingbird.  Adams County Circuit Judge Mark Drummond will present "Lessons Learned from the film To Kill a Mockingbird" on Thursday, October 8 at 1:00pm.

Here's a short summary:

Perhaps no other fictional attorney has had more impact on real attorneys than Atticus Finch.  In the film To Kill a Mockingbird, his closing argument takes less than 7 minutes, but the lessons learned from those 7 minutes are timeless.  Take an in-depth look at the courtroom scene made famous by Gregory Peck's portrayal of Atticus Finch and hos it compares to other courtroom scenes captured on film.

Please call 223-1309, ext. 207 or go online at  http://host.evanced.info/quincy/evanced/eventcalendar.asp?ag=&et=&kw=mockingbird&dt=dr&ds=2009-9-17&de=2009-10-15&df=list&cn=0&private=0&ln=0   to make a reservation.

Courtroom Drama Film Series Every Monday Night

The Quincy Public Library Big Read programs are drawing large crowds, particularly our Courtroom Drama Film Series on Monday nights.  The first movie, 12 Angry Men was an Oscar nominated film which featured well-known and critically acclaimed actors Henry Fonda, E.G. Marshall, and Jack Klugman.  Directed by Sidney Lumet with a screenplay by Reginald Rose, this film went on to win numerous awards and is one of the American Film Institute's picks of top films in its genre.

The jury of twelve 'angry men,' entrusted with the power to send an uneducated, teenaged Puerto Rican, tenement-dwelling boy to the electric chair for killing his father with a switchblade knife, are literally locked into a small, claustrophobic rectangular jury room on a stifling hot summer day until they come up with a unanimous decision - either guilty or not guilty. The compelling, provocative film examines the twelve men's deep-seated personal prejudices, perceptual biases and weaknesses, indifference, anger, personalities, unreliable judgments, cultural differences, ignorance and fears, that threaten to taint their decision-making abilities, cause them to ignore the real issues in the case, and potentially lead them to a miscarriage of justice.


Fortunately, one brave dissenting juror votes 'not guilty' at the start of the deliberations because of his reasonable doubt. Persistently and persuasively, he forces the other men to slowly reconsider and review the shaky case (and eyewitness testimony) against the endangered defendant. He also chastises the system for giving the unfortunate defendant an inept 'court-appointed' public defense lawyer who "resented being appointed" - a case with "no money, no glory, not even much chance of winning" - and who inadequately cross-examined the witnesses. Heated discussions, the formation of alliances, the frequent re-evaluation and changing of opinions, votes and certainties, and the revelation of personal experiences, insults and outbursts fill the jury room.

The film is a powerful indictment, denouncement and expose of the trial by jury system. The frightened, teenaged defendant is on trial, as well as the jury and the American judicial system with its purported sense of infallibility, fairness and lack of bias. Alternatively, the film could also be viewed as commentary on McCarthyism, Fascism, or Communism (threatening forces in the 50s).

Next week's movie will be Anatomy of a Murder.  Please call 223-1309, ext. 207 or go online at http://www.quincylibrary.org/ to make your reservations.

Big Read at Quincy Senior High

The Quincy Public Library came to Quincy Senior High for a Big Read-In at the school on Thursday, September 24.  Sophomore classes had their Reading Hour devoted to To Kill a Mockingbird, and library staff members were on hand to give out programs booklets and reader's guides to all participants.

The Big Read Kickoff was a Great Success!

As video games and other forms of digital media have continued to take over the American culture, reading has suffered dramatically. In an effort to address this national crisis, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) developed the Big Read, a nationwide program that seeks to increase literary reading in the United States. Since 2006, when the program debuted, and 2007, when it was launched nationally, nearly 400 communities throughout the United States have participated in the program. Whether you are an avid reader or someone whose books collect dust on the shelf, , the Big Read can change your life.

Quincy kicked off its second BIG READ on Thursday, September 17th with over 600 people in attendance. This multigenerational event attracted patrons of all ages, including students from Quincy Notre Dame and Quincy Christian school. Over 400 books were distributed at the BIG READ kick-off, with an additional 200 books distributed to local schools prior to the event. The crowd enjoyed a proclamation by Mayor John Spring and a moving presentation by Judge Scott Walden.

An Introduction to Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird"

Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird is the rare American novel that can be discovered with excitement in adolescence and reread into adulthood without fear of disappointment. Few novels so appealingly evoke the daily world of childhood in a way that seems convincing whether you are sixteen or sixty-six.

Lee tells two deftly paired stories set in a small Southern town: one focused on lawyer Atticus Finch's defense of an unjustly accused man, the other on his bright, bratty daughter's gradual discovery of her own goodness. For many young people this novel becomes their first big read, the grown-up story that all later books will be measured against.

Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird begins at the end. The novel opens with the adult Jean Louise "Scout" Finch writing, "When he was nearly thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow." By the time Jem finally gets around to breaking his arm more than 250 pages later most readers will have forgotten they were ever warned. This echoes the way the whole book unfolds-in no special hurry, with lifelike indirection. Nothing happens all by itself.

The book's two plots inch forward along parallel tracks, only converging near the end.
The first plot revolves around Arthur "Boo" Radley, who lives in a shuttered house down the street from the Finches and is rumored to be some kind of monster. Scout, Jem, and their next-door neighbor Dill engage in pranks, trying to make Boo show himself. Unexpectedly, Boo reciprocates their interest with a series of small gifts, until he ultimately steps off his porch and into their lives when they need him most.

The second story concerns Scout and Jem's father, the attorney Atticus Finch. The local judge appoints him to defend a black man, Tom Robinson, who is falsely accused of raping a white woman. Atticus suspects he will lose the case, but he faces up to the challenge just the same, at one point heroically stepping between his client and a lynch mob.
Along with its twin plot lines, To Kill a Mockingbird has two broad themes: tolerance and justice. Lee treats the first through the children's fear of their mysterious neighbor. She illustrates the second with Atticus's courage in defending Robinson to the best of his ability, despite the racial prejudices of their small Southern town.

Tying the stories together is a simple but profound piece of advice Atticus gives Scout: "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view.... Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it." By the end of the novel, Scout has done exactly that-guessed at the pain not only beneath Tom Robinson's black skin, but also under the fishbelly pallor of her neighbor.

This information can also be found at http://www.neabigread.org/books/mockingbird/readers02.php

Quincy Public Library receives NEA grant

The National Endowment for the Arts recently announced the Quincy Public Library has been selected to receive a BIG READ grant. Designed to encourage members of our community to read and discuss one significant book, the BIG READ grant gives communities the opportunity to come together to read, discuss, and celebrate one of 30 selections from U.S. and world literature. Quincy Public Library is one of 269 programs--including arts, culture, and science organizations; libraries; and municipalities--to receive a grant to host a Big Read project between September 2009 and June 2010.

The Quincy Public Library is partnering with Quincy Public Schools, Quincy Notre Dame and Quincy Christian School to present the 2009 BIG READ. The month-long initiative, designed to get members of the community to read the same book, at the same time, will begin on September 17th with a BIG READ-IN at Washington Park and Senior High. The sole goal of the campaign is to spark reading and discussion as a whole by the community. The Quincy Public Library has received a National Endowment for the Arts BIG READ grant that will make it possible to distribute a minimum of 500 copies of the book, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. The Library will host a film series and lecture series, and a final event will be held in the Adams County Courthouse. The Judges of Adams County have graciously agreed to participate in a new READ poster featuring the judges, in robes, in the Adams County courthouse.

Last year, the Quincy Public Library was a participating member of the Illinois State Library BIG READ grant initiative. This year, the Library is the stand-alone grantee and will be able to provide over 500 books to Quincy residents. The generous support provided by both the Quincy Herald Whig, Quincy Society of Fine Arts, Great Debate Books, and WGEM made the first BIG READ project a success. With the continued support of the Quincy Herald Whig, Quincy Society of Fine Arts, Great Debate Books, Niemann Foods, Friends of the Library and WGEM the program participation is expected to double this year.

The latest Big Read grantees represent 44 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Since the 2006 pilot program with ten participating organizations, the NEA has given more than 800 grants to support local Big Read projects.

The selected organizations will receive Big Read grants ranging from $2,500 to $20,000 to promote and carry out community-based reading programs featuring activities such as read-a-thons, book discussions, lectures, movie screenings, and performing arts events. Participating communities also receive high-quality, free-of-charge educational materials to supplement each title, including Reader’s, Teacher’s, and Audio Guides.

“The Institute is pleased to support The Big Read, which brings communities together to enjoy literature in their public libraries,” said Anne-Imelda M. Radice, Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the NEA’s lead federal partner for The Big Read. “Libraries are community anchors that serve as centers of engagement, literacy, and lifelong learning. There is nothing better than to read a great book and share your delight and insights with others.”

The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts designed to restore reading to the center of American culture. The NEA presents The Big Read in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in cooperation with Arts Midwest. Support for The Big Read is provided by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Transportation for The Big Read is provided by Ford.For more information about The Big Read please visit http://www.neabigread.org/.The National Endowment for the Arts is a public agency dedicated to supporting excellence in the arts—both new and established—bringing the arts to all Americans, and providing leadership in arts education. Established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government, the Arts Endowment is the nation’s largest annual funder of the arts, bringing great art to all 50 states, including rural areas, inner cities, and military bases.

For more information, please visit http://www.arts.gov/. The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 122,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The Institute’s mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas. The Institute works at the national level and in coordination with state and local organizations to sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge; enhance learning and innovation; and support professional development.

For more information, please visit http://www.imls.gov/.Arts Midwest connects people throughout the Midwest and the world to meaningful arts opportunities, sharing creativity, knowledge, and understanding across boundaries. Arts Midwest connects the arts to audiences throughout the nine-state region of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. One of six non-profit regional arts organizations in the United States, Arts Midwest’s history spans more than 25 years. For more information, please visit http://www.artsmidwest.org/.