What is The Big Read?

WUMB Radio is one of more than 100 organizations nationwide, recently awarded a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to participate in that organization's annual initiative called The Big Read. It is the largest federal reading program in U.S. history. The Big Read answers a big need. Reading at Risk a 2004 NEA Report, found that book reading has reached an all time low among Americans of every age.

What will Boston read?

When a young Californian named Ray Bradbury published a novel with the odd title of Fahrenheit 451, fiction made the cross from genre writing to the mainstream of American literature, and it is now making the cross into our featured book for Boston’s Big Read.

In a gripping story at once disturbing and poetic, Bradbury takes the materials of pulp fiction and transforms them into a visionary parable of a society gone awry, in which firemen burn books and the state suppresses learning. Meanwhile, the citizenry sits by in a drug-induced and media-saturated indifference. More relevant than ever a half-century later, Fahrenheit 451 has achieved the rare distinction of being both a literary classic and a perennial bestseller.

A great book combines enlightenment with enchantment. It awakens our imagination and enlarges our humanity. It can even offer harrowing insights that somehow console and comfort us. Whether you're a regular reader already or making up for lost time, thank you for joining The Big Read and The Big Read:Boston.

Who are the Boston Partners?

In addition to WUMB Radio, primary partners include: the William Monroe Trotter Institute for the Study of Black Culture, and the Adams Street Branch of the Boston Public Library. We expect dozens of other local organizations to also join in this initiative.

How you can participate - if you are part of a local organization

Organizations selected to participate in The Big Read: Boston receive reader's guides, teacher's guides and audio for the novel, an online organizer's guide for running a successful Big Read program, and access to a comprehensive Big Read Web site. We try to provide as many partners as possible with copies of the book for their library or to distribute to participants.

Each local initiative is expected to include events, such as read-a-thons, book discussions, film screenings, library & museum exhibits, and other interesting activities aimed at avid and lapsed or reluctant readers alike. More details here soon. Support may available to a number of greater Boston organizations to help organize associated events. This support may be in the form of copies of the book, a facilitator to lead book discussions or materials needed for their events. All events will be publicized on WUMB Radio and through this Web site, as well as on the NEA's web site if the event is open to the public.

Events

WUMB Radio and its partners and collaborators are planning several special initiatives throughout the eight months from November, 2009-May 2010, to include a radio program, book giveaways and more. Other events will be coordinated by WUMB's various partners. All events will be listed on the Web page in a special calendar. The list of Big Read: Boston events and activities will be available on this Web page and as part of a daily calendar heard on one of WUMB's many radio transmitters throughout Eastern Massachusetts.

How you can participate - if you are an individual.

Plan to read the book. Copies of the book along with Reader's Guides & Audio Guides produced by the NEA will be available at participating libraries and community organizations across Boston. A list will be available after the first of the year.

Schools and Libraries

We particularly would like to see schools and libraries to get involved. Boston-area libraries will be able to receive a few copies of the book as well as copies of the Reader's Guides to distribute, and Audio Guides to lend. An online teacher's guide is available here:

• Introduction
• Schedule/Lesson Plans
• Capstone Project Ideas
• Essay Topics
• Additional Resources
• NCTE Standards
• Credits

More Info

WUMB Radio and the University of Massachusetts Boston are delighted to have the opportunity to take the lead role in organizing this exciting initiative. If you have any questions or would like to volunteer to help out, e-mail our Big Read: Boston Project Director Janis Pryor at bigread@umb.edu.

WUMB-FM

The primary organizer of The Big Read:Boston is WUMB-FM at the University of Massachusetts, Boston's National Public Radio (NPR) music station which has been on the air since 1982. Broadcasting over a network of five radio stations in Eastern Massachusetts with a reach of 1.6 million people, the station maintains a worldwide presence via the internet. WUMB is dedicated to produce, acquire and disseminate high quality, diverse and valued public service programming to audiences interested in expanding their horizons and perspectives, and who enjoy the arts and cultural experiences. The radio station serves as a local and national resource for cultivation, promotion and preservation of various genres of folk music.

The National Endowment for the Arts

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 www.arts.gov.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services

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 www.imls.gov.

Arts Midwest

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 www.artsmidwest.org.