What is the Big Read?
What is The Big Read?
The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts designed to restore reading to the center of American culture. The program provides citizens with the oportunity to read and discuss a single book within their communities.
The NEA presents the Big Read in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in cooperation with Arts Midwest. The Big Read brings together partners across the country to encourage reading for pleasure and enlightenment.
Why has this program been organized?
The program was created in response to the National Endowment for the Arts report Reading at Risk: A Survey of Literary Reading in America, which identified a critical decline in literary reading among American adults. With communities across the country as our partners and by awarding grants to improve access to the art of literature, the Arts Endowment is working toward reversing the decline in reading.
The Bridge of San Luis Rey and Our Town
To know a book, you have only to read it closely. But ot know a writer, one book is almost never enough. This is certainly true of Thornton Wilder. At first glance, his novel The Bridge of San Luis Rey and his play Our Town may appear to have little in common. One is about the search for meaning after a fatal bridge collapse in Peru, the other about life in a small New Hampshire town. Only after contemplating these timeless stories side by side do we begin to discover the signature they share: an appreciation for life's preciousness in the shadow of eternity.
The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts designed to revitalize the role of literary reading in American popular culture. Reading at Risk: A Survey of Literary Reading in America, a 2004 NEA report, identified a critical decline in reading for pleasure among American adults. The Big Read aims to address this issue directly by providing citizens with the opportunity to read and discuss a single book within their communities.
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 a nonreader making up for lost time, thank you for joining The Big Read.
"Capture Our Town" Photojournalism Exhibit
February 27, 2010,
St Croix National Scenic Riverway Visitor Center, St Croix Falls, WI February 27th, 2010, 2-5 pm
David Rhodes, award-winning Wisconsin novelist in Kick-off Address, 2 pm
Photojournalism Exhibit Unveiling and Big Read-ception following kick-off address until 5 pm.
* Photojournalism Exhibit (Open for viewing through March 31st)
* Meet Josephine Reed, NEA Big Read Representative
* Book-Give-away! Take home copies of Bridge of San Luis Rey and Our Town!
* Storytelling from the Big Read for Young Readers Companion List.
Interactive games and Bridge Building contest for Kids!
* Meet the cast and crew of Festival Theatre's Big Read production of Our Town
Questions about the photojournalism project contact Sarah Adams at
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or 715-483-1777.
For more information about the Big Read, contact Amy Klein,
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or 715-483-3387.
"Life of the Village" A Readers Theatre Event
March 14, 2010 - 2 pm
Festival Theatre, St Croix Falls, WI
* Jean Feraca, Wisconsin Public Radio Host of Radio Without Borders,
will provide the keynote address with readings from her award-winning
memoir/Hear Voices including discussion on the writing of a memoir and
her time spent in Peru.
* Dramatized oral histories from the "Your Town, A Living History"
project will be performed in a Reader's Theatre setting.
* Questions about the oral history project contact Sarah Adams at
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or 715-483-1777.
* For more information about the Big Read, contact Amy Klein,
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or 715-483-3387.
Income Taxes
IRS Tax Information is available at this link:
CountryWatchNew Database: Our new facilityThe Village of Webster retained the services of MSA Professional Services for Administration on December 9th, 2009. The Environmental Review has started. Architectural design has started. Construction is scheduled to start in August of 2010. The Village of Webster accepted the donation of the Larsen Chevrolet property.
Nexen ChallengeTwo for the price of one, who can resist? On August 11, 2009, Nexen Group, Inc., of Webster issued a challenge to the Burnett County residents. For every dollar contributed by the end of 2009 to the Burnett Community Library Building Fund, Nexen will match, up to a maximum of $50,000. So...for each dollar contributed, it automatically doubles in value!
NWLS linkHere is a link to our Northern Waters Library Service website. From there, you can log on to WISCAT, the Wisconsin State |