"reach through reading" - harney county library, burns, oregon

this is the time of year when the september project begins to grow very rapidly. this morning alone, over a dozen new libraries have signed up. by the end of the week, there should be september project events being planned in over 300 libraries around the world.

this is also the time of year when librarians begin to submit their event ideas. our director of technology, john klockner, has been working hard on our explore event ideas page and it's really coming together nicely. to me, this is the most inspiring part of the project. to share ideas for creative civic engagement among some of the world's most engaged librarians is a treat and privilege.

this morning, harney county library, located in burns, oregon, shared their event with the september project community.

This year's Harney County Library September Project exhibit will include the culmination of a ladder installation. (The first year the ladder was presented lying down to represent a walkway; the second year it was propped up on its side in a piece called "Mending Fences.") This year the ladder will stand with the theme: "Reach Through Reading." A bookmark has been designed by artist Terry Keim with the ladder representation on the front, and a listing of ten books on the back pertaining to democracy and freedom. The bookmarks were paid for by a grant from the Harney County Cultural Coalition, the local branch of Oregon Cultural Trust.

Again, artists and other interested members of the public are invited to add poems, drawings, photographs, paragraphs, or just words to the ladder in order to make this an interactive display. String will be available so they can tie their offerings to the ladder for contemplation during the whole month of September.

In addition, a traveling exhibit from the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History will be at the library for the month of September. Entitled Frederick Douglass: From Slavery to Freedom: The Journey to New York City, it will feature the role that literacy played in the life of Frederick Douglass, a freed slave who fought to end slavery and championed civil rights for all Americans. This panel exhibition is made possible by a grant from the J.P. Morgan Foundation, with the cooperation of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.

Though Harney County Library serves only 7600 people in a 10,000 square mile county, the staff and volunteers are honored to be a part of the September Project. During this turbulent time for our country and the world, we need opportunities to take stock of the way of life we hold dear.

so much of blog reading is really blog skimming. but if you - whoever you is - have a moment, just a moment, go back and actually read the event description. see how the event integrates poetry, photography, and writing. learn how they invite and involve members of the community into the event. and witness how they collaborate with a half dozen other organizations.

i love this event. the 7600 people living within the 10,000 square mile county sure are lucky to have harney county library.