Welcome to The Big Read at KRL

We want to extend our sincere appreciation to everyone who attended events, submitted art work and/or essays, or contributed comments to this blog as part of The Big Read. The Big Read concluded at the end of February, so we won't be adding any new content, but feel free to browse this site and check out any of the links you see here or at the companion site featuring the interview with Brian Herbert. And keep reading!

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Join us for a discussion of Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451, the impact of television and media on reading, censorship, and the free expression of ideas. Each week a new question will be posted on this blog. Scroll down to see this week's question. You can join the conversation by clicking on "COMMENTS" here.

Upcoming Events:

A discussion about "Civic Engagement"

Thursday, February 28th, 7pm. Location: Andante Coffee, 123 Bijune Drive, Bainbridge Island Join the Conversation Cafe group to discuss "Civic Engagement", in a lovely, relaxed, atmosphere.

Check back each week for new videoclips, artwork and more discussion. We're on Facebook, too. Be sure to look for us there as well!

The question for this week:

Now that we are entering the final week of "The Big Read: Fahrenheit 451" programs, discussions and events, is there anything else you want to say about literature, reading, or the failure to recognize the value of a "right" or "thing" until it is gone?

(If you don't want to sign-in with an email account, you can leave your comments by clicking on "Nickname" and typing in a nickname, or, by clicking on "Anonymous". Then just click on "Publish Your Comment" and we'll do the rest).

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 in Kitsap County is also supported by the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation and the Bainbridge Island Friends of the Library.

Winners of The Big Read: Fahrenheit 451 Essay Contest Announced

Thirty (30) essays were submitted for consideration on our Big Read: Fahrenheit 451 Essay contest and the following were selected for special recognition:

7th - 9th grade:

1st place - Hanna Hupp, age 14 "What One Book" $100 Eagle Harbor Book Company Gift Certificate

2nd place - Maya Edwards, age 12 "The Beauty of a Book" $50 Eagle Harbor Book Company Gift Certificate

3rd place - Deni Murray, age 14 "The Last Hope" $25 Eagle Harbor Book Company Gift Certificate

Honorable Mentions:

Kay Sterner, age 12 "Remember"

Zoe Hyra, age 13 "If you could save one book in the world, what would it be?"

10th - 12th grade:

1st place - Leo Burmer, age 18 "1984" $100 Eagle harbor Book Company Gift Certificate

2nd place - Keenan Blackwood, age 16 "Tom Brown's Field Guide to Wilderness Survival" $50 Eagle Harbor Book Company Gift Certificate

3rd place - Katelyn Simon, age 17 "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" $25 Eagle Harbor Book Company Gift Certificate

The questions for week three were:

Reading has been associated with achievement, both in school and at work - perhaps more fundamentally, with our capacity for critical analysis and our freedom to express ourselves.

Are we reading less?

What do we stand to lose if this is true?

The question for week 2 was:
"Surfing the net. Watching TV. Joining a virtual game.

Reading a book.

Where do you find community?"

Tell us. We want to know!

The question for week one was:

What Book Would You Save?

Tell us. What Do You Think?

About The Big Read - Fahrenheit 451

The Bainbridge Branch of Kitsap Regional Library is one of 127 organizations nationwide to receive a National Endowment for the Arts grant to participate in The Big Read project. KRL will work with other community organizations to celebrate reading by focusing on one major work of American fiction, Ray Bradbury’s prophetic Fahrenheit 451, throughout the month of February.
The Big Read includes a number of community events, a cover art contest, essay submissions, readings, films and more.
(For additional information on The Big Read, please visit the Kitsap Regional Library website (http://www.krl.org/)

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. The Big Read brings together partners across the country to encourage reading for pleasure and enlightenment, with Pacific Northwest support from The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation. Local support for this program has been provided by the Friends of the Bainbridge Public Library.

Guidelines for Submitting Comments

Kitsap Regional Library serves the community as a center for lifelong learning and a steward of access to stories, information and knowledge.

The Big Read - Fahrenheit 451 is about the expression of ideas and diverse points of view. At the same time, this is a public forum, and like any public place, there are a few rules - not many, and you probably know them already, but here they are:

1. Feel free to speak your mind, but please be respectful of others
2. Comments or questions unrelated to the Big Read will not be posted (but will be answered if possible!)
3. For your personal safety, any comments requesting or containing personal information will not be posted

When you submit a comment, it will be held for moderation before being posted, so they may not appear immediately after you submit them. We'll publish any comment, whatever its point of view, as long as it falls within these guidelines.

OK - it's all yours.....