May 8, 2009 (Charlotte, NC) – The Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County’s Big Read, an effort to bring the community together in reading and examining Harper Lee’s classic To Kill a Mockingbird, drew to a close in late March after six weeks of events, activities, and discussion across the community. Thanks to the help of partners throughout the area, The Big Read was tremendously successful in uniting people across Charlotte and Mecklenburg County.

The Library’s efforts to bring The Big Read and To Kill a Mockingbird to area residents crossed all boundaries. PLCMC’s Outreach Department designed Big Read programs for prison inmates, senior center residents, teenage mothers, low-income residents, and more throughout February and March, discussing topics ranging from a comparison of the book to the movie, to how the book’s themes relate to today’s world. Even non-readers were able to participate in The Big Read, thanks to a library-created podcast featuring local celebrities such as WCNC’s Sonja Gantt, FOX Charlotte’s Brotha’ Fred, and UNCC 49ers head coach Bobby Lutz reading chapters from the novel. Nearly 2,000 listeners downloaded the free podcasts from the Library’s Web site. Copies of To Kill a Mockingbird were distributed in random locations throughout the county as part of a “pay-it-forward” program. Young readers also were able to take part in the Little Read, with programs generated around Dr. Suess’ The Sneetches and Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli, books with themes similar to those explored in To Kill a Mockingbird.

"The library wanted to pack a big punch within a few weeks with The Big Read programs in hopes that everyone in the community would read To Kill a Mockingbird." Big Read project manager Arden McLaughlin said. "We surely surpassed our own expectations through the activities we were able to host and people we were able to reach with our Big Read programming."

The Big Read would not have been nearly as successful without the enthusiastic participation by partnering businesses and organizations throughout the community. Almost half of the schools in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools system – at all grade levels – participated in The Big Read in some manner. Activities broke out of traditional English classes to include science and civics classes. The Mecklenburg County government also embraced The Big Read, creating programming for its employees based on To Kill a Mockingbird and its themes, including book discussions and panel discussions on race relations. The Young Lawyers and Criminal Lawyers sections of the Mecklenburg Bar Association sponsored a “Walk In My Shoes” photo contest for county high schools. Other partners included The Charlotte Observer, the Charlotte Bobcats, Generation Engage, Monkey Joe’s, WTVI, and the town of Davidson.

“Our partners truly made The Big Read a true community collaborative initiative," McLaughlin said. "Each took The Big Read and made it viable and meaningful to their constituents."

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. For more information about The Big Read, please visit www.neabigread.org.