Community Read 2022 Schedule of Events

One Day Community Read Kickoff
with Author Gene Weingarten

On February 15th, we welcomed author Gene Weingarten for the kickoff event of the Community Read! He read a bit from One Day and talked about the process of researching and writing the book. Watch the recording of this event above. 

One Day: Maine Edition
Saturday, March 19, 2022

What does an ordinary day in Maine look like? What surprises, joys, or sorrows does an average day hold? We need your help in answering these questions! Join us as we document a single ordinary day in the lives of Mainers (or non-local friends of Maine)! On Saturday, March 19th, we’re asking you to capture a moment, event, or story from your day and send it to us. You can interpret your “moment” and how you “capture it” however you choose! Keep it simple or get as creative as you want. We’ve even got some ideas to help inspire you. Everyone’s individual moments will be compiled into a chronological portrait of life on an ordinary day in Maine, and the final product will be screened via Zoom in a Community Showcase on April 20th! This project was inspired by our Community Read 2022 book One Day, but you don’t need to participate in the Read in order to take part in this challenge. One Day: Maine Edition is open to everyone! We hope you’ll join us!

Click here for all the details on how to participate.

One Day Book Discussion Groups

The heart of the Community Read is the chance to discuss a common book with friends, neighbors and strangers from your community. These discussions are a chance for members of all three towns to meet one another and connect through great conversations about the book. All discussion sessions are open to patrons from each of the participating towns. Feel free to attend as many discussions as you’d like! Every one is sure to be unique. Each session will be capped at 15 people, in order to keep conversations manageable for all. More discussion sessions will be added as needed. 

Don’t forget to register for each discussion group you’d like to attend!

Tuesday, March 22 @ 10:00am — Click here to register

Saturday, March 26 @ 2:00pm — Click here to register

Thursday, March 31 @ 6:30pm — Click here to register

Media Literacy & Digital Citizenship: A Four-Part Series
with NewseumED

Mondays 
March 21 – April 11
6:30 – 8:00pm
via Zoom

Feeling lost in today’s media landscape? In this four-part workshop, presented in partnership with the team at NewseumED, participants will dive into the complexity of digital citizenship, including the threat of falling for fake information. Exploring media literacy through a First Amendment focus, this series will cover: 

Monday, March 21: Media Ethics: Think Like a Journalist considers the ethical issues journalists face as they strive to be accurate, fair and clear. Utilizing real-life case studies, participants grapple with issues journalists may encounter, including privacy, anonymous sources and the pressure to be first.

Monday, March 28: ESCAPE Junk News explores the problem of misinformation in today’s media landscape. Consider: What qualifies as “fake” news? Why should you care what’s real and what’s not? How can the motivations behind news stories shape the content?

Monday, April 4: The Bias Meter: Win the Battle for Your Brain asks a critical question: What are the qualities of fair news coverage? Learn how to assess word choice, use of context and counterpoints to make informed, impartial evaluations of news in print, online and on social media sources.

Monday, April 11: Disinformation Nation: Detecting Propaganda, Defeating Emotional Manipulation looks at the methods propaganda uses to worm its way into our brains by exploring four universal techniques for manipulating human emotions. Participants will explore practical strategies to combat propaganda and improve the quality of their information ecosystem.

Registration is required for this series.

Click here to register.

Writing the Extra-Ordinary: How to Craft Personal Essays from Everyday Life 
Four Sessions with Instructor Sarah Leavens

Saturdays 
March 26 – April 16
11:00am – 12:00pm
via Zoom

What’s significant about everyday life? Anything, if you approach it like a writer! In this four-part workshop on crafting the creative nonfiction essay, we’ll explore writing about “ordinary” subjects. Workshop sessions will be instructive and generative: our goal is to get you thinking and writing. We’ll cover strategies from brainstorming and framing a topic to using style and craft to make it come alive. We’ll also consider the essay as a process of discovery, in the spirit of this statement by Annie Dillard: “The line of words is a fiber optic, flexible as wire; it illuminates the path just before its fragile tip.” This workshop is offered through the Creative Nonfiction Foundation in conjunction with our Community Read 2022, but you needn’t have read the book in order to participate. All levels of writing experience are welcome!

Registration is required for this series.

Click here to register.

One Day Book Talk
with Author Gene Weingarten

Tuesday, April 12
7:00 – 8:30 pm
via Zoom
 
Join us as we welcome One Day author Gene Weingarten one last time for the closing event of the Community Read 2022. You’ve read the book, talked about it with your friends and neighbors in discussions groups, and learned more about the origins, background and themes of One Day. Now it’s your chance to sit down with Gene and pick his brain about the book, his writing process, research methods and the decision making involved in reporting a book like this. Bring all your thoughts and questions and join us as we spend an evening in conversation with the author behind our second annual Community Read book selection. 
 
Registration is required for this program.

Click here to register.