ALA LTC Spring Book Discussions


Essex Library is one of 200 libraries across the country selected to receive a grant through Libraries Transforming Communities (LTC): Focus on Small & Rural Libraries, an initiative of the American Library Association (ALA). We were the only library in Connecticut to receive a grant in the first round of funding.

LTC: Focus on Small & Rural Libraries is a grant for those of us in small and rural communities to address issues of concern in our communities. Participating libraries receive training in how to lead conversations through an ALA e-course on facilitation skills; host a conversation with community members on a chosen topic; and receive grant funding to support community engagement efforts.

For our grant, Essex Library will host a series of book discussions on titles that examine income inequality, culminating with a discussion using the One Book, One Community model. We chose to examine income inequality because it is identified by ALA and the LION Consortium as a future trend of concern. Between 2018 and 2020, the percentage of ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) households and households living below the poverty line, as measured by United Way, grew by eight percent in Essex.

One Book, One Community Q&A Session with James Fallows and Deborah Fallows

One Book, One Community discusses Our Towns: a 100,000-mile journey into the heart of America. Q & A Session with James Fallows and Deborah Fallows, authors of Our Towns on Tuesday, May 18th at 5 p.m.

Register in advance for this meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEqdOqvrjooEteteTyozNYOScHKuqBLNOZr
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

 

Our Book Groups read the following titles for this series: