Pomona awarded Big Read grant
For the third consecutive year Pomona has been awarded a grant to host The Big Read activities this fall, the Pomona Public Library announced this week.
The Big Read brings communities together to read, discuss, and celebrate one of 31 works from United States and world literature, according to information from the National Endowment for the Arts which promotes and supports The Big Read along with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in cooperation with Arts Midwest.
Pomona's selection for The Big Read this year will be Ray Bradbury's "Fahrenheit 451."
A series of activities are being planned for the fall.
Kudos to the Pomona Library staff, City of Pomona, Cal Poly Pomona and other community members for promoting this event throughout the school children of Pomona Unified School district and surrounding communities. As an elementary school office manager, I have seen firsthand the pleasure and great experience shared between the parents and their children while sharing, reading and discussing a great literary classic such as Call of the Wild. The community art events and contests associated with each Big Read book draw families together to build a greater sense of cohesiveness and unity.
Just a note to say that this is the fourth year (not the third) that Pomona has received an NEA Big Read grant. We've read Bless Me Ultima, To Kill a Mockingbird, Call of the Wild, and this year will be reading Fahrenheit 451. The first two years the Cal Poly Pomona Downtown Center took the lead on the grant, with the Pomona Public Library taking the lead last year and this year.
The Big Read has helped develop wonderful ongoing partnerships and community pride. I look forward to this year's read and slate of events!