It’s been fun to see the Summer of Democracy Reading List burst out of the blocks and get into a sprint. In early June, we asked Nebraskans to join the Civic Nebraska staff in offering up their favorite books on civic engagement, civil rights, civic leadership, and community involvement. We got more than 50 responses, almost every one of them a home run, so we included many more titles in a “Further Reading” addendum, as well. Check out the List here.
In the weeks since the Reading List launched, we’ve heard from several Nebraskans asking about potential ways to connect with those who are delving into the titles on the List for conversation, camaraderie, and discussion of the selected texts.
We were pleasantly surprised to see this happen; we confess that we honestly hadn’t thought that far ahead in terms of byproducts of the List’s popularity. But, we are always more than happy to connect friends, supporters, and Nebraskans of all ages and backgrounds around a common cause.
So, we’ve established a space on Civic Nebraska’s Facebook page for you to gather, connect, and maybe even form a Democracy Book Club if you’re ambitious. We’ve named the Facebook group The Freedom Readers — you can check it out by clicking here. Feel free to invite your friends, family, co-workers, that especially well-read person you see at the coffee shop on Tuesdays, and whoever else you might think would be interested in joining.
And, while we’re on the topic, be sure to keep your eyes out for Summer of Democracy titles at branches of the Omaha Public Library and Lincoln City Libraries. Both library systems have partnered with Civic Nebraska to acquire and offer the titles, as well as host displays. Of course, if you’re more of the keeping kind, you can find the titles on the List at various local brick-and-mortar bookstores, as well as online.
We’re looking forward to hearing your stories of connection with other readers during this Summer of Democracy. Let us know what you’re reading and what you think! And, thanks so much for taking this project to the next level.
