somerville reads

I am very happy to report that my logo design was selected by the Somerville Public Library in a recent contest for their upcoming "One City, One Book" campaign, scheduled for Spring! Sweet. Just being involved was great fun, being selected blows me away! Thanks to everyone in my office who helped, and offered great advice; it wouldn't have come out as it did without your help.

I heard about their call for entries from a friend who has her eye on these sorts of things, and found the invitation on the library's Yahoo Groups notice board. So I figured I'd give it a go. The library regularly runs programs to encourage reading and readership in the community, and this Spring, the idea is to get as many people in the city as possible, to read the same book, thereby giving the community both a common goal, and something to discuss. Its designed to build community through the power of reading, by essentially turning the whole city into one big reading group. Brilliant!

The idea behind my logo design is simple: I'm trying to express plurality in reading, and what better than an image of a reader, with others reading on. I tried to come up with an image that connects with people's experiences. Who among us hasn't had someone read over their shoulder, or done so to someone else. This is a case where, not only is it encouraged (if only in spirit), but it could make Somerville a better place to live and work as well.

According to the library's Winter 2010 Newsletter [download .pdf file], the book they've chosen is The Things They Carried, by Tim O'Brien, which they describe as "a collection of related stories about a platoon of American soldiers in the Vietnam War." They also say that a variety of things are planned around the city in late March and April.

I'm looking forward to reading it... and I'm hoping I can buy a T-shirt. And good luck to the Library, and best wishes for a successful campaign. I'm glad to be a small part of it.