FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                          

Media Contact: Heather O’Connell
                         239-461-2924
                         e-mail: hoconnell@leegov.com     

Lee County Library System Unveils its First “One Book, One Community” Reading and Discussion Program

Fort Myers, FL (November 17, 2004) – Lee County Library System (LCLS) today announced its first One Book, One Community initiative.  One Book, One Community is a countywide reading and discussion program that encourages all residents to read the same book at the same time to create a countywide book club.

At a news conference today, Lee County Library System Director, Cynthia Cobb, announced the selection for LCLS’ first One Book, One Community program, as “A Land Remembered” by Patrick D. Smith.  The author joined the news conference via telephone from Merritt Island, Florida and answered questions about the book.

This Pulitzer Prize nominated story follows three generations of the MacIveys, a Florida family who battle the hardships of the frontier in the 1850s to rise from a dirt -poor “Cracker” life to the wealth and standing of real estate tycoons in the 1960s. The author says the inspiration for this book came from his wife’s family and their experiences in the 1830s in, what was then, the wilderness of Florida. He hopes people will learn from reading this book that Florida was once a wilderness very different than it is today.

Copies of the book are available in several formats at your Lee County Library System and local bookstores. Readers may also view the first four chapters online at the Lee County Library System website www.lee-county.com/library. Click on One Book One Community.

Lee County Library System Community Relations Coordinator, Heather O’Connell, says the One Book, One Community program has been presented in more than 250 cities and states around the country and accomplished more than expected.

“In addition to sparking a love of reading and an interest in the subject the selected books covered, organizers typically found that there was a renewed sense of community and civic pride when everyone joined together to read and discuss a single book.”

O’Connell says reading the book is the first step in a broader program that involves numerous cultural, educational, and recreational activities. 

“We have book discussions and special events scheduled from January 29 through March 19, 2005.  There are a terrific variety of events as well as special discounts and programs from our community partners.”

One Book, One Community highlights include:

A “Cracker” Afternoon – An afternoon of “Florida Cracker” Fun: Crafts, Stories and “ A Land Remembered” book discussion and book bingo. Saturday, January 29 at 1 p.m., at the Riverdale Branch Library (239) 461-3130. 

 Issues Forum- A panel discussion on growth and the environment in Lee County and how it relates to growth issues in “A Land Remembered.” The event will be broadcast as a segment of Gulf Coast Live on WGCU 90.1 FM.  Thursday, February 3 at 2 p.m., at the South County Regional Library (239) 390-3200. 

Book discussions are also scheduled at Lee County Library system locations from January through March. For locations and schedules, please call the Lee County Library System at 239-479-INFO (4636) or visit the Lee County Library System online at www.lee-county.com/library

Partner programs include special events at the Calusa Nature Center and Edison Ford Winter Estates. These partners, as well as Imaginarium and The Southwest Florida Museum of History, will be offering discounted admissions from January 29 - March 19, 2005 to people who present a book mark or flyer for One Book, One Community: Lee County Reads “A Land Remembered”.

The author, Patrick D. Smith, will be a featured speaker at the Lee County Reading Festival on Saturday March 19, 2005.

For more information, please call the Lee County Library System at 470-INFO (4636) or visit us online at www.lee-county.com/library.