WICHITA PUBLIC LIBRARY RECEIVES BIG READ GRANT
Wichita area to read and celebrate “My Ántonia” during Big Read project
WICHITA PUBLIC LIBRARY RECEIVES BIG READ GRANT.pdf
Congressional spouse Vicki Tiahrt and Director of Libraries Cynthia Berner Harris announced The Big Read is coming to Wichita, thanks to a $10,000 grant from the National Endowment Association (NEA). Mrs. Tiahrt will serve as honorary chair of Wichita’s Oct. 1 to Nov. 15 reading initiative featuring Willa Cather’s novel “My Ántonia.”
“Todd and I are thrilled to announce the NEA grant for The Big Read and to encourage everyone to participate in the reading of ‘My Ántonia’ this fall,” said Tiahrt. “While reading is often an individual activity, The Big Read brings together a community of readers sharing a chosen classic. I am pleased to serve as honorary chair of The Big Read and look forward to the discussions, exhibits, and field trips to enrich our reading experience. This will powerfully model to Kansas children the pleasure and importance of reading. It’s exciting and encouraging to realize that we are joining Americans in 45 states and on military bases all around the world, reading and sharing great American books.”
Begun in 2006 in response to the report Reading at Risk: A Survey of Literary Reading in America, The Big Read is an initiative of the NEA designed to restore reading to the center of American culture. “Nearly a year ago, NEA Chairman Dana Gioia visited Wichita to participate in a grants workshop for arts agencies . . . [H]e encouraged those present to create a Big Read program in Wichita. Several of us took Chairman Gioia’s challenge to heart,” said Director of Libraries Cynthia Berner Harris. “When we learned that the Kansas Book Festival would not return to Wichita in 2008, our decision was clear: Wichita readers – as well as our lapsed and reluctant readers – deserved an opportunity to continue to participate in a community literary event.”
“Through this program, public libraries continue to demonstrate their value in communities as centers of engagement, literacy, and lifelong learning. I am particularly delighted by the innovative public programming born out of library and museum collaborations,” said Anne-Imelda M. Radice, Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the NEA’s lead federal partner for The Big Read, in a prepared statement. Wichita’s program will feature a wide range of partners, both in Wichita and the surrounding area. A complete list of partners at this time is attached; others will be added.
Through those partnerships, a number of events have already been announced. N.C. Wyeth’s The Homesteader, an oil painting from 1930 that is evocative of Antonia’s experience on the plains and seen on The Big Read – Wichita marketing materials, will be among the works featured in the Wichita Art Museum’s “The Plains Landscape of ‘My Ántonia.’" Additional companion exhibits, gallery talks, museum tours, Senior Wednesday events, lectures, film programs and, naturally, book discussions provide a multitude of ways to experience and celebrate Cather’s novel and themes. Events will be announced August 1 on the The Big Read - Wichita website at www.bigreadwichita.org.
Created by the NEA in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and Arts Midwest, The Big Read is provided by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and transportation is provided by Ford. The latest Big Read grantees represent 46 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. To date, the NEA has given more than 500 grants to support local Big Read projects.
For more information about The Big Read – Wichita, visit www.bigreadwichita.org. The national Big Read program’s website is www.neabigread.org.
The Big Read - Wichita Partners
• Arts Partners Inc.
• Barnes & Noble
• Bethel College (North Newton, Kan.)
• CCH, A Wolters Kluwer Business
• City of Wichita
• CityArts
• Exploration Place – The Sedgwick County Science and Discovery Center
• Friends of the Wichita Public Library
• Goddard Public Library (Goddard, Kan.)
• Hesston College (Hesston, Kan.)
• Kauffman Museum (North Newton, Kan.)
• McConnell Air Force Base Library
• Newton Public Library (Newton, Kan.)
• Old Cowtown Museum
• Watermark Books and Café
• Wichita Area Technical College
• Wichita Art Museum
• Wichita Eagle
• Wichita Public Library
• Wichita Public Library Foundation
• Wichita Public Schools
• Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum
• Wichita State University, Department of English
• Wichita State University Libraries, Special Collections and University Archives
The National Endowment for the Arts is a public agency dedicated to supporting excellence in the arts—both new and established—bringing the arts to all Americans, and providing leadership in arts education. Established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government, the Arts Endowment is the nation’s largest annual funder of the arts, bringing great art to all 50 states, including rural areas, inner cities, and military bases. For more information, please visit www.arts.gov.
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 122,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The Institute’s mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas. The Institute works at the national level and in coordination with state and local organizations to sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge; enhance learning and innovation; and support professional development. For more information, please visit www.imls.gov.
Arts Midwest connects people throughout the Midwest and the world to meaningful arts opportunities, sharing creativity, knowledge, and understanding across boundaries. Arts Midwest connects the arts to audiences throughout the nine-state region of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. One of six non-profit regional arts organizations in the United States, Arts Midwest’s history spans more than 25 years. For more information, please visit www.artsmidwest.org.
The Wichita Public Library provides collections and services that inform, entertain and enrich the quality of life in Wichita. For more information, please visit www.wichita.lib.ks.us.
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Jennifer Heinicke
Special Projects Librarian
Wichita Public Library
223 S. Main, Wichita, KS, 67202
phone: 316.261.8524 / fax: 316.858.7825
http://www.wichita.lib.ks.us
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Events Announced in Celebration of The Big Read – Wichita
From Oct. 1 through Nov. 15, Wichita residents—and throughout the area—are encouraged to read and discuss Willa Cather’s "My Ántonia." The novel’s themes of prairie and the taming of the land, memory and the immigrant experience in America are ones which will be developed not only in book discussions, but also through special programs and events with The Big Read’s partners. Companion titles for younger readers have also been identified, giving every member of a family an opportunity to participate in The Big Read.
The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and Arts Midwest.
For more information about these events, please contact the hosting organization. Unless otherwise noted, events are free. For more information about The Big Read, please visit bigreadwichita.org or contact bigreadwichita@gmail.com.
EXHIBITS
Wichita: The Magic City and A Wichita Cottage
In "My Ántonia" Jim Burden vividly describes the vastness of the prairie and the "atmosphere of comfort and security in my grandfather's house." You are invited to tour the Historical Museum's "Magic City" exhibit to visualize the novel's prairie setting, then visit the "Wichita Cottage" exhibit to sense the refuge and refinement of a Victorian home. See the Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum for hours and admissions information.
Ongoing, Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum, 204 S. Main, 265-9314
Bridge Signs on Willa Cather
See Exploration Place for hours and admissions information. Admission fee includes entry to Exploration Place exhibits, including permanent exhibits, Discovering Chimpanzees and Scoop on Poop.
Wednesday, Oct. 1 - Friday, Oct. 31, Exploration Place, 300 N. McLean Blvd., 263-3373
Building from the Earth: Photographs of Sod Houses and Other Sod Buildings
WSU's Special Collections and University Archives is home to the Sod House Photograph Collection, over 200 photographs and postcards of sod houses, churches, post offices, schools and other buildings. See highlights from this collection and artifacts relating to sod buildings.
Open Mondays through Fridays, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 1 - Monday, Dec. 1, Wichita State University, Special Collections and University Archives, Ablah Library, 1845 Fairmount, 978-3590
EVENTS
"American Masters: Willa Cather - The Road is All"
In 1883, the young Cather was plucked from her luxurious home in Virginia and dropped into the tall grass prairies of Nebraska, an experience that exhilarated her and became the force behind all of her great novels - "O Pioneers," "My Ántonia," "Death Comes for the Archbishop" and the Pulitzer Prize winning "One of Ours." She has been a great inspiration to women writers and women readers, rediscovered in every decade for the past 100 years. (From pbs.org) (90 minutes)
Wednesday, Oct. 1, 8:00 p.m., airs on KPTS-TV 8
Old Sedgwick County Fair
Students present for the Old Sedgwick County Fair's Education Day will meet Ántonia herself! The re-enactor will arrive at Cowtown, substituting for Red Cloud, Nebraska, at 11:00 a.m., by wagon. Students explore the sights, sounds and smells of an 1870s county fair. Various craftsmen are stationed throughout the museum demonstrating their wares. Period music abounds! For school groups only; call for reservations. Open to the public on Saturday and Sunday. (Time varies)
Friday, Oct. 3, call Old Cowtown Museum for reservations and admission information, Old Cowtown Museum, 1865 W. Museum Blvd., 219-1871
Old Sedgwick County Fair
See Old Cowtown Museum's website for admission information
During Cowtown’s Old Sedgwick County Fair, a presentation of immigrant cooking on grounds will take place. Cowtown has researched recipes from Ántonia’s Bohemia and will present types of foods used in her time period. (Time varies)
Saturday, Oct. 4, 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 5, 11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m., Old Cowtown Museum, 1865 W. Museum Blvd., 219-1871
The Big Read - Wichita Kickoff
At the Big Read’s kickoff, enjoy a reader’s theatre presentation by Dick Welsbacher, performances by the East High Piano Trio, an exhibition of prairie-themed artwork, book giveaways and a taste of Ántonia’s native Bohemia. (2 hours)
Saturday, Oct. 4, 2:00 p.m., Wichita Art Museum, 1400 W. Museum Blvd, 268-4921
Nan's Covered Wagon
Learn about life in a covered wagon for all ages by Yvonne Larson of Waterville, Kan. (2 hours)
Saturday, Oct. 4, 2:00 p.m., Goddard Public Library, 201 N. Main, Goddard, 744-8771
Special Storytime
Take part in a special storytime for young children. (60 minutes)
Tuesday, Oct. 7, 9:30 a.m., McConnell Air Force Base Library, 53476 Wichita Street Bldg 412, 759-7207
Art Start
Tuesday's session is for families; preschool groups of ages 3-5 are welcome on Thursdays and Fridays. The Art Start program will be in the "The Plains Landscape of 'My Ántonia'" exhibition. A short book titled "A Little Prairie House" will be read out loud and prairie life will be discussed. Free, but reservations required. Call Janet at 268-4929. (60 minutes)
Tuesdays, Oct. 7, 14, and 21; Thursdays, Oct. 9, 14 and 23; and Fridays, Oct. 10, 17 and 24, 10:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., Wichita Art Museum, 1400 W. Museum Blvd., 268-4921
Senior Wednesday: Living Like Badgers - Life in a Prairie Dugout
Learn more about the hard life of the early pioneers who began their time on the prairie living below ground from historian Sara Jane Richter. Offered in cooperation with nine other cultural institutions in Wichita, Senior Wednesdays are designed for active seniors and made possible by the Kansas Health Foundation, a private philanthropic organization dedicated to improving the health of all Kansans. (60 minutes)
Wednesday, Oct. 8, 1:30 p.m., Wichita Public Library - Central Library, 223 S. Main, 261-8500
Tea and “My Ántonia”: A Book Discussion
Join in a discussion of Willa Cather’s "My Ántonia," a fascinating portrait of life on the prairie with a Bohemian immigrant family as told by Ántonia’s best friend Jim. (60 minutes)
Wednesday, Oct. 8, 3:30 p.m., Wichita Public Library - Rockwell Branch Library, 5939 E. 9th, 688-9361
Sunday, Oct. 12, 2:00 p.m., Wichita Public Library - Angelou Northeast Branch Library, 3051 E. 21st, 688-9580
Friday, Oct. 17, 2:30 p.m., Wichita Public Library - Central Library, 223 S. Main, 261-8500
Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2:30 p.m., Wichita Public Library - Linwood Branch Library, 1901 S. Kansas, 337-9125
Friday, Oct. 24, 2:30 p.m., Wichita Public Library - Orchard Park Branch Library, 4808 W. 9th, 337-9084
Saturday, Oct. 25, 10:30 a.m., Wichita Public Library - Alford Branch Library, 3447 S. Meridian, 337-9119
Tuesday, Oct. 28, 7:00 p.m., Wichita Public Library - Westlink Branch Library, 8515 Bekemeyer, 337-9456
Thursday, Nov. 13, 7:00 p.m., Wichita Public Library - Evergreen Branch Library, 2601 N. Arkansas, 303-8181
Sunday-Afternoon-at-the-Museum: A "My Ántonia" Prairie Walk and Talk
Stroll through a tallgrass prairie and tour an 1875 immigrant house at Kauffman Museum, on the Bethel College campus in North Newton, followed by a program of contemporary responses to the themes of immigration and adaptation in Willa Cather's novel. Co-sponsored by Bethel College and Newton Public Library. (60 minutes)
Sunday, Oct. 12, doors open at 1:30 p.m., program starts at 3:30 p.m., Kauffman Museum,
2801 N. Main St., North Newton, (316) 283-1612
Daily Life of Pioneer Women
Historian Patricia Michaelis will take a look back at the diaries and letters of pioneer women to show the struggles that they faced in coming to settle the prairie. (60 minutes)
Monday, Oct. 13, 7:00 p.m., Wichita Public Library - Westlink Branch Library, 8515 Bekemeyer, 337-9456
Book Discussion & Film
Book discussion followed by the film "My Ántonia." Attendees will need to check in at the Front Desk. Book discussions will be held in Discovery Room A located in the Flight Pavilion. Admission fee of $8.00 will include the book discussion, film and entry to Exploration Place exhibits, including permanent exhibits, Discovering Chimpanzees and Scoop on Poop. (3 hours)
Thursday, Oct. 16, 6:00 p.m., Exploration Place, 300 N. McLean Blvd, 263-3373
Thursday, Oct. 23, 6:00 p.m., Exploration Place, 300 N. McLean Blvd, 263-3373
Prairie Tales Kid’s Party
Wear your favorite sunbonnet and cowboy boots and join us as we read prairie stories including "A Little Prairie House" by Laura Ingalls Wilder. We will have a pioneer costume contest, have a quilting demonstration, make a fun quilt craft, and do other prairie themed games and activities. Reservation requested; call 315-0421. (60 minutes)
Saturday, Oct. 18, 2:00 p.m., Barnes and Noble Bradley Fair, 1920 N. Rock Rd., 315-0421
"My Ántonia" Out Loud: Book Reading/Discussion
Come experience dramatic readings from "My Ántonia" as well as participate in a passionate book discussion as performed and lead by local actor Brad Purkey. There will be refreshments and a prize drawing. Reservation requested; call 315-0421. (90 minutes)
Saturday, Oct. 18, 5:00 p.m., Barnes and Noble Bradley Fair, 1920 N. Rock Rd., 315-0421
Keynote Speech: Willa Cather as Historian
Willa Cather, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author known for her depictions of pioneer life on the American prairie, was a master at accurately portraying time and place through her fictional works. Characters and situations in her stories are recreated from her own experiences and turned into detailed and realistic literature. Learn more about this American author and what we can learn from "My Ántonia" in a lecture by Willa Cather scholar Charlotte Rohrbach, ASC, Ph.D., professor emerita of history and Director of Mission Effectiveness/Archives at Newman University. (60 minutes)
Sunday, Oct. 19, 1:30 p.m., Wichita Public Library - Central Library, 223 S. Main, 261-8500
"My Ántonia" Tour
Enjoy a free tour following the lecture "Willa Cather as Historian" by Charlotte Rohrbach, ASC, Ph.D. The Museum's Magic City and Wichita Cottage exhibits will set the scene of Cather's classic story of the challenges and beauty of the prairie. Tickets will be available at the Central Library at the close of the lecture. (30 minutes)
Sunday, Oct. 19, 3:00 p.m., Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum, 204 S. Main,
265-9314
“Grasslands” Book Discussion for Young People
Ages 10 and up are invited to participate in a lively book discussion of “Grasslands” by Debra Seely. “Grasslands,” inspired by the life of Seely’s great-grandfather, tells the story of a young boy from Virginia in the 1880s who moves to a Kansas farm to join his father and new stepfamily. (60 minutes)
Monday, Oct. 20, 7:00 p.m., Wichita Public Library - Westlink Branch Library, 8515 Bekemeyer, 337-9456
Saturday, Nov. 1, 10:30 a.m., Wichita Public Library - Alford Branch Library, 3447 S. Meridian, 337-9119
Treats from the Trail @ the Library
Join a discussion of Willa Cather's "My Ántonia." (60 minutes)
Monday, Oct. 20, 7:00 p.m., Goddard Public Library, 201 N. Main, Goddard, 744-8771
"My Ántonia" Book Discussion
Join the 3rd Tuesdays Monthly Book Discussion Group to talk about Willa Cather's "My Ántonia." (60 minutes)
Tuesday, Oct. 21, 7:00 p.m., Wichita Public Library - Central Library, 223 S. Main, 261-8500
Brown Bag "My Ántonia" Discussion
Brown bag lunch book discussion with dessert and drinks provided. Held in WATC Library Conference Room. (90 minutes)
Wednesday, Oct. 22, 11:30 a.m., Wichita Area Technical College, 301 S. Grove, 677-9400
Wednesday, Oct. 29, 11:30 a.m., Wichita Area Technical College, 301 S. Grove, 677-9400
Wednesday, Nov. 5, 11:30 a.m., Wichita Area Technical College, 301 S. Grove, 677-9400
"My Ántonia" Book Discussion
Join the Masters of Mystery Monthly Book Discussion Group to talk about Willa Cather's "My Ántonia." (90 minutes)
Wednesday, Oct. 22, 7:00 p.m., Wichita Public Library - Alford Branch Library, 3447 S. Meridian, 337-9119
"My Ántonia" Book Discussion
Join in a discussion of Willa Cather's "My Ántonia." (90 minutes)
Saturday, Oct. 25, 3:00 p.m., McConnell Air Force Base Library, 53476 Wichita Street Bldg 412, 759-7207
"Sweet Land"
Inge arrives in Minnesota in 1920 to marry a young Norwegian farmer named Olaf, but her German heritage and lack of official immigration papers make her suspicious and they are forbidden to marry. Alone and adrift, Inge goes to live with the family of Olaf’s friend and neighbor, where she learns the English language, American ways and a hard-won independence. Based on Will Weaver’s short story "A Gravestone Made of Wheat" and shot on location in southern Minnesota, "Sweet Land" uses painterly images and understated performances to tell a universal story of love and discovery. Featuring supporting performances by veteran performers Ned Beatty, Paul Sand and Lois Smith, "Sweet Land" is the story of immigrant America, made by the son of first-generation immigrants themselves. (2 hours)
Sunday, Oct. 26, 2:00 p.m., Wichita Public Library - Rockwell Branch Library, 5939 E. 9th,
688-9361
Senior Wednesday: Ken Lockwood, Eagle Valley Raptor Center
Jim and Antonia have an exciting adventure with a rattlesnake who lives and devours owls who are subterranean in Chapter 4 of Willa Cather's "My Ántonia." A costumed interpreter shares part of that chapter while Ken Lockwood from the Eagle Valley Raptor Center shows his owl and other "friends." Enjoy a taste of Ántonia's native Bohemian food. Senior Wednesdays admission is $2.00. Offered in cooperation with nine other cultural institutions in Wichita, Senior Wednesdays are designed for active seniors and made possible by the Kansas Health Foundation, a private philanthropic organization dedicated to improving the health of all Kansans. (appx. 60 minutes)
Wednesday, Oct. 29, 1:30 p.m., Old Cowtown Museum, 1865 W. Museum Blvd., 219-1871
"My Ántonia" Book Discussion
Join in a discussion of Willa Cather's "My Ántonia." (2 hours)
Wednesday, Oct. 29, 6:00 p.m., Watermark Books and Café, 4701 E. Douglas, 682-1181
Family Memoirs: Putting the Puzzle Together
"My Ántonia" is rooted in the memories of Cather's experiences growing up in Nebraska. Virginia Downing, vice-president and education chair of the Wichita Genealogical Society, will show you how to search your home for household items, letters, pictures and family keepsakes that can be used as memoirs. The class will look at how to use published books to help piece together the puzzle and ways to document and preserve for the future what's found (60 minutes).
Saturday, Nov. 1, 10:30 a.m., Wichita Public Library - Rockwell Branch Library, 5939 E. 9th, 688-9361
Senior Wednesday: Gallery Talk - The Plains Landscape of "My Antonia"
Discussion of how the artwork relates to the book. $2 admission. Buy one lunch, get second 1/2 off. Offered in cooperation with nine other cultural institutions in Wichita, Senior Wednesdays are designed for active seniors and made possible by the Kansas Health Foundation, a private philanthropic organization dedicated to improving the health of all Kansans. (90 minutes)
Wednesday, Nov. 5, doors open at 10:00 a.m., program starts at 10:30 a.m., Wichita Art Museum, 1400 W. Museum Blvd, 268-4921
Meet the Author: Debra Seely
Author Debra Seely will talk about writing her teen novels “Grasslands” and “The Last of the Roundup Boys.” Learn more about the process of getting a book published and how to hone your writing skills. For ages 8 and up. (60 minutes)
Saturday, Nov. 8, 11:00 a.m., Wichita Public Library - Westlink Branch Library, 8515 Bekemeyer, 337-9456
Preserving the Prairie: Hope for the Future?
The vast prairie that once drew countless immigrants to a land rich with wildlife and fertile soil has become an endangered habitat. Will it survive the stresses of modern life? Learn from Master Gardener Kevin Holloway whether our prairie can be saved and what efforts are being made to keep it safe for future generations. (60 minutes)
Sunday, Nov. 9, 2:30 p.m., Wichita Public Library - Westlink Branch Library, 8515 Bekemeyer, 337-9456
Bus Trip to Willa Cather's Red Cloud
A Village Tours bus will leave the Wichita Art Museum at 7:00 a.m., whisking you away to Minden, Neb. to Harold Warp's Pioneer Village. Attractions relating to the era include a historic sod house. Enjoy lunch and a walking tour before heading to Hastings' Quality Hotel and Convention Center for the evening. At 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, depart for Willa Cather's Red Cloud, arriving at 10:00 a.m. Guided tours will be available and guests will enjoy lunch in Red Cloud. Red Cloud was the childhood home of Willa Cather from age 9 until she went to college and served as the inspiration for many of her most famous works. At 2:00 p.m., the bus heads home for Wichita, arriving at 7:00 p.m.
Cost per person: $145.00 for double occupancy room or $185.00 for single occupancy room (Price includes bus fees, lodging, museum admissions and Wednesday lunch.)
To sign up: Mail checks, payable to FWAM, to The Friends of the Wichita Art Museum, 1400 W. Museum Blvd., Wichita, KS 67203. Please be sure to include current mailing address and note "Willa Cather Trip" on your check. Registrations are due by Friday, Oct. 10.
For more information: Contact bigreadwichita@gmail.com or call 683-1267.
Wednesday, Nov. 12 - Thursday, Nov. 13
The Big Read Finale: Ántonia’s Music: The Popular Tunes of Her Time
Music historian Michael Lasser will entertain with musical samples of the ragtime and dance tunes that delighted Ántonia and Jim in Willa Cather’s Black Hawk. (60 minutes)
Saturday, Nov. 15, 2:00 p.m., Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum, 204 S. Main