Selection Criteria

About The Book

One Book,
One Community
is sponsored
in part by
Southwest Airlines

BOOK SELECTION CRITERIA
Adapted from the American Library Association's (ALA) "Planning Guide" publication for One Book, One Community projects.

The title for a project like this needs to be of very broad appeal. The ALA guidelines suggest you consider how your project can link to other activities and organizations in the community. Activities could include a production at a local theater, movie screenings, concerts, exhibits at historical or art museums, mock trials, cooking demonstrations or contests, or anything else to which the particular book lends itself.

Some of the suggested guidelines relate to the following:

Compelling issues, characters, themes to encourage discussion
Well-known author w/national or regional reputation
High school level reading
In print, in large type, audio cassettes, CDs, in Spanish, in paperback
Affordable
Fiction vs. non-fiction
Classic vs. current popular title
Appeals to both genders
Community issues, interests and demographics like:
- Growth, development
- Large Spanish-speaking population
- Tourism
- Environment
- and many more!
Helps meet project goals: To foster a sense of unity through reading and stimulating discussion of a common book, enhanced by related cultural, educational and recreational program components.

You will not find one book that meets every criterion, so try to cover as many as possible, but don’t get caught up in meeting every one of them.

Take a look at the Library of Congress web site at http://www.loc.gov/loc/cfbook/one-book.html to see the entire list of books used nationwide for this project.