One Book One Community offering in Bridgewater is food for thought

In spring 2012 Bridgewater's One Book One Community Read was Ben Hewitt's The Town that Food Saved. One Book One Community Steering Committee members commented on the work for the Bridgewater Independent.

One Book One Community has Fruitful Discussion in Bridgewater

Amar gives a belly dancing lesson 

In conjunction with Bridgewater's One Book One Community Read The Lemon Tree by Sandy Tolan, Amar Gamal explained the history of Middle Eastern dancing and gave a lesson in Belly Dancing at the Bridgewater Public Library in October 2012. A lemon-themed lunch was provided by the One Book One Community Steering Committee. The event was covered by the Bridgewater Independent.

One Book One Community Steering Committee members Pam Hayes-Bohanan, Gloria Moran and Sue McCombe enjoy a belly dancing lesson.

More photos of the event from the Bridgewater Independent are available here. 

Nathaniel Philbrick visits Bridgewater

Bridgewater State University sponsored a visit by In the Heart of the Sea author Nathaniel Philbrick. One Book One Community steering committee members along with some BSU faculty, neighbors and friends, enjoyed dinner with Philbrick before his keynote address on April 2, 2013.

One Book One Community Chowda Fest Kick-Off

The New Bedford Harbor Sea Chantey Chorus provided the entertainment for the Chowda Fest luncheon held at the Bridgewater Senior Center, in conjunction with the One Book One Community Read In the Heart of the Sea. The event was covered in the Bridgewater Independent. 

More information about the Chowda Fest also available here.

From Pots to Pages

The Fall 2011 One Book One Community Read Dragon House by John Shors kicked off with a Pho soup lunch, with guest speaker Anh Nguyen, at the Bridgewater Public Library. The story was covered by the Bridgewater Independent.

Pho soup lunch kicks off community read "Dragon House"

Also See Photo Gallery: Pho Lunch at the Library

Helen "Cassie" Cassiani - Bridgewater native

Our Fall 2013 selection is We Band of Angels by Elizabeth Norman. Norman's book tells the story of army nurses who were imprisoned in Bataan by the Japanese during World War II. One of the women featured in the book is Helen "Cassie" Cassiani who hailed from Bridgewater. Her grave is located in town and we will be placing a wreath on it later this fall. This newspaper article from The Brockton Enterprise (February 6, 1945) was written after she was released.

Click on link above for full size.

Stories

Publicizing Bridgewater's One Book One Community Program beyond our own borders provides other cities and towns who are running their own programs, or who wish to start one, to learn from our successes, as well as our mistakes.

Sue McCombe, Director of the Office of University and Community Partnerships, keeps the One Book One Community website up to date and regularly writes about the program in pamphlets, brochures, and other University publications. Read her Program History here.

Mary O'Connell, Reference Librarian at Bridgewater Public Library reflected her experiences on the One Book One Community Steering Committee in the September/October issue of Public Libraries Magazine.

Pamela Hayes-Bohanan, Reference Librarian at the Clement C. Maxwell Library wrote about the program for the Journal of Library Innovation in 2011.