KOKOMO, Ind. — The Indiana University Kokomo Library, in partnership with IU Kokomo faculty, the Kokomo-Howard County Public Library and the Greentown Public Library, has been awarded a Community Read grant of $1,000 from Indiana Humanities to participate in a statewide read of the classic novel Frankenstein. More than 60 communities will be reading the book as part of One State / One Story: Frankenstein.
“I am thrilled the IU Kokomo Library is a recipient of this Indiana Humanities grant,” said Polly Boruff-Jones, dean of the Library. “The Community Read grant provides an excellent opportunity for us to partner with local libraries and other community organizations to sponsor events that explore the science, ethics, and societal themes in the Frankenstein story.”
The Library and its campus and community partners will host at least three community programs tied to the book during 2018, including a book discussion. It will also receive up to 50 books and assorted materials to promote the programs.
A preliminary calendar of events includes:
- A community “Monster Walk” to take place in the spring
- Discussion panels for IU Kokomo faculty and students during the spring and fall semesters
- Summer reading programs and book discussions sponsored by all three library partners
- STEM-related makerspace summer programming at the Greentown Public Library
- Frankenstein-themed movie nights at the Greentown Public Library this summer
- A First Friday event sponsored by the Kokomo-Howard County Public Library in October
For more information, contact Cynthia Lipken, outreach coordinator, at 765-455-9511, clipken@iuk.edu.
Written by Mary Shelley in 1818, Frankenstein tells the story of a young scientist who created a grotesque living creature through a scientific experiment and was horrified by what he had made.
“Frankenstein is a powerful book that raises big questions about right and wrong, how we treat other people and the relationship between science and society,” said Keira Amstutz, president and CEO of Indiana Humanities. “That’s what makes it such an important book to read as a community and as a state. We want to catalyze those serious conversations, but we want Hoosiers to have a little fun with the book, too.”
One State / One Story: Frankenstein is an initiative designed by Indiana Humanities, in partnership with the Indiana State Library and Indiana Center for the Book, to encourage Hoosiers to read the classic novel as it turns 200 in 2018. More than a dozen programs—including a digital gaming workshop, a sci-fi and horror writing festival for teens, community reads and read-a-thons, and college and university partnerships—will bring Frankenstein to life all over the state. One State / One Story: Frankenstein has been made possible in part by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Learn more at www.IndianaHumanities.org/Frankenstein.
About Indiana University Kokomo Library
Indiana University Kokomo Library provides the collections, services and environments to support and strengthen the teaching, learning and research mission of Indiana University Kokomo. Find out more about library services and resources at www.iuk.edu/library.
About Greentown Public Library
The Greentown and Eastern Howard School Public Library serves as an educational and cultural center for all residents of Liberty, Union, and Jackson Townships of Howard County. Learn more at http://greentownlib.org.
About Kokomo-Howard County Public Library
The Kokomo Howard County Public Library creates opportunities for the community to become its best. Find out more at https://www.khcpl.org.
About Indiana Humanities
Indiana Humanities connects people, opens minds and enriches lives by creating and facilitating programs that encourage Hoosiers to think, read and talk. Indiana Humanities is funded in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities and Lilly Endowment, Inc. Learn more at www.indianahumanities.org.
About the National Endowment for the Humanities
Created in 1965 as an independent federal agency, the National Endowment for the Humanities supports research and learning in history, literature, philosophy, and other areas of the humanities by funding selected, peer-reviewed proposals from around the nation. Additional information about the National Endowment for the Humanities and its grant programs is available at: www.neh.gov.
About Indiana Center for the Book
The Indiana Center for the Book is a program of the Indiana State Library and an affiliate of the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress. It promotes interest in reading, writing, literacy, libraries, and Indiana's literary heritage by sponsoring events and serving as an information resource at the state and local level. Learn more at www.in.gov/library/icb.htm.
About Indiana State Library
The Indiana State Library serves Indiana residents with a variety of needs including; genealogy, Indiana history, preservation, rare books and manuscripts, reference and government services, Talking Books and Braille library, as well as the State Data Center. The State Library also leads and supports the greater Indiana library community and is a magnificent limestone building to visit. Learn more at: www.in.gov/library/index.htm.
Indiana University Kokomo serves north central Indiana.