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Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Reading: Bridge to a Wider World was adopted as a title for Duluth's "one book, one community project" early in 2002. The Duluth Public Library (DPL) coordinates the program. Because of the city's commitment to reading and literacy and because of the Duluth Public Library's role in advocating the importance of lifelong learning from birth, a community-wide reading program was a natural choice for Duluth

Committee Members
The committee began meeting August 25, 2003 to plan the 2004 reading program. The following members served on the 2004 committee:

Beth Kelly, Chair - Duluth Public Library Director and Arrowhead Reading Council Representative
Becky Ardren - Reading & English Language Arts Specialist, ISD 709; Arrowhead Reading Council
    Representative
Ellen Baker - J. W. Beecroft Books & Gifts
Heidi Brokate - Barnes & Noble Bookstore
Barbara Durst - Adult Learning Center, ISD 709 and Arrowhead Reading Council Representative
Nancy Eaton - Duluth Public Library, Web Site Administrator and Desktop Publisher
Carol Kelley - Friends of the DPL & Duluth Library Foundation Board Member and Arrowhead Reading
    Council Representative
Judy Sheriff - DPL Youth Services Manager and Arrowhead Reading Council Representative
Carrie Sutherland - J. W. Beecroft Books & Gifts
Anita Zager - Northern Lights Books and Gifts
Wendy Wennberg - DPL Public Information Coordinator and Reading: Bridge to a Wider World Project
    Coordinator

Planning and Program Development

The committee considered the following books for the 2004 program: Shoeless Joe, Bud, Not Buddy, Seed Folks, and Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster. After reading these titles, the committee agreed to look at other options. B. Kelly and J. Sheriff research Grand Excursion 2004, an event that celebrates the renaissance of the upper Mississippi River region by recreating the 1854 steamboat expedition that brought worldwide attention to what was then America's wild western frontier. After much discussion, the decision was made to select Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn for the following reasons: the book has a timely regional connection, it is available in paperback, it is in school curriculum, and it is a great American classic.

A press release was sent out September 15, 2003 announcing the 2004 book selection.

Program suggestions and ideas were discussed at several meetings and the following programs were scheduled at the Duluth Public Library and other locations. The attendance at each event is in parentheses.

• Winter Literature Circle and Bookshare & Swap (21)
• The Tuesday Night Readers Book Group (15)
• The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: Our National Novel? (17)
• Book Discussion: Store Bookgroup (13)
• Rollin' On the River: Stories for Children (20)
• The Voracious Varlets Book Group (12)
• A Journal of a Mississippi River Canoe Adventure (3)
• Huckleberry Finn Mark Twain's Legal Firestorm (24)
• The Classics Book Group Discussion (10)
• Writers Speak Out: "Traveling to Find Ourselves" (15)
• A Solo Kayak Journey Down The Mississippi (32)
• Take a Trip Down the Mississippi with the Adventure Club for Young Readers (8)
• Community Booktalk (23)
• Huckleberry Finn: To Ban or Not to Ban (36)
• Mark Twain at the Library (66)

Resource Guide Development
A 14-page resource guide for The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was developed by a team of librarians and committee members to enable readers to lead discussions on their own, in their home, neighborhood or workplaces.

The committee reviewed the components of the Resource Guide and divided up duties as follows. The deadline for submitting information to be printed in the Resource Guide was set at December 15, 2003.

• Ask Librarians Lucie Holzemer and Judy O'Day to order related fiction and nonfiction titles - Beth Kelly
• Contact Kevin Walsh regarding program - Carol Kelley
• Contact Duluth Library Foundation President about an introductory letter- Wendy Wennberg
• Book discussions and literary events - Bookstores and committee members. C. Sutherland helped get in touch with bookstores.
• Write Discussion Questions - Carol Kelley and Barb Durst.
• Write Discussion Questions for Kids and Families - Judy Sheriff and Becky Ardren
• Develop bio for Mark Twain - Nancy Eaton
• Compile Resources for Teachers - Becky Ardren and Judy Sheriff
• Compile Web Resources - Carrie Sutherland
• Compile Acknowledgements - Wendy Wennberg
• Create Evaluation - Wendy Wennberg
• Graphics and Publishing - Nancy Eaton
• Obtain Lunch/Cruise tickets on the Mississippi in conjunction with Grand Excursion 2004. Library program attendance incentive prize - Wendy Wennberg

The deadline for printing the Resource Guide was set at February 1, 2004. The Resource Guides were available by February 15.

Marketing
N. Eaton submitted information on the project to the Duluth Public School's Community Education advertising supplement to the Budgeteer News that ran Sunday, March 7, 2004. The article featured programs at the Library.

W. Wennberg met with Holly Gruber, Duluth News Tribune, to ask for her help in developing a feature story. Holly Gruber agreed to have Candace Renalls develop a feature story that ran in the US Section of the Duluth News Tribune on Sunday, April 4, 2004. The Duluth Budgeteer News also ran a feature story on Sunday, April 4, 2004. The Duluth News Tribune and the Duluth Budgeteer ran weekly program announcements throughout the month of April.

Posters were made for display at the Library - "Are You Reading The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn?" - and for each individual library program.

Press releases, phone calls, and meetings with the media were conducted from February through April 2003.

Printed Materials
The Arrowhead Library System Print Shop printed 4,500 copies of the Resource Guide, compared to 4,000 last year. The Resource Guides were distributed to all of the partner agencies and several book clubs.

The majority of the Resource Guides were distributed at the Duluth Public Library, the West Duluth Branch Library and the Mount Royal Branch Library. The Library, bookstores and schools developed displays, and program fliers were developed for Library use.

Duluth Public Library Web site
Nancy Eaton, Sr. Library Technician, is responsible for the web site. She added the contents of the Resource Guide to the web site.

Ordering The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Books and Materials
Reference Librarian Judy O'Day ordered books and materials to prepare for the anticipated demand. For the Main Library she ordered 1 copy of each of the following:

• Mark Twain, a Short Introduction
• To Hell and Back: Race and Betrayal in the Southern Novel
• Mark Twain & Company: Six Literary Relations
• Life on the Mississippi, Mark Twain
• Historical Guide to Mark Twain
• Mark Twain Himself: A Pictorial Biography
• Annotated Huckleberry Finn: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Tom Sawyer's Comrade)
• Dangerous Water: A Biography of the Boy Who Became Mark Twain
• Black, White and Huckleberry Finn: Re-Imagining the American Dream
• Understanding the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
• Huckleberry Finn and Mark Twain: Death, Deceit, Dreams and Disguises
• Refiguring Huckleberry Finn
• Life As I Find It: A Treasury of Mark Twain Rarities
• Mark Twain: A Literary Life
• Learning from Difference: Teaching Morrison, Twain, Ellison, and Eliot
• Mark Twain: Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn
• Jim Dilemna: Reading Race in Huckleberry Finn
• Readings on the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
• Huckleberry Finn As Idol and Target: The Functions of Criticism in our Time
• Understanding Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: A Student Casebook to Issues, Sources, and Historical Documents
• Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
• Was Huck Black?: Mark Twain and African-American Voices
• Satire or Evasion? Black Perspectives on Huckleberry Finn
• Live Steam: Paddlewheel Steamboats on the Mississippi System
• Steamboating on the Upper Mississippi
• Upper Mississippi River Rafting Steamboats
• Singular Mark Twain: A Biography
• Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
• Love and Death in the American Novel
• A Journal of a Mississippi River Canoe Adventure: It's a Long Way.

One copy of each of the following were ordered for the Mount Royal and West Duluth Branch Libraries:

• Life on the Mississippi
• Mark Twain
• Mark Twain Himself: A Pictorial Biography
• Singular Mark Twain: A Biography

Media Librarian, Renee Zurn ordered the following materials:

• The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
  • Book on tape: 4 unabridged and 2 abridged copies
  • Book on disc: 4 unabridged and 2 abridged copies
  • DVD - 6 copies
  • Video - 6 copies
• Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer Among the Indians (sequel to The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn)
  • Book on tape: 2 unabridged copies
  • Book on disc: 2 unabridged copies
  • Book on tape: 4 unabridged and 2 abridged copies
• The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: Understanding a Classic
  • DVD - 1 copy
• Mark Twain: Huckleberry Finn
  • DVD - 1 copy

Budget 

Income
Duluth Library Foundation	$2,481.69
Friends of the Duluth Public Library	$100.00
Total:	$2,581.69
Expenses
Books and Library Materials	$1,757.89
Resource Guide (Quantity: 4,500)	$653.80
Tuning the Library Piano	$70.00
Program Expenses	$100.00
Total:	$2,581.69

Timeline

August 11, 2003
Carol Kelley requested and received financial sponsorship from the Duluth Library Foundation for the 2004 project.

August 25, 2003

• Committee reviewed the 2003 Final Report.
• The committee selected the following criteria for the 2004 book selection:
  • Appeals to all ages and genders
  • Touches the heart
  • A quick read
  • In print, as paperback and in other formats
  • Strong characters
  • Provokes discussion
  • Multiple themes
  • Conflicts or issues
  • Unique
  • Somewhat well known
  • A message/Story
  • Part of school curriculum.
• The committee narrowed the list of books down.
  • Shoeless Joe
  • Bud, Not Buddy
  • Seed Folks
  • Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster
• Committee members decided to read the above before making a final selection.
  

September 2003

• Members discussed the books reviewed and agreed to look at other options.
• B. Kelly and J. Sheriff researched Grand Excursion 2004, an event that celebrates the renaissance of the upper Mississippi River region by recreating the 1854 steamboat expedition that brought worldwide attention to the river.
• The committee selected The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn because it had a timely regional connection.
• The themes in the book pointed out by B. Ardren are: Initiation - child and adult, Coming of Age, Racial Equity and the Mississippi River.
• A press release regarding the 2004 book selection was mailed to the media.
• The Duluth Library Foundation agreed to purchase two tickets for a lunch cruise on one of the paddle wheelers involved in the Grand Excursion 2004. The tickets will be used in a drawing and as an incentive to attend area reading project events.

October 2003

• The committee began working on program ideas and contacting presenters.
• The committee reviewed the components of the Resource Guide and divided up duties among members of the committee.
• The committee chose December 15, 2003 as the deadline for submitting information to be printed in the Resource Guide.
• The committee chose February 1, 2004 as the deadline for printing the Resource Guide.

November 2003

• The committee discussed publicity.
• The committee chose Mary Shelley's Frankenstein as the book selection for the 2005 reading program. The Duluth Public Library will host the traveling exhibition Frankenstein Penetrating the Secrets of Nature from April 27 through June 10, 2005. The National Library of Medicine of the U.S. National Institutes of Health and the American Library Association developed the exhibit. Through the exhibit, audiences will be encouraged to examine the intent of Mary Shelley's novel, Frankenstein, and to discuss Shelley's and their own views about personal and societal responsibility as it relates to science and other areas of life. The exhibit will include interpretive and educational materials that help libraries examine the novel, and how it uses scientific experimentation as metaphor to comment on cultural values, especially the importance of exercising responsibility toward individuals and the community in all areas of human activity, including science.

January 2004

• A press release was sent to all media urging Duluthians and area residents to "get on the same page" and read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
• Arrowhead Reading Council published Bridge Over the Mississippi: Community-Wide Reading Project Chooses Huck Finn in the winter Read-o-gram.

February 2004

• Arrowhead Reading Council published a brochure inviting members to join The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, a special "Winter Literature Circle and Bookshare Event for educators.
• Bookstores submitted their events.
• Wendy Wennberg sent a memo to all library staff regarding the project and the schedule of events.
• The Duluth News Tribune agreed to prepare a feature story on the 2004 event.
• The Resources Guides arrived from the printer.

March 2004

• The Friends of the Duluth Public Library announced events planned for The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in their newsletter Friends Forecast.
• The advertising supplement to the Budgeteer News Duluth Community Education outlined events with description and listed the library website for further information.
• A press release was sent out announcing the first program lead by Dr. Tom Zelman, professor of English at the College of St. Scholastica.
• W. Wennberg produced posters for each event.
• A press release was mailed to media about a program featuring Dr. Maria Stalzer Wyant Cuzzo and Advanced Legal Studies students from the University of Wisconsin-Superior presenting a multi-layered analysis of the social, political and legal issues surrounding the book.
  

April 2004

• The Budgeteer News feature announced One Book project chooses 'Huckleberry Finn' for '04 on Sunday, April 4, 2004, front page of the Arts and Entertainment section.
• April 4. Duluth News Tribune announces Community Reading Project - Organizers hope readers learn from Twain's masterpiece. This was a front page story in the US Section of the Sunday paper. The article listed the events and a Mark Twain biography.
• The Duluth News Tribune announces events throughout the month in the Daily Planner.
• The Duluth Budgeteer announces events throughout the month in the Community Calendar.
• Youth Services staff published a bibliography: Exploring the Mississippi River
• Youth Services staff published a bibliography: Meet Mark Twain to help kids find out about the author of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
• Youth Services staff published River Reads, a bibliography of river stories for kids of all ages.
• Wendy Wennberg, Nancy Eaton and Beth Kelly responded to calls from media and other libraries.
• Judy O'Day, Reference Librarian, developed an attractive and visible display of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn books, materials, posters and brochures.
• Evaluation forms were passed out at all events and the results were compiled.
• Duluth Library Foundation Cruise Drawing slips were filled out at all Duluth Public Library Huckleberry Finn events. The winner was selected in a drawing at the final program on April 27, 2004.

May 2004

• Staff measured participation in programs. 315 people attended The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn programs. The statistics reflect only the official list of programs. We assume there were many more programs and discussions that occurred in neighborhoods, homes, at book club meetings and churches.
• Wendy Wennberg wrote thank you letters to all participants.
• The evaluation results were included on the Library web site.
• Program Coordinator W. Wennberg wrote this final report.

Sponsorship
The Duluth Library Foundation financially sponsored Reading: Bridge to a Wider World in 2004. The project was made possible through the generous support of collaborating partners listed below:

• Friends of the Duluth Public Library provided $100 for programming.
• The Duluth Library Foundation provided $653.80 for printing the Resource Guide, $1,757.89 for materials and $70.00 for tuning the Library piano.
• The Arrowhead Library System printed the Resource Guides at a discounted price and procured the support of area libraries.
• The Duluth News Tribune provided an introductory article regarding the program
• The Duluth Public Schools disseminated information to students and teachers regarding the program.
• The Arrowhead Reading Council sponsored complementary programs.
• Local bookstores sponsored complementary programs.
• The Duluth Public Library coordinated the citywide effort.

Measuring Success
Over two months, Duluthians and area residents read and discussed The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

Based on circulation figures bookstore sales, high program attendance, media coverage and positive feedback from evaluations and other participating Libraries, the 2004 program was a success.

Approximately 428 students read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in the Duluth Schools.

Program Attendance
315 people attended 15 public programs. The 2004 attendance statistics are below those of the 2003 program.

In 2003, 697 people attended 26 public programs. In measuring success, it must be pointed out that the 2003 program-featuring author Mitch Albom drew over 300 people. This year, an author event was obviously not an option. In addition, the committee made a decision to reduce the number of public programs and to concentrate on quality vs. quantity. In 2002, 586 people attended 25 public programs with the largest audience at 63 people.

Community Response
Evaluations submitted by program attendees were positive. Examples are:

• "It made me realize how much freedom means to me."
• "I am more aware of the book and its connections to other facets of American life, history, values, etc."
• "The presentation tonight was very good and useful approach. Will enhance my reading the book."
• "I personally believe you cannot take this book out of the time in which it was written."
• "Twain was a great American author. The book has so many dimensions that may not be evident at first reading or without discussion."
• "Mark Twain was a favorite writer from my childhood."

The Future

The timeframe will change in 2005 with programs in both April and May. Resource guides from Reading: Bridge to a Wider World projects will remain on the Library web site

Submitted by: Wendy Wennberg
Public Information Coordinator, Duluth Public Library
Reading: Bridge to a Wider World Program Coordinator
5/14/2004

10/24/05
Duluth Public Library, 520 W. Superior St., Duluth MN 55802