Off the Shelf

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VOLUME 1 • ISSUE 1

OFF the SHELF A PUBLICATION OF the Free Library of Philadelphia

One Book, One Philadelphia celebrates 10 years inside The Free Library’s Year of Dickens, 100th Anniversary of the Oak Lane branch, a Q&A with bestselling author Jennifer Weiner, and more!

The Free Library’s extensive Map Collection contains more than 130,000 cartographic creations, from detailed world atlases to historic maps of the Delaware Valley, that illuminate how our region has developed over TIME.

OFF the SHELF Free Library of Philadelphia President and Director

Siobhan A. Reardon

FREE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIA BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Associate Director

Chair

Dr. Joseph McPeak Vice President of Development

Melissa Greenberg Vice President of External Affairs

Sandra Horrocks Director of Communications and Brand Marketing

Alix Gerz Writer/Editor

Michelle Saraceni Sheffer PRODUCTION ASSISTANT

Robert C. Heim Members

Steven M. Altschuler Christopher Arlene Jacqueline Barnett Darwin Beauvais Peter A. Benoliel Girard S. Clothier Patricia A. Coulter Stephen M. Curtis Pamela Dembe W. Wilson Goode, Sr. Melissa Grimm Nancy D. Kolb Noel Mayo Stephanie W. Naidoff William R. Sasso

John J. Soroko Sherry A. Swirsky Nicholas D. Torres Ignatius C. Wang Shelly Yanoff Emeritus

Gloria Twine Chisum Armand Della Porta Ex-Officio

Michael DiBerardinis Deputy Mayor for the Environment and Community Resources

Irv Ackelsberg Friends of the Free Library

Eileen Owens Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation

1901 Vine Street, Suite 111 Philadelphia, PA 19103 215-567-7710 freelibrary.org/support offtheshelf@freelibrary.org

FREE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIA FOUNDATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chair

William R. Sasso Members

Off the Shelf is published twice annually for supporters of the Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation and showcases the Library’s educational, economic, and cultural contributions to the region.

Paul D. Addis Cynthia Affleck Renee Amoore James H. Averill Phyllis W. Beck Peter A. Benoliel Sheldon Bonovitz George Day Andrea Ehrlich Marie Field Daniel K. Fitzpatrick Elizabeth Gemmill W. Wilson Goode, Sr. Daniel Gordon Richard A. Greenawalt Andrew T. Greenberg Elizabeth Grenald Robert C. Heim

John Imbesi Linda E. Johnson Alexander Kerr Gerald Maginnis Marciene S. Mattleman Leslie Anne Miller Stephanie W. Naidoff Patrick M. Oates Derek N. Pew Susan G. Smith Miriam Spector Jennifer Weiner Jay Weinstein William L. Wilson HONORARY BOARD

Tobey Dichter A. Morris Williams, Jr.

In memoriam The Free Library is sad to report the passing of two members of its Board of Trustees: Leslie Esdaile Banks and Jerome Shestack. They will be sorely missed.

From the President and Director

Welcome to the inaugural issue of Off the Shelf, a beautiful new magazine devoted to highlighting the renowned programs, rich collections, and essential services that—together with our hardworking staff—make up the Free Library of Philadelphia.

In these pages you will find news from our 54-branch system, profiles of our many special collections, and thoughtful, compelling features.

You will also find ways that, as a supporter, you can help our Library continue to grow and flourish.

Our first feature story focuses on the 10th anniversary of one of the Free Library’s most recognized programs: One Book, One Philadelphia.

For the past decade, One Book has inspired a love of literacy and of community in the hundreds of thousands of Philadelphians who participate. Here you’ll read about the history of the program as well as the vision for its future; you’ll get perspective from the authors and individuals who bring it to life; and you’ll be reminded of the joys of reading and the power of community.

I hope you enjoy reading the first issue of our magazine as much as I enjoyed working with our team to bring it to fruition. We invite you to send us your comments in response to the stories you read in Off the Shelf. And remember, you can always check us out online at freelibrary.org/publications.

Siobhan A. Reardon PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR

WHAT’S INSIDE 6 A Decade of One Book, One Philadelphia

Examining the legacy of the Free Library’s flagship cultural program

4 News & Notes 5 Focus On: Dickens 2012 9 From the Neighborhoods 10 The Final Word 11 Wish List

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PHOTO CREDIT: KELLY & MASSA PHOTOGRAPHY

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A SIZZLING SUMMER AT THE FREE LIBRARY The Free Library kept things hopping during the summer months, hosting two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning historian David McCullough in June. He’s shown here at a pre-lecture reception with (1) Chair of the Board of Trustees Bob Heim, former Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter, and his wife, Joan.

Later in the evening, McCullough joined (2) Pennsylvania First Lady Susan Corbett, who introduced the author before a packed house, and Chair of the Foundation Board of Directors William R. Sass0. This summer the Library also opened a new Hot Spot at Mercy Neighborhood Ministries in NicetownTioga. On hand to celebrate its grand opening were (3) Joe McPeak, Associate Director of the Free Library; Sister Ann Provost of Mercy Ministries; a student in the summer program at Mercy; and Lindsey Keck of the City’s Division of Technology. And in September, the Free Library welcomed humorist Calvin Trillin, (4) shown here with Miriam S. Spector, George S. Pepper Council Chair and Member of the Board of Directors, for the Pepper Society Season Opener.

SHAKESPEARE PARK REOPENS AMID FANFARE The Parkway Central Library got a new “front lawn” this summer when the renovated Shakespeare Park reopened on August 9. The upgrades, part of the Library’s efforts to renovate and restore the Parkway Central Library, include new walkways, landscaping, and lighting. The project was funded by a generous grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Community and Economic Development.

On hand for the festive occasion was an Elizabethan orator, played

by Librarian Kile Smith, who celebrated the opening with Free Library President and Director Siobhan A. Reardon.

PHOTO CREDIT: KELLY & MASSA PHOTOGRAPHY

Free Library Opens Smart Technology Centers Deputy Mayor Michael DiBerardinis, Library President Siobhan A. Reardon, and Verizon Pennsylvania President Gale Given cutting the ribbon to open Parkway Central’s Smart Technology Center.

The Free Library of Philadelphia has opened Smart Technology Centers in six Library locations throughout the city, funded by a generous grant from the Verizon Foundation.

These Smart Technology Centers will allow the Free Library to train customers of all ages to use and enjoy Smart Boards and other state-of-the-art equipment.

We envision customers using this technology to learn, communicate, and create in new ways. Teens can engage in interactive and educational after-school programs, like creating movies or animating a favorite book, while new Americans can build their mastery of the English language with interactive vocabulary lessons. And with Skype capabilities at every Smart Technology Center, connecting online to webinars and other distance learning opportunities will further enhance customers’ experiences at the Centers.

The branches that have Smart Technology Centers are West Oak Lane; Roxborough; Widener; Tacony; Ramonita de Rodriguez; and the Parkway Central Library.

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Thanks to our Tween Philanthropists!

Abbie Kopf and Lena Popkin, both avid readers and residents of the Santore Community, sold $65 worth of crafts and donated the money to the Free Library’s Charles Santore branch to be used to purchase more books.

PHOTO CREDIT: KELLY & MASSA PHOTOGRAPHY AND RYAN BRANDENBERG

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FOCUS ON

DICKENS 2012 H A P P Y B I R T H D AY, M R . D I C K E N S

Move over London: Philadelphia has one of the best Dickens collections around Philadelphia is no stranger to big birthday bashes; after all, every July it pulls out all the stops to celebrate the founding of our nation. This winter, however, the Free Library of Philadelphia will kick off a birthday celebration the likes of which this city has never seen—a year-long extravaganza dedicated to “The Inimitable” Charles Dickens.

Born 200 years ago this February 7, Dickens gave the world classics such as A Tale of Two Cities, Oliver Twist, and A Christmas Carol.

And while he made only a fleeting visit to Philadelphia in 1842, his legacy here remains strong, thanks to the Free Library’s Rare Book Department, which houses one of the most unique, and extensive, Dickens collections in the world.

TOP: George Cruikshank. Watercolor drawing illustrating Oliver Twist: Oliver asking for more. [1838]. Gift of William M. Elkins.

Composed largely of the gifts of two generous collectors—William M. Elkins and D. Jacques Benoliel—the Rare Book Department’s Dickens collection is home to first editions, manuscripts, personal letters and papers, original book illustrations, and even the author’s pet raven, Grip, who inspired Edgar Allan Poe’s most famous poem!

The Free Library’s year-long celebration will include several fantastic exhibitions dedicated to these unique holdings, and there will be a wide variety of interactive programming in store for everyone from Dickens newcomers to the most avid of fans. The Free Library will be celebrating with monthly literary salons; happy hours

Right: Autograph note from Charles Dickens to John Leech, July 30, 1859, noting that he can’t come out: “The Inimitable B must write!”

(B for “Boz”, the pseudonym Dickens adopted early in his career). Benoliel Bequest.

All images courtesy of the Rare Book Department.

dedicated to potent British punches; festive screenings of film adaptations of Dickens’s work; a Dickens in Philadelphia tour; and much more!

While we will celebrate Dickens’s birthday in February—with cake, of course—the Library will be gearing up with a few special events earlier this winter to set the stage. Parkway Central Library will welcome Claire Tomalin, author of Charles Dickens: A Life, for an author event on November 15 and will also feature a Dickens impersonator contest that month. (Let the beard-growing begin!)

On December 3, the Free Library will host an elegant Victorian dinner gala honoring Peter Benoliel, one of the Free Library’s— and Philadelphia’s—most treasured benefactors and a Dickens aficionado. And later that month, the Rare Book Department will open its first exhibition, “From the Desk of Charles Dickens.”

So dust off your copy of David Copperfield and get ready to celebrate Dickens with the Free Library of Philadelphia!

The Rare Book Department welcomes visitors for tours weekday mornings at 11:00 a.m., where guests will learn not only about Dickens but about the many other fantastic holdings of that department. To find out more about the Rare Book Department and the Dickens bicentenary celebration, visit freelibrary.org in the coming months.

Original drawing for the Household Edition of Dickens’s Pickwick Papers, 1873, “The Goblin and the Sexton.” Gift of William M. Elkins.

• • • BY ALIX GERZ

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• • • BY Michelle Saraceni Sheffer

A Decade of

One Book, One Philadelphia The young woman strode up to the Q&A microphone at the end of the aisle and asked Sherman Alexie to sing. She wanted to hear a Native American song, a song he perhaps learned as a child growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation on the other side of the country, nearly as far away from Philadelphia as one could be without leaving the mainland United States.

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Alexie—author of the 2011 One Book, One Philadelphia selections, War Dances and The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian—playfully warned of his lukewarm vocal talents before breaking into a traditional stick game song. He made it just a few notes into the tune before the audience of more than 400 Philadelphia high school students, who all had read The Absolutely True Diary in class and received a free personal copy thanks to One Book and the Field Family Teen Author Series, joined in with a double-dutch rhythm, marrying the urban and the rural, the African American and the Native American, uniting cultures through the common language of music and the shared themes of a single book.

For building community across culture and class, gender and generation, through the act of reading is what lies at the heart of the Free Library of Philadelphia’s acclaimed One Book, One Philadelphia program. Each year for the past decade, One Book has united tens of thousands of Philadelphians around a shared reading experience centered on a common work of thought-provoking literature. A joint project of the Free Library and the Mayor’s Office, One Book, One Philadelphia has grown from a modest Library program into a valued mainstay of the city’s educational and cultural life.

TOP: Sherman Alexie, right, discusses his film The Business of Fancydancing with Temple University’s Gary Kramer at Moore College of Art and Design as part of the 2011 One Book, One Philadelphia Grand Finale.

Regional media outlets are abuzz each fall with the highly anticipated selection announcement. People pack the Parkway Central Library each spring for the special Grand Finale event with the featured author. And in just 10 years, the program has extended its reach deep into the region, growing its list of community partners from a small handful of 45 in 2003 to more than 650 in 2011. Built upon the solid foundation laid by the first One Book Chair, Stephanie Naidoff, none of these achievements would have been possible without the passionate leadership of current, longtime One Book Chair, Marie Field.

BOTTOM: Free Library President and Director Siobhan A. Reardon, left, joins One Book Chair Marie Field and Mayor Michael A. Nutter to announce the 2011 One Book, One Philadelphia Featured Selections.

“In my view, One Book, One Philadelphia taps into the fundamental desire of people to belong to an interconnected, caring, positively engaged community,” says Field. “I sometimes think of One Book as a wonderful classroom in which we are all reading, learning, and growing together.”

by the numbers

“Marie Field’s tireless work as the Chair of One Book, One Philadelphia has really made the program what it is today—a powerful source of unity in an age when so much seems to divide us,” says Mayor Michael A. Nutter. “By joining together through reading and discussion, Philadelphia becomes a stronger, more vibrant city.”

SINCE ITS INCEPTION, ONE BOOK HAS PROVIDED

EACH YEAR, THE ONE BOOK, ONE PHILADELPHIA FEATURED SELECTION IS CHECKED OUT OF THE LIBRARY AN AVERAGE OF

Throughout the course of eight inspired weeks each year, people from across the city meet up in neighborhood libraries, churches, and cafés to discuss the featured selection and enjoy a wide range of programs and events related to its themes. Nuanced and sensitive exchanges about homelessness and mental illness arose from Steve Lopez’s The Soloist; Dave Eggers’s What is the What and Carlos Eire’s Waiting for Snow in Havana shed light on the plight of refugees struggling for identity in the land of the free. One Book participants have been treated to Lenni Lenape dance performances and bountiful Persian feasts. They have explored the atrocities of war, the indignities of slavery, and the ever-present power of hope—all through a shared reading experience.

Still photography by Kevin Black Additional photography by Ryan Brandenberg, Katie Riggan, and Jules Vuotto

FREE BOOKS TO MORE THAN

44,000 students

IN PHILADELPHIA. IN 2010, AREA SALES OF THE COMPLETE PERSEPOLIS

outpaced all other markets IN THE COUNTRY.

More than 650 COMMUNITY PARTNERS PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM EACH YEAR.

79% of participating teachers HAVE USED THE PROGRAM AS A TEACHING TOOL FOR MORE THAN ONE YEAR. IN 2011, ONE BOOK HOSTED more than 115 programs IN AND OUTSIDE OF LIBRARY LOCATIONS.

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3,000 times.

“I cannot think of another program that inspires so many people, touches lives so profoundly, and brings diverse peoples together in countless ways that help fulfill the promise of Philadelphia as the City of Brotherly and Sisterly Love,” says Field. “I love seeing how people participate with such enthusiasm and hearing how they open up and talk to each other about things that matter.”

“One Book, One Philadelphia is a shining example of the immense power of literacy and community,” said Siobhan A. Reardon, President and Director of the Free Library. “By uniting diverse audiences around real-world issues through the shared act of reading, One Book has remained a steadfast cultural and educational beacon in the City of Philadelphia for the past 10 years. I am so proud of One Book, One Philadelphia, and I cannot wait to see what the next 10 years have in store!”

TOP: Marjane Satrapi, author of the 2010 featured selection, The Complete Persepolis, speaks to a packed audience at Parkway Central Library about growing up in Iran during the tumultuous 1979 Iranian Revolution.

BOTTOM: The 2010 One Book Kick-Off Event featured a performance of traditional Persian music by Philadelphia Orchestra cellist and Intercultural Journeys Director Udi Bar-David, right, Iranian composer Kazem Davoudian, left, and musician Kave Mazhari.

With community-based programs similar to One Book popular throughout the country, featured authors too recognize the value and the uniqueness of One Book, One Philadelphia. “No other city does it like this and reaches into so many segments of the population,” says Sherman Alexie, whose books are frequently chosen for One Book-like programs nationwide.

Philadelphia native Lorene Cary, author of the inaugural One Book selection, The Price of a Child, cites the diverse audiences she spoke

with throughout the city as having a profound effect on her writing. “That experience has made me so conscious of craft and form,” says Cary. “And it has made it very clear to me that Some of the youngest One Book fans get a hands-on ballet lesson from there is no excuse for former Pennsylvania Ballet Principal Dancer William DeGregory after they enjoyed a special performance anything less than the inspired by Maria Tallchief, the famed Native American prima ballerina, during the 2011 One Book season. greatest accessibility with the most sophistication that I can figure out how to do as an artist.”

If uniting people through literature is the goal of One Book, One Philadelphia, the program couldn’t have been more successful than in its 2010 season. Megan Young and Siamac Yamin-Afshar were introduced by a mutual friend and quickly discovered a shared love of Marjane Satrapi’s The Complete Persepolis—which happened to be the One Book, One Philadelphia selection that year.

“The first night we went out together—as friends—was to the [One Book] kickoff event,” says Young. “The following week, we were back in the same seats to see Steven Kinzer speak about his book, All the Shah’s Men. By the time Persepolis Quizzo at the Wynnefield Branch rolled around, we were much more than friends, and things had gotten serious enough that I met his parents for the first time at a panel discussion on the freedom of the press in Iran at the Constitution Center!” Young and Yamin-Afshar cite One Book as having made the early stages of their relationship even more special by fueling endless hours of conversation. They were married at the Free Library in April 2011.

Similar stories of making connections and building community are common across every year of One Book, One Philadelphia. In celebration of the program’s 10th anniversary in 2012, the Free Library is planning an array of retrospective special events, incorporating the stories of past authors and participants, in addition to a robust variety of programming surrounding the recently announced 2012 featured selection, Create Dangerously: The Immigrant Artist at Work by Haitian American author Edwidge Danticat. A powerfully moving collection of essays and memoir, Create Dangerously makes an impassioned case for immigrant writers to bear witness against oppression, sometimes imperiling their own and their readers’ lives. Danticat’s focus on the crucial importance of books and reading and the courage often required for both makes Create Dangerously an especially fitting selection for One Book, One Philadelphia’s 10th anniversary year.

Amid the fervent planning of the 2012 season, Field takes a moment to reflect on the legacy of One Book, One Philadelphia.

“The most rewarding part about One Book is knowing that it has become a Philadelphia tradition that touches the lives of individuals and the community as a whole,” she says. “What we observe is the tip of the iceberg. There is a great ripple effect beneath the surface. I hope it goes on and on.”

One Book, One Philadelphia kicks off its 10th anniversary season on January 25.

Eight inspired weeks of programming—including craft workshops, panel discussions, film screenings, and book clubs—run through March 17. To learn more, visit freelibrary.org/onebook.

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LEFT AND RIGHT: The interior and exterior of the Oak Lane neighborhood library in 1911. Courtesy of the Print and Pictures Department.

from the

NEIGHBORHOODS

MIDDLE: A logo from the Oak Lane Library used in 1911.

Oak Lane Library Remains Cornerstone of Tight-Knit Community Branch celebrates 100th Anniversary in December Drop in to the Oak Lane Branch of the Free Library on any given afternoon, and you’re immediately struck by what a thoroughly modern place it is. Kids crowd around the children’s librarian buzzing about the latest social networking tools; adults use the library’s online databases to search for new jobs; and shelves feature materials that didn’t exist a decade or two ago—they’re packed with graphic novels, audiobooks, and DVDs. Yet the Oak Lane neighborhood library is nearly a century old, poised to celebrate its 100th anniversary this December. Opened in 1911—a result of the efforts of the Ladies Review Club of Oak Lane, the Library Association, and funding from Andrew Carnegie—the library was nestled among large single-family homes in a sprawling, shady neighborhood that got its name in honor of a beloved oak tree that blew down during a storm in 1860.

As the city’s population grew, the neighborhood became more compact and families of immigrants from Germany and Ireland, many of whom worked in factories nearby, moved in. Each passing decade brought new demographic changes; today, many of Oak Lane’s 15,000 residents are African American, and the factories that dotted the area early on have disappeared. In their stead, busy neighborhood groceries, small businesses, and daycare centers pepper the tight-knit community.

“This is such a wonderful, diverse community,” notes Deb Ahrens, head of the branch. “The residents of Oak Lane take such great pride in their neighborhood—such as the Tree Tenders, Friends of the Oak Lane Library, and Oak Lane Community Action Association. I’m really enjoying being here.”

But, as they say, the more things change, the more they stay the same.

While the neighborhood demographics have changed and the Oak Lane branch has grown into a dynamic and digitally savvy organization, its role as a true cornerstone in community has remained unchanged.

Take those lively kids, for instance. Ellwood Elementary School is right across the street from the library, and—Ahrens says cheerfully—“it gets a little happy in here every afternoon.” Many of the students are eager to spend time with children’s librarian Kate BowmanJohnston, discussing their favorite books and getting her expert

recommendations for what to read next. And when school lets out for the year, the students often spend even more time at the library to participate in Summer Reading and enjoy a multitude of creative literary activities, from drawing their own comic after reading a graphic novel to using a reference resource to identify some of the many international flags displayed around the room.

Current Oak Lane resident Patricia Smith brings her grandsons to the library to participate in Summer Reading and develop their interest in books. “[My grandsons] are involved in two other reading projects during the summer, but we especially look forward to the Oak Lane Library,” she says. “[Oak Lane] consistently provides a great program that will encourage their academic efforts.”

Thirty or 40 years ago, the relationship between kids and librarians wasn’t quite as informal as it is today, but elementary students still filled the branch to learn and interact with friends. “The library was a very important part of my development when I was in elementary school,” says Lee Davidson, who grew up in the neighborhood. “I spent many hours there, reading everything I could get my hands on.”

Residents of Oak Lane today continue to rely on the Free Library as those who came 100 years ago did. While customers who walked through the doors in 1911 were likely seeking print-based materials, today’s customers rely on the branch not only for these types of items but also for free Wi-Fi, computer access, tips on digital media, and, of course, those popular Tai Chi classes that have been a staple at Oak Lane for three years.

Through all the years and all the changes, the Free Library has remained a celebrated keystone of the Oak Lane community and stayed true to its mission: to advance literacy, guide learning, and inspire curiosity.

The Oak Lane branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia will celebrate its 100th anniversary on December 7. To learn more about the history of the Oak Lane neighborhood, check out Oak Lane, Olney, and Logan by Marita Krivda Poxon, Rachel Hildebrandt, and the Old York Road Historical Society.

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• • • BY DAVID LIGHT

Jennifer Weiner is a member of the Free Library Foundation Board of Directors—and a bestselling author. In her novels, she plumbs life’s messiness with witty, honest characters who face real issues like relationships, careers, family dynamics, and more. She is the author of eight no. 1 New York Times bestsellers, including Good in Bed and In Her Shoes, which was adapted into a critically acclaimed film starring Cameron Diaz, Shirley MacLaine, and the city of Philadelphia. Weiner is now forging a path in television as the creator and executive producer of State of Georgia, a new ABC Family comedy starring RavenSymoné. Weiner found a brief moment during her busy schedule to chat with us: OTS What role have libraries played in your life?

JW Before I was a writer, I was a reader, and I spent many happy

afternoons at the Simsbury Public Library, where I’d fill shopping bags with enough books to last me through the week. The idea that you could pick out and take home any book you wanted for free was mind-blowing when I was a six-year-old. It kind of blows my mind now.

OTS How did you become involved in supporting and advocating for the Free Library of Philadelphia?

JW I was very lucky to get a very generous advance for my first two

books. After a wild shopping spree at Target where I finally was able to purchase name-brand dog food, I decided that what I wanted to do with the money was support causes that were important to me, and the Library was first on the list. I became a member of the Pepper Society, and, eventually, a member of the Free Library Foundation Board of Directors. I believe that great stories serve an important function in the world—they take us out of our own heads; they show us other experiences, other ways of living; they tell us that we’re not alone. I also think that basic literacy—the ability to read and fill out a job application—is essential, yet we know that many Philadelphians can’t. For those two reasons, libraries are essential, and I can’t imagine a writer who wouldn’t want to support them.

OTS As a bestselling author, you’ve written eight hit novels and a short story collection over the past decade.

How has the publishing industry changed over the course of your career? How have these changes impacted you both as a writer and as a reader?

JW I remember, years ago, telling my publisher that I wanted to

start a weblog, and having my publisher ask, very sincerely, “What’s a weblog?” I had my own website before that became standard operating procedure, and was using social media because I liked it, not because it was required. These days, the internet has changed everything. In some ways, it’s leveled the playing field—even writers whose books don’t get widely reviewed can build an audience through the smart and judicious use of mediums like Facebook and Twitter. In other ways, it’s made an author’s job harder—we have to

be our own marketing and promotional team, and we have to work at building our brands (an awful term, but there it is) on a daily basis, because readers have come to see us not just as authors but as personalities and content providers, good for a joke or a blog post or a recap of The Bachelor on a daily basis. I’m lucky in that I’ve always liked social media, and having a newspaper background means that the idea of writing for an audience every day doesn’t bother me, but I know writers who find the whole thing agonizing, and wish we were still in the days of Salinger, where you could drop off a book at your publisher’s office, then vanish off the map.

OTS Your new television show, State of Georgia, is now airing on ABC Family. How does writing for TV differ from writing a novel? Do you prefer one medium over the other?

JW Writing novels is very interior, very quiet work. It can be fantastic,

when the work’s going well, but it can also be a little bit lonely: It’s just you, and the characters in your head, with your agent and your editor waiting patiently (and not so patiently!) on the sidelines.

Television’s much more collaborative: You work in a writers’ room, pitching jokes, riffing on ideas, telling stories. It’s social, and it’s fun, but there’s necessarily an element of compromise. Your co-writers have ideas; the network has input; the actors might say things in ways you never imagined. I feel very lucky that I have the balance of solitary, independent, introspective fiction and the raucous, collaborative team effort of TV. OTS You’re a prodigious and prolific user of Twitter (@jenniferweiner), and Time magazine recently named you among its top 140 Twitterers. How has social media enabled you to build strong relationships with your readers?

JW Twitter functions as a virtual water cooler, a place to talk to other

writers and readers who you may never get to meet face to face. It’s also the perfect medium for the busy working mom. You can dash off a 140-character joke or observation waiting to pick up your kid from nursery school, or standing in line at the coffee shop, and a dozen people will tweet back at you. You can have debates about important topics (Why isn’t Obama reading more women’s fiction?

Why doesn’t the New York Times review Jodi Picoult as frequently as John Grisham?) or just talk about the antics on The Bachelor. For me, Twitter’s invaluable because it gives readers access to my voice while they’re waiting for the next book. It’s a way to stay current and relevant and contribute to the conversation in a timely fashion, instead of thinking something and saying, “Oh, I guess I can put that in my novel, which will be published next year.”

OTS Fill in the blank: “To me, the Free Library of Philadelphia is the Free Library of ________.” Why? JW Inspiration. You can walk through those doors and find a great

story, or figure out how to tell one. You can get help with a small business loan, or get a hundred ideas for what your business should be. You can hear an incredible novelist or poet read from her work, and have a discussion about a novel you might never have found on your own. You can watch your children discover the world of fiction.

Libraries are amazing places, where so much can happen, and so much can change.

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FOR $25,000

Wish List The Free Library is one of the most important educational and cultural institutions in Philadelphia. The City of Philadelphia provides funds for the operations of the Free Library system, including staffing at our 54 locations. Through the generosity of individual gifts, the Free Library Foundation supports many of the Library’s incredible programs, which advances literacy, guides learning, and inspires curiosity by enriching the cultural fabric of our region. The Wish List below details just a few of the many ways your support of the Foundation can enhance and improve the Free Library of Philadelphia:

FOR $25,000 a branch can provide after-school programming for thousands of children four days a week throughout an entire school year.

FOR $2,500 a series of 10 English-as-a-Second-Language classes can be offered in a branch.

FOR $20,000 Behind the Screens, a film literacy program for teens, can be presented in six branches for two months. Filmmaking equipment is includeD.

FOR $1,000 One is recognized as part of the George S. Pepper Society, the most generous group of LIBRARY supporters, and enjoys exclusive opportunities to meet with renowned authors.

FOR $10,000 the Free Library can purchase—at a great discount—more than 1,500 books, including picture books and audiobooks for children.

FOR $500 the Free Library can add 75 ebooks to its collection to be downloaded and read by hundreds of individuals.

FOR $5,000 The Free Library can provide 20 programs for job seekers on writing a résumé, conducting an online job search, and preparing for an interview.

To learn how you can make a gift to the Foundation, visit freelibrary.org/support or call 215-567-7710.

UPCOMING AUTHOR EVENTS

NOV 1 • 7:30 PM

NOV 5 • 2:00 PM

NOV 8 • 7:30 PM

NOV 10 • 7:30 PM

TICKET REQUIRED

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Norton Juster

Anthony Horowitz

DITO U le The Marriage Plot: A Novel UT A Availab O D SOL ulcast Sim

The Phantom Tollbooth 50th Anniversary

The House of Silk: A Sherlock Holmes Novel

NOV 15 • 7:30 PM

NOV 17 • 12:00 PM

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NOV 29 • 7:30 PM

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George McGovern

Adam Gopnik

FOR MORE Info: 215-567-4341 freelibrary.org/ authorevents

Claire Tomalin Charles Dickens: A Life

Jeffrey Eugenides RIUM Horace W. Goldsmith Endowed Lecture

What it Means to Be a Democrat

M

Marc Vetri

Umberto Eco IUM OR

DIT The Prague T AUCemetery able

il U Ava DO SOL ulcast Sim

Michael Cannell

RIU The Table Comes DITOFirst: le T AU va Family, and ilabthe UFrance, O A D SOLMeaning cast of Food l u im

Rustic Italian Food

The Limit: Life and Death on the 1961 Grand Prix Circuit

S

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Randall Kennedy The Persistence of the Color Line: Racial Politics and the Obama Presidency

Paul Farmer Haiti After the Earthquake

Anita Hill IUM Reimagining Equality: ITOR e l Stories U ofTGender, AUD ilaRace, b a D OFinding t AvHome and SOL lcas imu

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Meelya Gordon Memorial Lecture

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Edward J. Larson An Empire of Ice: Scott, Shackleton, and the Heroic Age of Antarctic Science

Luis Alberto Urrea Queen of America

The Free Library is one of the most important educational and cultural institutions in Philadelphia. The City of Philadelphia provides funds for the operations of the Free Library system, including staffing at our 54 locations. Through the generosity of individual gifts, the Free Library Foundation supports many of the Library’s incredible programs, which promote literacy and enrich the cultural fabric of our city.

To learn how you can make a gift to the Foundation, visit freelibrary.org/support or call 215-567-7710.

One Book 2012

Kick-off Celebration January 25, 2012 • 7:30 p.m.

Parkway Central Library, Montgomery Auditorium freelibrary.org/onebook Join us for a festive celebration to officially kick off the 10th annual One Book, One Philadelphia season, featuring Edwidge Danticat’s Create Dangerously. The evening will be dedicated to exploring Haiti’s cultural heritage through music and dance, featuring Kuumba Drum and Dance Ensemble.

The kick-off celebration is free and open to the public. Find out more details online at freelibrary.org/onebook.