What is Scranton Reads?

 Scranton Reads is a community reading event organized by the City of Scranton and the Albright Memorial Library. Each year during the month of October, citizens of Scranton get together to read a great work of literature. They participate in book discussions and special events related to the chosen work. Scranton Reads has two main goals. The first goal is to encourage reading among people of all ages. The second goal is to bring the community together through sharing a common experience.

Scranton Reads began in 2002 with Harper Lee's powerful novel, "To Kill a Mockingbird." The Albright Memorial Library checked our over 1500 copies in book, video, and audio. The program included book lectures such as a senior book discussion, televised book lectures on Scranton Today's channel 62, a children's story hour on diversity, and a presentation about how the book related to the ages of JFK and Civil Rights.

In  2003 the selection was F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby".  Events included a Scranton Reads theme party with antique cars, flapper girls and music from that era.  A 1920's fashion show was held at the Century Club, many book discussions and on the last day of October was the premier of A&E's production of  The Great Gatsby.

The more contemporary book choice for 2004 was "The Children of Willesden Lane".  The author Mona Golabek visited our area and presented her wonderful music at a free public concert held in Scranton High School's Auditorium.  Throughout the amazing performance Ms. Golabek shared with the audience her mother's stories of the Kindertransport.

October of 2005 over 2000 people in the Scranton area read either "Our Town" by Thornton Wilder or "The Crucible" by Arthur Miller.  Many participated by attending any one of the many book discussions held at coffee shops around the city or traveled with us on a sold out weekend bus trip to Salem, Massachusetts.  Dozens of people turned out for the Sunday Symposium at the University of Scranton and hundreds attended West Scranton High's performance of The Crucible. 

Scranton Reads, One City, One Book enhances the feeling of Community by bringing people from all different backgrounds and uniting them through a love of literacy, art and culture.