NC Center for the Book News
NC Humanities Offering Free North Carolina Reads Books and Resources through Oct. 20
October 2023
(October 16, 2023) CHARLOTTE, N.C.– To expand accessibility in underserved communities, North Carolina Humanities is offering a limited number of free North Carolina Reads book boxes to readers now through October 20.
North Carolina Reads is NC Humanities’ statewide virtual book club featuring five books that explore issues of racial, social, and gender equity and the history and culture of North Carolina. From February – June 2024, NC Humanities will host virtual monthly book club discussion events where participants will hear from book authors and topic experts. Libraries, community groups, and individuals across North Carolina are encouraged to read along with NC Humanities, and then host their own community book discussion programs to accompany NC Humanities’ virtual events.
The five North Carolina Reads 2024 book titles are: Beyond Innocence: The Life Sentence of Darryl Hunt by Phoebe Zerwick, Poster Girls by Meredith Ritchie, American Refuge: True Stories of the Refugee Experience by Diya Abdo, The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb, and Welcome to the Circus of Baseball by Ryan McGee.
North Carolina Reads is unique because readers keep their books from the book box after the series is complete as a way to further literacy and conversations about North Carolina stories and experiences. In program feedback surveys, many participating community groups noted that without these resources and free copies of the books, they never would have been able to participate in North Carolina Reads or host an event in their local community.
You can give 1 book to 1 reader for just $20! Become a book donor at NC Humanities! If you would like to help spread the joy of reading to North Carolinians around the state, please consider supporting this statewide reading initiative by making a donation at nchumanities.org! North Carolina Reads has proven to be an essential resource, especially to local, community-based book club groups and rural libraries with limited capacity. In 2023, NC Humanities supplied over 3,600 free North Carolina Reads books to readers, and in 2024 NC Humanities aims to provide even more.
Here is how you can participate in North Carolina Reads in 2024:
Getting Books:
- Get the books you want to read from your local library or bookstore.
- Accessible books may be requested courtesy of the State Library of North Carolina Accessible Books & Library Services. Please read the eligibility requirements to see if you qualify for service.
- Request a North Carolina Reads Book Box from NC Humanities by Oct. 20, 2023.
- Book boxes are available on a limited basis, and as supplies last.
- Priority will be given to community groups in underserved and/or under resourced communities.
- Book boxes include your selection of the five book titles, unique swag, and bookmarks.
- Fill out a North Carolina Reads book box request form as an individual or as a group. Individuals may request up to one copy of all five books. Groups may request up to 10 copies of each book. Full details are listed on each form.
Reading Resources:
- Read at your own pace! NC Humanities will have a free, downloadable reading guide complete with reading discussion questions for each book in winter 2024 at nchumanities.org.
- Host your own North Carolina Reads program! NC Humanities will have a free, downloadable program planning guide available in winter 2024 at nchumanities.org so you and your community group can talk about the books and themes together!
- All North Carolina Reads book club discussions are recorded and available on YouTube.
Register for North Carolina Reads Book Discussion Events:
- Join thousands of other North Carolinians at one of the five virtual book club discussion events hosted by NC Humanities. Event registration details will be released starting in early 2024 at nchumanities.org. All events will be available to stream virtually and will be recorded.
Please note, you do not have to request a book box or read the books to participate in NC Humanities’ North Carolina Reads virtual book club events.
Please note, selected North Carolina Reads books are intended for readers 18 and over and may not be suitable for some audiences.
About North Carolina Humanities: Through grantmaking and public humanities programs, North Carolina Humanities connects North Carolinians with cultural experiences that spur dialogue, deepen human connections, and inspire community. North Carolina Humanities is a statewide nonprofit and affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. The North Carolina Center for the Book, the state affiliate of the Center for the Book in the Library Congress, is a program of North Carolina Humanities that promotes books, libraries, literacy, and reading around the state. To learn more, visit www.nchumanities.org.
Press Contact: Melanie Moore Richeson, mmoore@nchumanities.org, (704) 687-1520
