Rounding up readers

Eric Leake

Friday, Sept. 24, 2004 | 4:14 a.m.

WEEKEND EDITION

September 25 - 26, 2004

The Las Vegas-Clark County Library District is trying to get everybody on the same page next month, or at least reading the same book in its One Community, One Book program.

As part of National Reading Month, the Library District is encouraging readers valleywide to join in reading and discussing Ray Bradbury's "Fahrenheit 451."

"If people then start hanging out in the parking lot or running into people at a party and say, 'Oh, I read that book, too,' it begins to share a sense that we have a dialogue about ideas together," Nancy Ledeboer, Library District deputy director, said.

"We want this to be a community-wide event. It's not about coming to the library or using the library," Ledeboer said. "This is about community and helping our communities to come together and think and share ideas."

Book discussions will be held at libraries throughout the valley and over the Internet. A film version of the novel will also be shown at eight libraries. Call 734-READ for times and locations.

Bradbury's novel is about a futuristic society where people are medicated or watch television to be put into a peaceful stupor, books are banned for making people think and firefighters work to set tomes ablaze rather than putting fires out.

Ledeboer said readers may be surprised that Bradbury's novel, written 51 years ago, contains questions so relevant to today.

"There's the question of if it's better to be happy all the time if it means not thinking or feeling things," she said. "That's one of the things that struck me about the book."

Numerous copies of the novel were available at a Green Valley Library display above charred bindings and fake flames.

Audrey Lancaster, as she crouched between stacks of books browsing for something to read, said she had seen the display and considered reading the novel but would probably pass.

"It looked like a downer," she said.

She did think the idea of a community-wide book reading is a good one.

"It's already proven to be highly successful with Oprah and Oprah's Book Club, so why not branch out to other communities and other groups?" Lancaster said.

This is Las Vegas' first experience with One Community, One Book. The program started in 1998 in Seattle. Since then hundreds of libraries have participated.

"Fahrenheit 451" was selected for the city's first reading through a library patron summer vote.

"Oh, it has been a very popular selection," said Patricia Marvel, library district director of marketing and community relations. She said more than 15 communities have read Bradbury's novel.

"It's considered a timeless novel. There are always going to be those organizations and even individuals that try to tell somebody else what to think and what to read," Marvel said.

"We have great hopes," she said. "If the program takes off and is something of interest to the community, we'll certainly consider doing it again next year and it may be something bigger."

Reading guides and extra copies of "Fahrenheit 451" are available throughout Las Vegas-Clark County Library District branches. Discussion sites and a schedule of events are posted online at lvccld.org.

Events start with "You Can't Read That: An Evening with Banned Books," 7 p.m. Sept. 30 at the Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Road.

Those who participate in the Sept. 30 kickoff or any of the book discussions will be entered in a drawing for an autographed copy of the book.