Free copies of the 2013 One Maryland One Book (OMOB) selection have been released around the state of Maryland with a unique and fun campaign to entice readers new to the program, called “Wandering Books.” A social media campaign utilizing Facebook and Twitter will support the promotion. Participating libraries include the Washington County Free Library, Harford County Public Library, Queen Anne’s County Free Library, Frederick County Public Libraries, Talbot County Free Library, Prince George’s County Memorial Library System, and the Southern Maryland Regional Library system, which includes Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary’s counties.
About One Maryland One Book
One Maryland One Book (OMOB), a program of the Maryland Center for the Book, brings diverse groups of Marylanders together in library, school, and community settings to share a common reading experience through book discussions and companion programming. The 2013 One Maryland One Book is King Peggy: An American Secretary, Her Royal Destiny, and the Inspiring Story of How She Changed an African Village by Peggielene Bartels and Eleanor Herman. King Peggy chronicles the journey of American secretary, Peggielene Bartels, who suddenly finds herself king to a town of 7,000 people on Ghana’s central coast. Peggy’s first two years as king of Otuam unfold in a way that is stranger than fiction. In the end, a deeply traditional African town is uplifted by the ambitions of its decidedly modern female king, and Peggy is herself transformed, from an ordinary secretary to the heart and hope of her community. One Maryland One Book is proudly sponsored by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Maryland State Department of Education, the Alvin and Fanny B. Thalheimer Foundation, BGE, with additional support from M&T Bank and the Enoch Pratt Free Library.
About “Wandering Books”
What is a “Wandering Book”? Free copies will be left for lucky readers in nine counties, in locations ranging from laundromats, ice cream parlors, to spas, encouraging Marylanders to read the OMOB pick and participate. Readers are asked to log onto www.bookcrossing.com and register their book’s ID number, leave a comment or review, then return it to the “reading wild” for the next person to find. Instructions located on the inside cover of the book jacket will provide readers with instructions and participation is free. Readers who leave a review or comment will be automatically entered to win a $25 gift certificate to Barnes and Noble when the campaign ends in the fall. “Wandering Books is a great way for people to discover a new book,” says OMOB Program Officer Andrea Lewis. “You get to have a little fun while searching for a free copy, and then find a creative spot to drop the book off for the next person to find.”
Social media plays a critical role in launching and sustaining the campaign, engaging audiences through MHC platforms and on the local library level. MHC connects to over 5,000 Marylanders on Facebook and with 2,400+ Twitter followers. Users can “LIKE” the One Maryland One Book Facebook page or follow MHC at @MDHumanities on Twitter to join discussions, and access other dynamic media about the book or the author.
About the Maryland Humanities Council
MHC is a statewide, educational, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The purpose of MHC is to stimulate and promote informed dialogue and civic engagement on issues critical to Marylanders. For more information about MHC, please visit www.mdhc.org. The Maryland Humanities Council is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities, the State of Maryland, and the William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, creator of the Baker Artist Awards www.bakerartistawards.org/.