Public invited to give input on book for Ann Arbor Reads initiative

ANN ARBOR—The University of Michigan Life Sciences, Values and Society Program, in partnership with Shaman Drum Bookstore and the Ann Arbor District Library, invites the public to help select the book for Ann Arbor Reads. Ann Arbor Reads is an effort to get all Ann Arbor area residents to read one book that raises ethical issues posed by advances in the life sciences

"”The time is ripe to focus community attention around these issues. The University is launching its new Life Sciences Institute, Pfizer is doubling its research presence in Ann Arbor and the state of Michigan is making a major effort to build a Life Sciences Corridor,” said Amy Sheon, associate director of the Life Sciences, Values and Society Program.

A book selection committee, comprised of community members from schools, religious institutions, businesses and the University, will choose the book at a meeting at the Ann Arbor District Library on Oct. 21. The meeting will be in the Library’s Multipurpose Room, beginning with public comments at 7 p.m. Those who would like to speak are invited to sign up at 6:45 p.m. that evening. If you would like to comment but can’t attend, email your input to aareads@umich.edu. The three finalist books, available for review at the District Library, are “Frankenstein,” by Mary Shelley, “Beggars in Spain,” by Nancy Kress, and “Abraham Lincoln’s DNA and Other Adventures in Genetics,” by Philip R. Reilly.

Once the book has been selected, the Values and Society Program will seek community partners interested in organizing events during the official Ann Arbor Reads period, January-March 2003.

In conducting a community read, Ann Arbor will join about 100 cities from across the country that have undertaken similar projects. East Lansing is currently reading Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451.”

Information about other Reads is available at: http://www.loc.gov/loc/cfbook/one-book.html

Information about Ann Arbor Reads will be available on the project’s Web site: http://www.aareads.org The Web site is slated to go live Thursday. Ann Arbor Reads is supported by the University of Michigan, the Ann Arbor News, the Ann Arbor District Library, and Shaman Drum Bookstore. Others interested in sponsoring the program can contact project coordinator Aaron Goldenberg at ajgolden@umich.edu, (734) 936-2575.

Contact: Colleen Newvine