Apr 29, 2005

INFORMATION RELEASE
For immediate release
Graphics available on request

Direct link to ballot: http://www.lee-county.com/library/specialevents/VoteFor2006.htm

Media Contacts:
Karen Sloan, (239) 461-2914 or ksloan@leegov.com
Heather O'Connell, (239) 461-2924 or hoconnell@leegov.com

Library Needs Your Input
Cast a vote for One Book, One Community: Lee County Reads

Fort Myers, Florida (April 29, 2005)  The Lee County Library System has received a great number of ballots since asking for help in choosing the book that all Lee County will read for the 2006 One Book, One Community: Lee County Reads project.  The goal of the project is to have all of Lee County read the same book at the same time, and then take part in related cultural, educational and recreational programs, thereby fostering a sense of unity.

"Paper ballots are being collected in the libraries and lots of votes have come in from our Web site," says Karen Sloan, the project coordinator, "but we can still use more input."

The ballots allow voters to suggest a favorite book, but also include some suggested titles from Lee County Library System staff.  Here are the options suggested by library personnel:

Cross Creek by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings
This is the story of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings's experiences in the remote Florida hamlet of Cross Creek, where she lived for thirteen years. From the daily labors of managing a seventy-two-acre orange grove to bouts with runaway pigs and a succession of unruly farmhands, Rawlings describes her life at the Creek with humor and spirit.

The Flamingo Rising by Larry Baker
Set in the 1950s and 1960s in Jacksonville, Florida, this "great American tale" tells a compelling story of living, feuding, fireworks and an extraordinary family whose home is the biggest drive-in theater in the world.

Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh
Lindbergh shares her meditations on youth and age, love and marriage, peace, solitude and contentment in this classic story of her life and marriage to Charles Lindbergh.  2006 marks the 100th anniversary of Anne Morrow Lindbergh's birthday.

The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean
John Laroche, a charismatic schemer, was once convicted of attempting to take endangered orchids from the Fakahatchee swamp, a south Florida preserve. After he was caught in the act, Laroche set off one of the oddest legal controversies in recent memory, which brought together environmentalists, Native American activists, and devoted orchid collectors. The result is a strange, compelling, and hilarious tale.

To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Winner of the 1961 Pulitzer Prize for Literature, Fiction.  This coming-of-age story about Scout Finch and her brother Jem takes place in 1930's Alabama. Through their neighborhood meanderings and the example of their father, Atticus, a local attorney, they grow to understand that the world isn't always fair and that prejudice is a very real aspect of the world.

Travels with Charley: In Search of America by John Steinbeck
In September 1960, John Steinbeck and his poodle, Charley, embarked on a journey across America. This chronicle of their trip reflects on the American character, racial hostility, loneliness, and the unexpected kindness of strangers that are a very real part of our national identity.  It rings true today as much as when the book was written.

Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom
Author Mitch Albom chronicles his time spent with a beloved college professor, Morrie Schwartz.  Morrie's refreshing outlook on life-and his own imminent death-is expressed beautifully and simply and serves as a powerful reminder of what's really important in life.

One of the above titles is currently a strong front-runner in online voting, according to Sloan, with two others running neck and neck behind it.

Paper ballots may be cast at all Lee County Library System locations, and online votes may be submitted at the Library System's web site.  For library locations, call (239) 479-INFO or (239) 479-4636.  To vote online, go to www.lee-county.com/library and click on the One Book, One Community icon.  Ballots will be collected through May 15, 2005.

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