'Big Read' Albany launch rescheduled for Veterans Day

ALBANY, N.Y. (Oct. 26, 2012) -- A month-long program encouraging the City School District of Albany community to read and discuss a single book will kick off on Veterans Day -- Monday, Nov. 12 -- with a community reception at the Palace Theatre.

Albany's “The Big Read” will open with a 6 p.m. community reception, followed by performances by the 10th Mountain Division military band from Fort Drum and the Siena College color guard, speeches by local dignitaries and a reading of The Things They Carried by a member of Albany's Tulip Court. Copies of the book will be handed out as well. The kickoff event originally was scheduled for Oct. 30, but was postponed due to Hurricane Sandy.

The Big Read provides communities nationwide with the opportunity to read and discuss a book by one of 31 authors; in Albany, it supported the purchase of 1,000 paperback copies of The Things They Carried, a Vietnam War collection by Tim O’Brien.

Other local Big Read activities to be held November include panel discussions, lectures, public readings, film screenings, theatrical readings, exhibits and book discussions at locations throughout the community. Click here for a schedule.

The Albany Fund for Education (AFE) was one of 78 organizations nationally to receive the Big Read grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. The City School District of Albany worked with AFE and the Albany Public Library to coordinate the series of events and activities associated with the Big Read.

Published in 1990, The Things They Carried has been nominated for a Pulitzer Prize and a Book Critics Circle Award.

The mission of the City School District of Albany is to educate and nurture all students to be responsible citizens, critical thinkers and lifelong learners to successfully compete in the global community by providing an academically rigorous and safe environment in partnership with parents, students and the community. The district serves about 8,600 students in 15 elementary, middle and high schools. In addition to neighborhood schools, the district includes several magnet schools and programs, as well as other innovative academic opportunities for students, including four themed academies at Albany High School.