Reading and Discussion Program

"Reading is a solitary experience that is enhanced enormously by the opportunity to talk with others about what you've read. We not only get more out of the book that way, we also learn a lot about each other. I think that's why reading and discussion programs are so popular. Really good books demand to be discussed."
- David Tebaldi, MFH Executive Director

If you've been wanting to start a Reading & Discussion Program but can't find the time or resources...
The Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities provides all the basic ingredients you need to run a successful reading and discussion series - the books, the discussion leaders, and funds to cover most out-of-pocket expenses. You provide the space, the readers, and the enthusiasm.

Each series consists of four to six literary or historical texts connected by a theme. Participants come together at their public library or other community center according to a prearranged schedule, to discuss the books and the theme with a specially selected humanities scholar.

One hundred different series are available. Popular themes include: In Search of the American Dream; Family Affairs; Crime and the Cultural Landscape; Myths in Marriage; The Journey Inward: Women's Autobiography; Yankees and Strangers: The New England Town from 1634-1992; Once Banned, Now Classic; and Different People, Different Places: Native Americans, Europeans and the Environments They Created. You can also develop your own theme that is of particular interest or concern in your community.

Time and again, library directors have told us how much reading and discussion programs have meant to their libraries and their communities. According to them:

  • many people came into the library for the first time,
  • the discussions were well-attended,
  • the library was able to serve patrons and encourage readers,
  • library staff and volunteers were inspired to plan more.

Our book series are also available, free of charge, for reading and discussion programs without applying for a reading and discussion grant. Simply use the Resource Center Request for Materials form available in the download library.