Read-in Checklist
PLANNING
• Date set…. ideally two months in advance. way in advance. Weekends or Thursdays after school tend to lead to the best turnout.
• Location secured… and date is cleared with the venue. Make sure the location that is centrally located, accessible to people with disabilities, and inviting to different types of people.
• Rent or borrow a podium, microphone, and as many chairs as you’ll need if they do not come with the venue.
• Pick a featured book, theme, or author.
• Secure local author, artists, or celebrities to read at your event. Try inviting your mayor, a local newscaster or athlete. Having a few A-list invitees helps make the event exciting.
• Get creative. You may want to make “I Read Banned Books” buttons or stickers to give away or sell at the event.
• Ask a local bookstore if they’ll give you a few copies of banned books to raffle off at your event.
• Prepare something to leave with attendees –a list of recently banned books, a “which book has been banned” poster, or pamphlets on the ACLU or ALA.
PROMOTE
• Put up posters at local libraries, bookstores, schools, and community centers.
• Make flyers to hand out to friends.
• Send out an evite. Ask people to spread the word though Facebook, Twitter, and to tell their friends.
• Mail out invitations to a few authors, academics, and community leaders.
• Think creatively. Would your local library or Barnes & Noble be willing to put up a Censorship Sucks display?
• Two weeks before the Read-In, send out a press release. Look up email addresses for the book critic at your local newspapers and the calendar section; be sure to include blogs on your town like Do512 or SanAntonioEvents and your community radio station.
• Follow up with a phone call a week before the event. Remind reporters the event is happening, give them the event details, and reiterate that any press they can provide would be super helpful.
CELEBRATE
• The day of, get there early, and have a few trusted helpers.
• Print out a schedule – time for mingling and refreshments, time to read, time for a Q&A.
• Give a short speech – a two-minute introduction will do, with a few talking points on why you are against censorship and banning books.
• Display the promotional materials in a place where people will take them. Contact the ACLU if you would like posters or Bill of Rights bookmarks.
• Collect emails if you plan on holding future events.
Have fun!