How to Participate

Marylanders read together with One Maryland One Book

It only takes 3 steps to participate in One Maryland One Book!

1. Grab your copy

Find the One Maryland One Book at your local library or bookstore and get reading!

2. Reach out

Each year, more than 10,000 Marylanders read the One Maryland One Book. How many of those people are your friends or family members? How many are perfect strangers you sit next to on the train or stand in line with at the grocery store? Use the book to jump-start a meaningful conversation with an old friend or make a new one.

3. Pull up a chair

Join thousands of other Marylanders at one of the many book discussions and related programs happening around the state this fall. Keep an eye on our Event Calendar for updates. All One Maryland One Book events listed are open to the public and FREE!

At this time we have committed our full inventory of books and are not accepting more sign ups. We are thrilled to have such a robust turnout for this year’s OMOB.

Guides & Materials

Every year we work with educators and partners to bring you relevant information to enhance your reading of the One Maryland One Book.

Our Reader’s Guide contains discussion questions and a list of further books, films, and other media for further exploration.

Our Teacher’s Guide contains discussion questions, excercises, activites, and project ideas, designed for high school teachers or anyone else using the book in a classroom setting.

Please find our Programming Partners Toolkit for program ideas, funding opportunities, and resources to make the most of your OMOB.

 

Book Club Giveaway for 2023’s OMOB Selection

Thank you for your interest in this year’s One Maryland One Book selection, THERE THERE by Tommy Orange. This year we will be giving away limited sets of either 5 or 10 books (depending on the size of your book club) to book clubs who enter this giveaway!

By filling out of this form, your book club will be signed up for a chance to win one of the sets of books. We ask that you fill out the form by Friday, July 28. Winners of the giveaway will be notified shortly thereafter. (Please read the details on the form carefully before submitting.) https://bit.ly/3CB12LJ

 

 

Want to learn more about programs?

Throughout the summer, we will hold virtual Zoom sessions for our partners and affiliates to meet, connect, generate, and collaborate over ideas for how to use There There in their communities. Registration is required.

Join the one that suits you:

Teacher Connections
August 17, 12 PM to 1 PM
We’re inviting all teachers interested in using There There in their classrooms to meet and connect with other educators across the state to brainstorm, develop, and collaborate lesson plans and class activities around the book and its themes. Register here.

Book Club Hub
Interested in having There There as your book club’s a fall choice? We invite anyone interested in hosting book clubs or discussions with their friends, communities, work colleagues, and all to learn more about topics, activities, and resources to make your discussion a success!

This event has passed. For any details and resources, please contact program officer Aditya Desai, adesai@mdhumanities.org.

Librarian Jam
Come meet and connect with other librarians across the state to brainstorm, develop, and collaborate on program ideas and events.

This event has passed. For any details and resources, please contact program officer Aditya Desai, adesai@mdhumanities.org.

Program Funding Application Application Review
Maryland Humanities invites libraries, schools, and community non-profits and organizations to apply for funding programs and events around One Maryland One Book this fall. We will review guidelines, including criteria, procedures, and potential programming ideas!

This event has passed. For any details and resources, please contact program officer Aditya Desai, adesai@mdhumanities.org.

 

 

Want to funding for your programs?

Funding application window for 2023 has passed. Please consider applying next year! Applications will open up in Summer 2024.

Maryland Humanities is making funds up to $500 available to foster creative programming for OMOB around the state. Maryland libraries, nonprofit organizations, governmental agencies, and secondary and postsecondary schools are eligible to apply.

These funds are for creation of any free, public event that brings together an audience in your community in an interactive, participatory space, with focus on the themes, subject matter, and contexts of There There.

In keeping with our strategic plan, we seek to support programs and events that:

  • Prioritize equity, access, and inclusion.
  • Connect with diverse audiences.
  • Use innovative strategies, digital technologies, and experiential learning.
  • Foster community engagement.

These funds are not intended to expand or start up additional, traditional book clubs. Although funding can only be awarded to one applicant per application, applicants are encouraged to partner with other organizations.

PROGRAM FUNDING APPLICATION

Keep the conversation going with a book club

We love to hear about great conversations and stories of all the interesting book-related programs you attended. It’s not unusual for One Maryland One Book conversations to inspire participants to start a new book club. If you are interested in starting a book club, we recommend that you take a peek at the I love libraries website.

Want discussion questions or other materials to help get the conversation rolling? Contact Aditya Desai.

 

  • “We had our best attendance, ever, for a book discussion, in the seven years I’ve been here.”

    One Maryland One Book 2015 participant

  • “[One Maryland One Book] is wonderful; enlightening, explorative, innovative, [and] educational.”

    One Maryland One Book 2016 participant

  • “I distributed copies of the book and we engaged in an afterschool discussion which included students and staff. Everyone who participated was so engaged that our 45 minute planned discussion ended up stretching into an hour and a half!”

    One Maryland One Book 2016 teacher

  • “The OMOB 2014 selection seemed to touch the hearts of so many teachers and students. Everyone who read the story was in awe of the struggles, the will to survive, and then the motivation to write the memoir. The Distance Between Us created such an impact on each reader that s/he handed the book to someone with the request, “you must read this story!” Plus, the selection was inter-disciplinary and ‘captured’ students in all grade and academic levels. Renya Grande captivated the readers who, “couldn’t put the book down.” It is one of the best selections. Thank you!!”

    ​One Maryland One Book 2014 teacher

  • “I had two students participate who told me they’ve never finished a book before and they finished this one and want to read more!”

    ​One Maryland One Book 2015 teacher

  • “What a discussion! That what’s needed in every town, city, and every age group.”

    One Maryland One Book 2016 participant

  • “[One Maryland One Book is] excellent! I come to as many of the One Maryland One Book events and will continue to do so—always pleased!”

    One Maryland One Book 2016 participant

  • “One student in my book club who is in a wheelchair and has a lot of other persona/home issues, was the first to finish the book, and wheeled herself into the library more than once to ask me if I had finished the book because she wanted to talk about it. She was a huge contributor to the discussion.”

    One Maryland One Book 2016 teacher

  • “A sophomore on our school’s state-champ runner-up varsity football team was so taken by Joe’s story of the sophomore year on the boat that he got his dad (the coach) and several members of his team to read the book even though they weren’t assigned it in class. Another student described a discussion she got into with her math teacher after school about the relevance of the English curriculum and used her experience with Brown’s work and the field trip to convince her teacher that humanities are just as important as STEM. Great stuff!”

    ​One Maryland One Book 2015 teacher

  • “[One Maryland One Book] brings cross curricular teachers together to the library to read, discuss topics and social issues in the book. It’s a way for students to read good books without the pressure of an assignment.”

    One Maryland One Book 2015 teacher

  • “[One Maryland One Book] taught me how much we need to talk and listen to one another.”

    One Maryland One Book 2016 participant

  • “The school I am reporting on is designed as an alternative center for students who are not successful in the “regular” classrooms in our district. These students are challenged by a number of factors, including emotional problems, discipline issues, etc. This particular book was one that a number of students were able to relate to and engage with. As a consequence, students who do not normally read became active participants in both reading and discussing!”

    One Maryland One Book 2015 teacher

  • “Left on my own, I would choose the same kind of books over and over again. Now, [participating in One Maryland One Book,] my reading experience is broader and richer and all the more enjoyable.”

    One Maryland One Book 2016 participant

  • “The discussion of the [2015 One Maryland One] book could not have been better. Everyone had a particular part of the story that touched them. One of the newcomers was an experienced rower and gave us wonderful insight into the physical and spiritual aspects of the sport. It is the first time in my ten years with this group that everyone loved the book.”

    One Maryland One Book 2015 participant

  • “The impact of this particular book was probably stronger than any other Maryland One Book due to the connections we could make with real world events and police brutality in the headlines. Many groups were reading and discussing the book at our school: Student Equity Team, Drama Club, Faculty book club, sociology and English classes. It fostered important discussions about race relations.”

    One Maryland One Book 2016 teacher
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About Us
Maryland Humanities is a statewide, educational nonprofit organization that creates and supports bold experiences that explore and elevate our shared stories to connect people, enhance lives, and enrich communities.
Maryland Humanities
108 West Centre Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21201-4565
(410) 685-0095
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info@mdhumanities.org
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