LitLunch

Participating in LitLunch requires just four simple steps:

1. Choose your leader: Designate a staff member to lead the program or ask for a volunteer on staff to take the reins
2. Set the date, time, and location for your discussion: Make sure your group has ample time to read the book before the discussion. Ask your colleagues to brown bag it or, better yet, treat them to lunch!
3. Spread the word: Advertise the discussion and reach out to as many departments as possible – the more the merrier and the better the discussion
4. The big day: ready, set, discuss! We recommend blocking off 60 – 90 minutes for this special discussion program.

LitLunch is a low-cost endeavor that supports morale and builds familiarity among staff and teams. Studies have shown a positive correlation between increasing opportunities for employee interaction and improving performance, innovation, and creativity. Through our work, Maryland Humanities has found that reading and discussion programs also foster better understanding among coworkers and across departments or teams, leading to richer workplace relationships.

The 2022 One Maryland One Book selection: What’s Mine and Yours by Naima Coster. One Maryland One Book is an annual Maryland Humanities program that brings thousands of Marylanders together through the shared experience of reading and discussing the same book.

What’s Mine and Yours is a multigenerational saga featuring two North Carolina families. They collide in ways that neither is prepared for when Black students from the east side of the county are integrated into the predominantly white schools on the west side. Readers will follow these families over decades as they break apart and come back together

Once you start reading together, we think you’ll want to make LitLunch a regular offering at your organization. We hope you’ll join us in reading the One Maryland One Book selection each year and maybe even add a few picks of your own to your LitLunch reading list.

In times of social distancing, it’s important to know how to host a virtual book club. You have our #1MD1BK title What’s Mine and Yours by Naima Coster as your first read. If you have your date and time of your meeting selected,  then all you need is a “place” to meet.

You can use:
1) Google Hangouts – You can make video and voice  calls up to ten people.

2) Zoom  – With the free version you can chat up to 40 minutes.

3) Skype – You can host a group of up to 50 people.

4) Slack – Already used in work spaces, Slack allows video chatting for up to 15 people.

Yes! Just indicate on your sign-up form that you’d like a Maryland Humanities staff member to call you for a consultation. We’ll contact you, set up a meeting, and help you get started. We can even connect you with a local bookseller.

There’s just one step! Complete the LitLunch registration form.

Absolutely! We’ll check in with you after your discussion program to get your comments, reactions, and anything else you’d like to share.