What is One Book, One Vancouver?
One Book, One Vancouver (OBOV) is Vancouver Public Library's largest city-wide program. It encourages us to read and creates opportunities for people to talk about a variety of topics by spotlighting a remarkable book through fun and exciting programs.
Inspired the by success of similar initiatives in cities like Chicago, Los Angeles and Seattle, One Book, One Vancouver is the first initiative of its kind in Canada.
From October to November, the Library hosts a variety of great events that help bring the book alive. A number of online resources are also available, such as a programs guide, fun book lists and website links as well as information on VPL's book club sets.
This year's choice was one of many outstanding books suggested by Vancouver Public Library staff and selected by public vote.
Previous One Book, One Vancouver Titles:
2002: | The Jade Peony by Wayson Choy |
2003: | Stanley Park by Timothy Taylor |
2004: | The Corporation: The Pathological Pursuit of Profit and Power by Joel Bakan |
2005: | Obasan by Joy Kogawa |
2006: | There is a Season: A Memoir by Patrick Lane |
2007: | My Year of Meats by Ruth Ozeki |
2008: | The Five Books of Moses Lapinsky by Karen X. Tulchinsky |
2009: | The Crazy Canucks: Canada's Legendary Ski Team by Janet Love Morrison
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How was the program created?
The first One Book, One Vancouver was held in 2002. The idea for a city-wide book club came from a Vancouver Public Library staff member who had heard about the success of similar projects throughout the United States. Enthusiastically, Vancouver Public Library agreed that this would be a great program for the city of Vancouver.
The next step was to decide on a book for the program. Any book chosen for a city-wide book club should be interesting, engaging, and easy to read; have ideas, history, and discussible themes that would bring readers together; and, preferably, an author who was willing to engage in discussion with readers. With that in mind, Wayson Choy's The Jade Peony was a natural match as the inaugural choice for the program.
The success of the first was outstanding. The inaugural book was checked out 7,000 times; between 1,500 and 2,000 people attended OBOV events; 215 people registered their participation; 6,000 copies of the book were sold in BC; and the book was catapulted onto the BC Bestseller list for 13 weeks!