What will happen if everybody in your town reads the same book? People will come together to talk about the timeless themes of such novels as To Kill a Mockingbird and A Lesson Before Dying. They will learn that reading and discussing books leads to a greater understanding of themselves and others. Citizens will be reminded that libraries and bookstores are vital gathering places where they can come together to talk and learn about things that really matter. It has already happened in cities from Buffalo, New York, to Seattle, Washington. In nearly every instance, the local library system has been the driving force behind the community-wide reading program. While each community has put its own spin on their book event, there are some standard steps that each one has taken to establish and launch their program. The material here is based on these successful efforts, and we hope you'll use this area of our site as a basic outline for launching a similar initiative in your community.