Programming Templates

The following programming templates have been developed to 1) represent the broad scope of the initiative themes of Community, Civility, and Compassion, 2) encourage multiformat series programming, 3) encourage relationship building between the library and community organizations, 4) enhance the library’s role as a central and neutral ground for appreciation of community, cultural, spiritual and civic life, and 5) complement the rich array of resources found on the Fetzer Institute website.

Reflection

Careful consideration of program themes in a lecture, panel, literature, film, or visual art exhibit. An approach to programming that creates space in the program format for internal reflection and discussion in a group; cultural awareness, understanding and acknowledging differences, power and importance of silence.

Program Ideas

  • Libraries may identify a specific issue for consideration by their community and program a community forum led by a panel of experts, stakeholders or scholars and/or library may invite a speaker to lecture on relevant issues.

  • Libraries may host a panel discussion of civility and its presence or role in the local community, led by a panel of civic leaders, community stakeholders and scholars.

  • Libraries may invite a panel of speakers from different traditions or faiths to come and speak on the topic of compassion and its different interpretations within the literature of each faith or tradition.

  • Libraries may host a photography exhibit or visual art exhibition created by local artists who have been tasked with interpreting the themes of civility, compassion and community through their art.

  • Libraries may select a book that resonates with the Building Common Ground theme for a community-wide reading initiative.

  • Libraries may invite reflections and responses to books, poetry, film and other program content on a library bulletin board by providing index cards and pencils, or on a library online bulletin board, blog or wiki.

Engagement

Participation by all members of a group in the activities of viewing, reading, discussing and interacting. A combination of action and reflection that results in collective learning and a more discursive, interactive approach to programming.

Program Ideas

All of the resources listed below can be found and explored further on the Programming Resources page.

  • Libraries may select one of the recommended books of non-fiction, fiction or poetry and convene a book discussion group, utilizing the discussion guide and suggested facilitation questions. Libraries are encouraged to utilize one or more of the recommended “Community” video shorts as ice breakers and discussion springboards that may set the tone for discussion in a non-traditional way. By using provocative video content to complement the book discussion, facilitators may find new entry to issues based discussion.

  • Libraries may convene a minimum of three discussion sessions using readings from the Project on Civic Reflection (PCR) collection The Civically Engaged Reader: A Diverse Collection of Short Provocative Readings on Civic Activity. A designated library session facilitator must participate in one of the national training sessions.

  • Libraries may convene a minimum of three discussion sessions using readings from the Project on Civic Reflection (PCR) collection Hearing the Call across Traditions: Readings on Faith and Service. A designated library session facilitator must participate in one of the national training sessions or have participated in past PCR workshops in order for this programming segment to be grant fund eligible.

  • Libraries may hold a two part screening of Forgiveness: A Time to Love and a Time to Hate, followed by a discussion utilizing the Conversations About Forgiveness Facilitator’s Guide. Film length: 3 hours (Divided into two 90-minute acts).

  • Libraries may hold a screening of the Fetzer Institute-provided excerpts from Forgiveness: A Time to Love and a Time to Hate, followed by a facilitated discussion.

  • Libraries may present one or more of the recommended films followed by a discussion with an issues facilitator, historian or film critic who can bring audiences together to learn more about the issues or events depicted.

  • Libraries may convene a Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life reading and discussion series using the Charter for Compassion Reading Group Guide. A webinar offering tips for creating this sort of discussion group and using the Charter for Compassion Reading Guide will be offered in the near future.

  • Libraries may hold a two-part screening of The Power of Forgiveness, followed by a discussion utilizing the community conversation resources developed for the film. Film length: 78 minutes.

  • Libraries may hold a screening followed by a discussion of other Fetzer Institute related videos and films.

Action

Service or action oriented programs. An active, hands-on approach to programming.

All of the resources listed below can be found and explored further on the Programming Resources page.

Program Ideas

  • Libraries host a service fair, hosting community organizations with service opportunities for adults and children. Libraries are strongly encouraged to make this a festive event highlighting the best in their community, featuring music, food and promoting other programs in the Building Common Ground series.

  • Libraries may work with a community organization to create a service activity as an endcap to a discussion series, such as a river clean-up following a discussion of Aldo Leopold’s Sand County Diaries.

  • Libraries may create their own Common Ground Tour of their community, identifying sites of community history, memory, and reflection, utilizing the Guide to Creating Common Ground Tours. A webinar will also be offered on this resource on October 27, 2011.

  • Libraries may host a community-wide Charter for Compassion celebration featuring a taping of local people publicly reading the Charter for Compassion, viewing of Karen Armstrong’s TED Talk, Krista Tippet’s TED Talk on reconnecting with compassion, information on compassionate cities and distribution of information on the Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life reading group. Libraries will be encouraged to create a festive community atmosphere with music, displays of books and photographs, food, community organization information tables, service opportunity sign ups, and related programs for children and families.

  • Libraries may launch a community memory project by capturing the many diverse voices that make up a community on film or video. The individual stories of compassion, civility and community can be captured and presented in an audio format or video (flipcam), shared on YouTube, podcast or presented on the library website. See Story Collections Projects in program resources for additional details.

  • Libraries may partner with a community organization or external nonprofits to expand an already existing community service project that resonates with the Building Common Ground project themes.

  • Libraries may conceive their own community projects.