Athens Library Launches NEA Big Read Program for Deaf Republic

The Athens-Clarke County Library has announced its participation in the National Endowment for the Arts Big Read series centered on the poetry collection Deaf Republic by Ilya Kaminsky.

Partnerships Supporting Local Literary Programs

This initiative is presented in partnership with the University of Georgia’s College of Education and the Georgia Museum of Art, with support from the National Endowment for the Arts. These collaborations link library programming with academic and arts institutions to broaden access to poetry and discussion groups for residents.

Content of the Featured Work

Deaf Republic is a critically acclaimed poetry collection that propels the reader forward through a harrowing story in two acts. The narrative opens with the shooting of a deaf boy in a public square by occupying soldiers. In protest, the townspeople go deaf and organize their dissent through puppetry and sign language.

Practical Details for Participation

Copies of the book are available at the Information Desk. Community members are encouraged to join one of the library book clubs for discussion, with one session scheduled for April 20 at 7 p.m.

Book club formats like these have long formed part of the local literary scene by providing structured opportunities for residents to examine complex texts together. The current NEA Big Read builds on that foundation by bringing an internationally recognized work into existing discussion groups hosted at the library. Participants gain direct access to the material through the Information Desk, allowing preparation ahead of scheduled meetings.

Programs of this kind typically emphasize collective reading and conversation rather than individual study alone. The partnerships with the University of Georgia’s College of Education and the Georgia Museum of Art extend the reach of these sessions by connecting library resources to broader educational and artistic networks in the area. This approach supports ongoing development of reading communities without requiring new infrastructure.

Those interested can obtain a copy at the Information Desk and attend the April 20 session at 7 p.m. to take part in the discussion. Additional book clubs associated with the series offer further entry points for involvement throughout the program period.