Book nominations and committee participants needed

The UO’s Common Reading Program is looking for compelling books about significant changes in global temperature, precipitation, wind patterns or other environmental elements that occurred over many years.

The program is seeking nominations of books around the theme, “Climate Change: Justice and Resilience,” for the 2020 and 2021 academic years.

Book nominations can be submitted through a form on the program’s website. Additional information on the criteria used to select books — including the book having a strong narrative or narrative voice and being accessible to a variety of audiences — can also be found online.

If having a voice in selecting a book from those nominated is appealing, the program is also seeking faculty members, staff and students interested in serving on the book selection committee. Those interested should email program director Julie Voelker-Morris for more information.

“Being involved with the book selection committee is incredibly rewarding,” Voelker-Morris said. “Having input on a book that is read by thousands of students, faculty and staff is quite impactful and is only reinforced by witnessing the campus community come together and interact with the book’s author at events during the academic year.”

This year’s events with “Under the Feet of Jesus” author Helena María Viramontes drew more than 1,000 attendees over the course of her several days in Eugene, including more than 700 UO community members attending her conversation and book signing in the Erb Memorial Union ballroom Oct. 21.