The HPPR Radio Readers Book Club began in January 2016. This free book club allows readers from throughout the High Plains to read books with related themes and discuss them online and, at the end of each book series, live on the radio. This past year, we discussed books under the themes of FOOD AND STORY and WORLD WAR I PERSPECTIVES. The upcoming theme is AGING, DEATH AND DYING. This project is a significant collaboration among 50 volunteers. Currently, the club has 175 members from 15 states. This fits neatly into our larger goals of regional programming:
1) keep High Plains residents informed about current events and issues;
2) increase their appreciation of the region’s environment, history, and culture;
3) build a sense of common community across the High Plains region;
4) engage residents across the region in ways beyond listening.
To that end, the club produced 71 community member-submitted reviews that were published and/or aired.