After the divisive presidential campaign and the many other tumultous events of 2016, the New York Public Library this week unveiled a campaign that aims to bring people together through a shared love of reading. “It’s a therapeutic way to be more open with each other around how they’re feeling and how they’re affected to help us move on,” Christopher Platt, chief branch officer of the NYPL, told Metro. “We wanted to just ask people what they’re reading.” Readers are encouraged to share their books via social media outlets using #ReadersUnite. The response so far has been enormous, with public libraries and school libraries, book lovers, bookstores and authors sharing their books du jour. Within the first few hours of going live with the hashtag, it was trending nationally. “We’ve had well more than 6,660 tweets, and a lot of traction on Instagram, Facebook and Tumblr,” Pratt said. “And it’s still going strong.” The NYPL plans to feed the hashtag for the next week or two and “hopefully it’ll continue to get participation for awhile,” he said.
The NYPL system includes 88 neighborhood branches and four research centers in Manhattan, the Bronx and Staten Island.
Take a look at some the books that have been shared using #ReadersUnite by readers all over, including Platt and this Metro writer.
#ReadersUnite Jules & I are reading Alexandra Horowitz’ Being a Dog pic.twitter.com/YHRIGBLmYt— Christopher D Platt (@kkersplat) January 5, 2017
#ReadersUnite @nypl. After last year’s #Ulysses, this year his #Dubliners. #JamesJoyce #books #Dublin #Ireland. pic.twitter.com/c2xyzUO1oP— IPCallaway (@Ianandbeverly) January 6, 2017
