Homer Public Library and Friends of the Homer Public Library on Friday opened their National Endowment for the Arts Big Read event with music and songs at Alice’s Champagne Palace. Copies of the book selection, Jess Walter’s “The Cold Millions,” were available to pick up at Alice’s and are also available at library.

The major coordinator of the event is Cheryl Illg with Friends of the Homer Public Library. Many community events related to storytelling are scheduled to take place throughout the month of February at venues across town. More details can be found on the Homer Library website at https://www.cityofhomer-ak.gov/library/nea-big-read-2024.

The Big Read book club is a four-week book club with different discussion themes each week led by a local expert. These will take place on Tuesdays at the Homer Public Library with guest speakers including Jeff Meyers, Michael Hawfield, Tasha Dunlap and Lia Calhoun.

There are two discussion sessions scheduled particularly for elders, one at the Homer Senior Center, facilitated by Janet Klein, and one that will take place at the Ninilchik Community Library. Both will be followed by time for seniors to share stories about homesteading days on the Kenai Peninsula.

The Big Read events take place through Feb. 22 with a closing performance at the Homer High School Mariner Theater. According to the library schedule, “Kathleen Gustafson and Tyler Munns will bring ideas and themes from Jess Walter’s book to life with skits for high school students.”