The Community Book Connection (CBC) is a college-wide, interdisciplinary reading initiative dedicated to promoting a culture of discussion and debate at the Community College of Baltimore County. We are committed to creating stimulating and relevant learning opportunities and co-curricular programs that make CCBC an exciting place to be, both inside and outside the classroom.
Each year we democratically select a book that we recommend to the entire college community. We encourage faculty and staff from many different disciplines and program areas to adopt the book for use in their courses and initiatives; we offer workshops, trainings, and grant-funded projects to help faculty develop their skills as culturally-responsive, student-centered educators.
To further enrich the educational experience, we invite any member of the CCBC community to organize a program centering on the themes of the book. In collaboration with internal and external partners, the Community Book Connection sponsors a wide variety of events, such as keynote lectures, panel discussions, debates, poetry readings, field trips, workshops, student presentations, theatre performances, dance and musical performances, art exhibits, fundraisers, service learning initiatives, and many other types of programs.
In our fifteen years, we have teamed up with the Office of Student Life, the Office of the President, the Office of Intercultural Engagement, the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence, Culturally Responsive Teaching and Leadership, the Institute for Social and Economic Justice, The Womens Studies Club, the Progressive Student Alliance, the Rainbow Club, the Environmental Club, Global Education, International Education, the Fine and Performing Arts, the CCBC Contemplative Circle, and many other groups.
Funded through the CCBC Office of Instruction, the Community Book Connection is open to all students, faculty, staff, or administrators who would like to get involved, whether by proposing a book, teaching the book, hosting a program, or attending an event. The vast majority of our events are free and open to the public.
The goals of the Community Book Connection are to enhance student and community learning, to strengthen our common human bonds; and to demonstrate the many ways that classroom learning is deeply connected to social issues in the broader community.
The Community Book Connection was originally launched in 2006 by a small group of dedicated CCBC faculty in the humanities and social sciences who were inspired by the idea that classroom learning is linked to real-life social concerns, and that community colleges can offer students access to the same high-level educational and cultural opportunities that their counterparts in four-year public institutions enjoy.
The program continues to draw its vital strength and energy from innovative faculty and staff who are fully invested in the progressive, democratic mission of the open-enrollment institution. Through our reading choices, curriculum, extracurricular programs, and partnerships we strive to demonstrate the vital, exciting connections between literacy, education, cultural competency, and social justice.
As an academic program, the CBC provides support, encouragement, and a sense of community for creative-minded educators who are passionate about literacy, student-centered learning, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
We believe that we are all learners, and that a transformational education is a critical factor in creating a just society in which human creative potential is fully realized. We believe that engaged reading, discussion, and debate continue to play a central role in a liberational education.
We invite you to share your talent and ideas and to become involved. Contact anyone on this list below to ask questions or get more information on the Community Book Connection.
We invite you to share your talent and ideas and to become involved in the program. Contact anyone on this list below to ask questions or get more information on the Community Book Connection.
Solicits book proposals from the CCBC Community year-round. Vets roughly 15+ books during the summer. Meets, discusses books, ranks, and narrows the list to a short list to be put to a democratic vote by the entire community in October. Each member of the committee is asked to propose one book per year.
Solicits and awards annual pedagogy grants to full-time and adjunct faculty in a competitive process that recognizes research-based, high-impact curriculum. Makes these lesson plans and curriculum available to CCBC community via CBC Website and email. Successfully helps to recruit full-time and part-time faculty in many different disciplines to use the book in classes.
Meets with department and school coordinators, chairs, and deans to help develop the program. Develops collaborative relationships across disciplines. Creates trainings and workshops to encourage successful, innovative, and appropriate use the book in a variety of disciplines. Implements professional development opportunities for faculty who use the CBC Book. Encourages CBC faculty to present at internal and external conferences. Collaborates with PRE to develop tools to gauge success of students who are exposed to CBC as a high-impact practice.
Oversees the coordination of a wide variety of programs and events all relating to the themes and topics of the annual community book. The committee meets in spring to share ideas and begin planning process. Each member of the committee participates in co-planning at least one event, trip, project, or initiative per calendar year. Members of committee help identify institutional and community partners and seek collaboration across schools, disciplines and campuses. Members help to publicize our programs on campus and in the community.