This City
Reads! is demonstrating how the power of
collaboration can create new possibilities for those of
us who share a commitment that all our citizens become
readers. A new organization has not been created, but
dozens of organizations have found new ways to work
together to reach for the same vision.
We are committed
to collective action that helps individual community
partners live out their own missions more effectively.
Together, we have experienced the opportunity to
leverage new ideas, resources and broader community
action.
This City Reads!
is a set of intentional relationships, new partnerships
and creative tools for your organization to achieve
greater success and to contribute to a larger campaign
that can significantly extend the reach of your
organization.
Community
Partners believe that:
Reading is
everyone’s business.
An
information-based economy requires everyone to read.
Reading soars
when family, school and community collaborate.
First you
learn to read, then you read to learn.
Reading is
essential to improving quality of life.
Reading is
fundamental to responsible citizenship.
Community Partners
embrace the same mission:
This City
Reads! is a community alliance of organizations to
champion and leverage the power of reading to promote
the future success of families, individuals, and
businesses in Greater Akron/Summit County.
Community Partners strive
for the same vision:
Summit
County/Akron is the Reading Capital of the World.
Community Partners commit
to individual and collective action that fits within
these goals:
Engage the
community;
Champion the
collaborative model;
Connect
individuals and families with resources; and
Leverage
impact.
Community Partners agree
to work within the following internal parameters:
We do:
Act in a
manner that is faithful and aligned to our mission
and core beliefs.
Identify
desired results and establish benchmarks to
communicate progress.
Serve as a
catalyst for growth through reading.
Challenge and
support one another to make a significant difference
in reading.
Embrace the
importance and power of relationship building.
We do not:
Design,
prescribe, or endorse reading programs.
Duplicate
programs.
Direct how
any organization does business.
Favor any one
individual, program or organization in our work.