About the book selection process

Title/Author possibilities are gathered throughout the year by members of the Whatcom READS! Steering Committee, a group made up of representatives from each of the seven founding institutions.  Titles are then discussed and a selection is made based on the following criteria:

  • Author must be available to visit Whatcom County;
  • Author must be an engaging speaker;
  • Book must have appeal to a wide range of readers;
  • Book must have cultural, historical, or local interest.

Authors through the years

Other considerations include:

  • Availability of the book in multiple formats (for example, paperback, large print, audio, other languages, a film tie-in);
  • Affordability of the author honorarium fee (Whatcom READS! is funded solely through grants and donations).

Titles for the following year will be selected each spring. The committee welcomes your suggestions.