Gulf Coast Reads

Gulf Coast Reads Logo

Gulf Coast Reads: On the Same Page is an annual regional reading initiative focused on promoting the simultaneous reading or listening to a selected title by those living along the upper Texas Gulf Coast.

The reading initiative’s goal is to encourage our communities to read the same title during the month of October in order to encourage readers to come together in discussions about it with neighbors, co-workers, friends and their families, as well as in classrooms and in libraries throughout the region.

The Train to Crystal CityThe reading selection this year is The Train to Crystal City by Jan Jarboe Russell. 10 author visits are currently planned and listed below. Further details regarding the schedule can be found on the Gulf Coast Reads: On the Same Page website.

  • Asia Society (Harris County Public Library)
  • Alief High School (Alief ISD)
  • Lamar University (Beaumont-Jefferson County)
  • Texas Southern University
  • Huntsville Public Library (Walker County)
  • San Jacinto College-Pasadena
  • Houston Community College-Central Campus
  • Wharton County Library (Wharton County)
  • Holocaust Museum
  • Cypress Creek Community Center (Spring, TX)

Gulf Coast Reads: On the Same Page will also be hosting an online exhibit of materials related from local archives that are related to this year’s reading. Last year’s exhibit can be viewed here.

Specifics Relating to the Online Exhibit

Send all content (1 – 5 – somewhat flexible) to Grace Lillevig at the Harris County Public Library – grace.lillevig@hcpl.net by September 15, 2016.

Please include the following information (these fields will be populated and appear under each image). It’s okay to have the same information for each image, if it changes be sure to let Grace know.

  • Title [Required]
  • Author/Artist
  • Subject (multiple okay) – if you don’t include subjects, we will assign as best as we can.
  • Subject (Geographic) (multiple okay)
  • Description
  • Date
  • Archives Name [Required]
  • Archives website and/or email contact

CONTENTdm supports multiple file formats. Images should be 150-300 DPI. JPG is the preferred format, but if you have them in another format, that is fine. Other media types, listed below, are fine, including PDF. We have not done audio or video previously, but are open to that.

From CONTENTdm – File Formats:
“CONTENTdm can store any file format. It can also display any file format that can be displayed in your browser either natively or via a plug-in. This includes all common formats such as JPEG, GIF, or TIFF images, WAV or MP3 audio files, AVI or MPEG video files, and PDF files, as well as URLs and EAD finding aids. Large-format image collections also benefit from the JPEG2000 capability available with CONTENTdm. XML data in the METS/ALTO format can be imported using the CONTENTdm Flex Loader.

Audio and video files that are H.264-encoded and Flash-compatible will play inline when selected by an end user. Other audio and video file formats can be stored but will be played via a plug-in or browser capability to support the format.”

The content will be placed on Harris County Public Library’s CONTENTdm server and will be accessible through that site, although we do not publicize it specifically (see example here: http://cdm15978.contentdm. oclc.org/cdm/landingpage/ collection/p15978coll3). It will then be downloaded and displayed on the Gulf Coast Reads website in an online exhibit (see last year’s exhibit at http://www.gulfcoastreads.org/ collections), which will be advertised. We are not able to limit access or downloads to images. If you want your images removed after the online exhibit (October 1-31, 2015), please include that information in your email, otherwise they will remain in the exhibit. We can also list your archive and archive logo on the Participating Archives tab of the exhibit page (http://www.gulfcoastreads. org/content/remembering- through-archives-online- exhibit?qt-collection_2015=2# qt-collection_2015). If you are a new participant, please include your logo and where you want the link to go.

By the late of September you will be able to view / edit your portion of the exhibit. It will go live October 1, 2016.