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Welcome to the “one book, one community” program designed to inspire passion and connection to the Great Lakes Watershed through reading. Whether you live near the Great Lakes or far away, their beauty, history, and significance are impossible to ignore. They’ve been home to 120 bands of Indigenous people, provided drinking water for millions, held flourishing biodiversity and 20% of the world’s surface freshwater and more. By diving into this project, you are deepening your connection to a system that shaped the U.S. and Canada, and continues to sculpt stories today.
2024/2025
We are excited to announce our book selections for 2024-2025.
The 2023 / 2024 Great Lakes, Great Read is made possible by the WiLS Ideas to Action Fund and by the efforts of the staff at Wisconsin Sea Grant, Wisconsin Library Association and the University of Wisconsin-Parkside.
The idea of a one book, one community program on the Great Lakes has grown organically. It was suggested by the author Dave Dempsey and has since taken shape through conversations with a group of individuals interested in advancing Great Lakes Literacy, including the Great Lakes Odyssey. Additional support provided by the Library of the Great Lakes.