One Book, One College events Aug. 25 and 26

Stephanie Land’s “Maid” is this year’s selection for Illinois Valley Community College’s One Book, One College, an initiative bringing together diverse populations to discuss, inform, and learn from a shared reading experience. 

“Maid” is the story of a young college-bound woman who faces abuse, loneliness, pregnancy, motherhood, and poverty in her journey to earn her college degree.  

In recognition of National Women’s Equality Day – marking passage of the 19th Amendment – One Book is sponsoring a pair of related presentations by Heather Steele, Prevention Educator at Safe Journeys Illinois: 

• Domestic Violence 101, 6 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 25 at Peru Public Library; and  
• Gender-Based Discrimination and Your Rights on Campus, noon to 1 p.m. Friday, Aug.  26 in IVCC’s Jacobs Library Active Learning Space. 

The events are the first of many throughout the year, including book discussions, presentations and learning activities. All students, faculty, staff and district residents are welcome to join the conversation. Copies of the book will be available at events.  

For information, visit www.ivcc.edu/onebook or contact Peru Public Library’s Emily Schaub at eschaub@perulibrary.org, Safe Journeys’ Steele at heathers@safejourneysillinois.org or Jacobs Library’s Jayna Leipart Guttilla at Jayna_LeipartGuttilla@ivcc.edu.