Studio 116 in downtown Brundidge has been chosen as a distribution center for World Book Night on Wednesday. World Book Night, a nationwide event, is a celebration dedicated to spreading the love of reading, person to person.
Studio 116 is partnering with the Troy University Rubicon editorial staff and the Troy University English department for this event. Copies of “100 Best-Loved Poems” will be given away to those who participate.
Sara Dismukes, studio 116 co-director, said Rubicon is the student-led literary magazine.
“Samantha Loff is the editor of Rubicon and will be the host of the event,” Dismukes said. “World Book Night is about giving books and encouraging reading but it’s more than that. It’s about people, communities and connections, about reaching out to others and touching lives in the simplest of ways – through the sharing of stories.”
Loff said World Book Night is an excellent opportunity for students to join with the local community to celebrate the love of literature.
“There will be students and community members alike who will be passionate about this cause,” Loff said. “Our hope is that our appreciation for poetry and prose will extend to those who do not yet see its value.”
Loff said she thinks it is necessary for students and the community to support each other, especially when it comes to the arts.
“To know there are people who support your goals and are interested in what you have to say is crucial in fostering both personal growth and growth of the arts community,” she said.  “At this event, everyone will have the opportunity to read a piece of work that may be a personal poem or simply a personal favorite. Hopefully, we’ll have a great mixture of both.”
Loff said her hope is also that there will be some experimental improv poetry.
“I would certainly like to hear a diverse selection,” she said. “The more people who participate, the greater the experience. A person’s personal poetry or favorite poetry is representative of who that person is and how they feel about the surrounding world; how great would it be to learn about so many different people.”
World Book Night will begin at 6 p.m. Wednesday with a writing workshop.
“People are encouraged to bring creative writings to share with the goal of improving it or getting opinions on it. At 7:30 p.m., Poetry Slam will begin. People may bring poetry they have written or their favorite poems to share.
World Book Night is a nonprofit organization that was successfully launched in the United Kingdom in 2011 and was first celebrated in the United States in 2012.
World Book Night is held annually on April 23, which is International Day of the Book and is also the birthday of William Shakespeare.
World Book Night is free and open to the public.