Masterpiece Theatre | Learning Resources

Community Partners

Working with Community Partners
Community partners can be key in developing an exciting and rewarding Masterpiece Theatre Book & Film Club. Working with partners can enhance the materials you offer the group, expand the number of activities, and help publicize the new initiative. Partners benefit from increased exposure in the community and more business from library patrons. Possible local partners include:

Local Government
The mayor's office, town selectmen, or other local officials can assist you by helping to spread the word and endorsing your Masterpiece Theatre Book & Film Club.

Media Partners
Your local newspaper, PBS station, cable access station, and radio stations can partner with you in a variety of ways. Your local PBS station may be interested in co-hosting your Masterpiece Theatre Book & Film Club. They may be able to do on-air promotion of the club, film and broadcast a discussion session, host a call-in radio show, or place announcements in their publications. A newspaper can promote the club by running ads and featuring articles about it.

Schools
Many of the titles in the Masterpiece Theatre series are already being read at the high school or middle school level. Contact the school librarian or the English department about a possible collaboration. You can invite students to help launch the campaign, attend your club, or offer to host a school-based club.

Chamber of Commerce
Local businesses can be a great resource for your Masterpiece Theatre Book & Film Club A printing shop might be willing to produce posters. A grocery store or coffee house may donate food for your meetings. Businesses can post flyers about your club. Meet with local vendors and make a presentation about your Masterpiece Theatre Book & Film Club asking for their assistance.

Adult Education Organizations
Your town may offer courses for adults. You may want to collaborate to offer the club through this venue.

Historical Society
The historical society is a great resource for helping to infuse local history into your book discussion. For instance, as you read about Yury Zhivago's travels in 1917 Russia or New Hampshire at the turn of the twentieth century in Our Town, consider what was happening in your town at that time.

Synagogues and Churches
Local clergy may be interested in running a Masterpiece Theatre Book & Film Club themselves, or loaning space to your library for the club and encouraging their members to join.

Tips

Be specific about your project, the kind of help you would like, and what you are offering in return, such as greater exposure in the community.
Establish a contact person at the partner organization and determine your roles and expectations about the partnership. Spelling out the specifics of the relationship in a letter of agreement or memo can clarify everyone's responsibilities and avoid misunderstandings.
Determine what resources each group will contribute.
Develop a timeline for your work together. (Media partners often require a long lead time for print and on-air promotion.)
Look for opportunities to tie into your partners' existing events and initiatives. For instance, many towns hold street festivals in the fall. Ask if you can use this opportunity to publicize and recruit people to join your Masterpiece Theatre Book & Film Club.
Discuss how you will evaluate the success of the project and your partnership.
Check in regularly to make sure each partner feels comfortable with the relationship and the project.

Guides | Book Club | Timelines | Learning Links
Broadcast Schedule | Feature Library