If you were to do something special on Sept. 11 to take note of that day鈥檚 dark anniversary, what would it be?
Something civic- or community-minded, or expressive and creative? Perhaps something patriotic, reflecting how you feel about your country? Or should Sept. 11 be a time for sharing feelings with friends and neighbors?
David Silver, a 91探花professor of communication, and Sarah Washburn, a former employee of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, want to make Sept. 11 embrace all those notions and more 鈥� this year and every year.
They call their idea The September Project, and it seeks to make 9/11 a day of reflection and discussion, locally, across the country and possibly even internationally. It鈥檚 a big idea that will take a lot of work and networking to get up and running, but project co-directors Silver and Washburn couldn鈥檛 be more excited.
鈥淲e believe that since Sept. 11, 2001, Americans have not had a rigorous creative, collective dialogue about issues that matter,鈥� Silver said on a recent afternoon in his campus office. 鈥淲ith attention on 9/11 and with engagement in the election, now is the time to have that conversation.鈥�
The two say public libraries seem by definition the perfect place for such significant community meetings. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not just a physical place, it鈥檚 also a symbolic place to offer free, open access to information and ideas,鈥� Washburn said.
And she should know 鈥� Washburn comes to The September Project after three and a half years with the Gates Foundation鈥檚 US Library Program, which helped libraries nationwide get wired with Internet technology. She鈥檚 also a consultant on Internet communications for nonprofit organizations and directs a local family literacy program. For his part, Silver is an assistant professor of communication who teaches classes on digital culture and contemporary media.
So, what exactly do Silver and Washburn envision will happen at these September Project gatherings?
Washburn said, 鈥淲e imagine there will be a host of events stemming from readings to children on citizenship, democracy and patriotism to round table discussions on 鈥榃hat does patriotism mean to me?鈥� as well as youth involvement and performances.鈥� Plus, there will be plentiful opportunities for participants to register to vote.
But that鈥檚 really just the start, the two said. There also could be activities and readings centered on understanding of the Bill of Rights, open forums on what works and what doesn鈥檛 in U.S. government, library displays of book collections on related topics and many other features.
The two say they are setting up the organizational aspects of the project, then intend to let librarians and communities decide what activities are best for their area. They鈥檙e also interested in looking at ways to get parts of the event on the Web, so libraries can share information and views.
鈥淭he only way this can work is if it鈥檚 wholly self-organizing,鈥� Silver said. 鈥淎nd we already have 34 libraries in 14 states committed to the project.鈥�
Silver and Washburn said The September Project is meant to be completely nonpartisan, not aimed at explicit support of any political view or party. The two have aligned with the League of Women Voters and the American Civil Liberties Union.
People and views of all types will be welcome, the project directors say. In fact, they wouldn鈥檛 have it any other way. 鈥淭he diverse views excite me the most,鈥� said Washburn, to which Silver added, 鈥淲e want a cross-fertilization of ideas, shared publicly and collectively.鈥�
The September Project already has found support from some key players, including a small grant from the dean鈥檚 office of the 91探花College of Arts and Sciences and money, ideas and generous in-kind support from the UW鈥檚 Simpson Center for the Humanities.
Kathleen Woodward, director of the Simpson Center, is on the project鈥檚 governing board, as are Susan Jeffords, 91探花vice provost for academic planning and Betsy Wilson, director of 91探花Libraries. Also on the board is well-known Seattle librarian Nancy Pearl, who said she admires Silver and Washburn鈥檚 ideas and enthusiasm.
鈥淚 think libraries are the cornerstone of democracy,鈥� Pearl said. 鈥淭hey are the last small-d democratic institution in our country. And as such, anything they can do to foster discussion about the issues facing our country and our world today is great.鈥�
She added, 鈥淲hen anyone walks into a library they are the equal of everyone else, and that鈥檚 the role of the library.鈥�
So, what do these two want from the 91探花community? Silver was ready with an answer: 鈥淲e need voices 鈥� participants, performers, attendees to go to these libraries.鈥�
Washburn and Silver know what they propose is a huge and highly idealistic undertaking, but knowing that doesn鈥檛 dampen their passion for this idea or their near-certainty that they will succeed in making Sept. 11 a day of national deliberation.
鈥淭here are 16,000 public libraries in the United States and we鈥檇 like to create 16,000 public spheres on Sept. 11,鈥� Silver said. He added with a smile, 鈥淎nd we鈥檒l be incredibly excited if we get 10,000.鈥�
Washburn and Silver said they鈥檇 like to be able to look back years from now and know that they helped start a new American tradition.
鈥淲e know what we do on the Fourth of July, on Valentine鈥檚 Day and New Year鈥檚 Eve. We鈥檙e trying to create and foster an annual tradition that takes place locally, nationally and internationally 鈥� people coming together to publicly and collectively discuss issues that matter,鈥� Silver said.
鈥淧erhaps that鈥檚 the true legacy of Sept. 11.鈥�
To learn more about The September Project, visit online at .