DC by the Book, a project launching March 27th, is a website with a custom map that allows anyone to explore the

landscape of Washington, DC as it has been represented in fiction. (See reverse for sample screenshot.) Developed by DC Public Library with assistance from a $20,000 LSTA grant and partnerships with the Historical Society of Washington, D.C., Cultural Tourism DC, the Humanities Council of Washington D.C., and public affairs firm Beekeeper Group, the project has several aims: Literally put Washington, DC on the map as a city with a life of its own beyond the Federal city. Fiction has often illuminated the richness of Washingtons local civic life and its character as a city of neighborhoods. By highlighting passages that explore the social and geographic history of the city in situ, DC By the Book aims to engage both residents and non-residents with the city as most residents experience it. Highlight works of fiction that provide context for the city and offer readers new ways of thinking about Washington (a goal perfectly in keeping with the historic role of libraries). Most people can name maybe a handful or writers who set their books in Washington; to date, the project team has identified approximately 1,000 works of fiction set in the District, and that list will be a part of the website. Activate online mapmaking tools that are remarkably easy to use and offer a new way for us to interact with and interpret our world. By engaging the public in direct participatory mapmaking, DC By the Book seeks to encourage and enhance the digital skills of participants. This is part of DC Public Librarys efforts to engage in collaborative work that moves the library into the realm of content creation and digital instruction.

Beyond these high-level goals, the project brings together several organizations with overlapping interests in DC local history to deliver a new shared service to the public. The project co-directors are also hopeful that the DC By the Book might serve as a model for others who might want to develop a similar literary mapping project in their city imagine the possibilities of New York By the Book, London By the Book, or Paris Par le Livre! In addition to the development of the website and supporting technology, DC By the Book includes a variety of programming between March and September 2013: Four signature events (March 27th kickoff at Busboys and Poets, 5th and K Street NW, 68pm, plus one each led by our local history/culture partners) Four mapathons (4-hour programs similar to wikithons, where anyone can drop by, read a book, and enter passages onto the map) A monthly reading series supported by existing book clubs at neighborhood libraries

The establishment of a Washington-focused book club in the Washingtoniana Room Tables at events such as the Pride Festival, National Book Festival, and others

This project is an exciting collaboration between librarians, experts in local fiction, local history organizations, and the general public. Ideally, the bulk of content that will populate the map will be contributed by the public, since anyone with Internet access can submit passages via the website and be recognized for doing so. This content will always be reviewed and curated by DC Public Library staff, but the open creation process moves the library into the role of a facilitator and content collaborator, and directly engages the public in a digital project that may change how they interact with the city they live in. For more information about DC by the Book, contact: Kim Zablud, Special Collections Manager @ DC Public Library (kimberly.zablud@dc.gov) or Tony Ross, Administrative Librarian @ DC Public Library (anthony.ross@dc.gov).

When a user clicks on a map icon, the popup box displays a passage from a work of fiction describing that location, as well as the book title, author, and other ancillary information about the work. Users can browse the map or search using various filters, for example, view only passages from a single author, or passages from a specific era, or passages on a theme (Immigrant Life, Family Life, etc.).