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Berwyn, IL —
Changes on my mind
Revolution on my breath.
Those are the words of Jasminum “Jas” McMullen, who won two out of three of the Berwyn Public Library’s first ever Poetry Idol poetry reading competition.
The poetry readings began at the suggestion of poet Jason Brock of Broadview and Michael Joseph Garza of Berwyn — who worked with Esther Chase — who does outreach services for the library.
Now that the show has ended – the last poetry reading was Dec. 1 — Chase said it helped boost the library’s popularity and attract people from a wide spectrum of ages and backgrounds.
Details of the show will continue to be tweaked as the library plans future Poetry Idol competitions in an effort to introduce library services to new people.
Poets competed for cash prizes by reciting their best poetry before a panel of judges, similar to the television show “American Idol.”
Chase said the first Poetry Idol event, held Nov. 3, attracted about 20 people. The next Poetry Idol competition on Nov. 18, had more than double the number of participants.
“But the cool thing really is that we’re attracting the 20-something crowd and the early 30s crowd. They don’t usually come into programs at the library,” Chase said. Chase said the event attracted older adults as well.
Highlights from the first Poetry Idol event can be viewed via a short video online at the library’s web site, www.berwynlibrary.org.
Berwyn resident Susan Greenberg is president of the group Friends of the Berwyn Library. She said the idea behind the Poetry Idol events was to attract people who typically do not come to the library.
“We decided we would offer cash prizes for the winner of the poetry slam,” Greenberg said.
Is poetry now the thing to do in Berwyn?
“It is cool,” Greenberg said.
Chase said the library invited local businesses to show commercials during the poetry readings.
“We’re hoping to do this more and invite some larger businesses out,” Chase said.
The competition’s format remains in the experimental stage. The goal in future years, Chase said, is for the format to be similar to television’s “American Idol.”
People too shy to read before a live audience were allowed to submit a video reading via the website YouTube.
But only one person submitted a video.
“It’s actually kind of hard to do. We didn’t really realize that before we threw the challenge out there,” Chase said.
Changes on my mind
Revolution on my breath.
Those are the words of Jasminum “Jas” McMullen, who won two out of three of the Berwyn Public Library’s first ever Poetry Idol poetry reading competition.
The poetry readings began at the suggestion of poet Jason Brock of Broadview and Michael Joseph Garza of Berwyn — who worked with Esther Chase — who does outreach services for the library.
Now that the show has ended – the last poetry reading was Dec. 1 — Chase said it helped boost the library’s popularity and attract people from a wide spectrum of ages and backgrounds.
Details of the show will continue to be tweaked as the library plans future Poetry Idol competitions in an effort to introduce library services to new people.
Poets competed for cash prizes by reciting their best poetry before a panel of judges, similar to the television show “American Idol.”
Chase said the first Poetry Idol event, held Nov. 3, attracted about 20 people. The next Poetry Idol competition on Nov. 18, had more than double the number of participants.
“But the cool thing really is that we’re attracting the 20-something crowd and the early 30s crowd. They don’t usually come into programs at the library,” Chase said. Chase said the event attracted older adults as well.
Highlights from the first Poetry Idol event can be viewed via a short video online at the library’s web site, www.berwynlibrary.org.
Berwyn resident Susan Greenberg is president of the group Friends of the Berwyn Library. She said the idea behind the Poetry Idol events was to attract people who typically do not come to the library.
“We decided we would offer cash prizes for the winner of the poetry slam,” Greenberg said.
Is poetry now the thing to do in Berwyn?
“It is cool,” Greenberg said.
Chase said the library invited local businesses to show commercials during the poetry readings.
“We’re hoping to do this more and invite some larger businesses out,” Chase said.
The competition’s format remains in the experimental stage. The goal in future years, Chase said, is for the format to be similar to television’s “American Idol.”
People too shy to read before a live audience were allowed to submit a video reading via the website YouTube.
But only one person submitted a video.
“It’s actually kind of hard to do. We didn’t really realize that before we threw the challenge out there,” Chase said.
Before the library holds a Poetry Idol again, the library may teach a workshop on how to capture poetry in different ways, such as video.
Greenberg said she was encouraged to see high school students participate in the program.
“I’m expecting that we will do something like this again. Funds-wise, I don’t think we’ll be able to do this more than once a year,” she said.
Greenberg was not sure how big the event could grow, or even should grow.
“I haven’t been to a poetry reading, but it’s not the sort of venue that you do in front of 400 people,” she said. “If we had the room packed it might be more exciting, but it might be intimidating to the poets."
