Pioneer Library System is preparing to participate in the National Endowment for the Arts' The Big Read for 2011, the largest federal reading program in U.S. history.

The deadline is early December to submit a proposal to NEA to participate in The Big Read 2011.

To narrow the choices from more than 20 titles in The Big Read bookshelf, Pioneer Library System librarians and staff chose their favorites. Their top five choices are the finalists for the public to select for the 2011 title: "Fahrenheit 451," by Ray Bradbury; "A Farewell to Arms," by Ernest Hemingway; "The Joy Luck Club," by Amy Tan; "The Stories and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe" and "The Things They Carried," by Tim O'Brien.

Ballot boxes will be placed at each hometown library in Cleveland, McClain and Pottawatomie counties. Voting also may be accomplished online at www.bigreadok.com.

Poetry contest for students

The Norman Singer is sponsoring the seventh annual poetry contest for students in grades 6 through 12 in all Norman schools.

A panel of local poets will select one winning poem from the middle school and high school divisions. Winning authors will receive cash awards, and their poems will be set to music by the choral society's director and composer-in-residence Beverly McLarry.

The winning poems will then be performed by the choral society at its spring concert in May. Poems may be on any topic that would lend itself to music. In the past, poems on nature and sports have been successful topics.

Poems should be sent to NCCS Poetry Contest, P.O. Box 474, Norman, OK 73070 or gbaird5@cox.net. The deadline for submissions is Dec. 11. Include your name, age, address, phone number, school and grade. For more information on the contest, visit the Web site at nccs-ok.org in the community section or contact Joan Baird at 329-2293.

This project is supported by the Norman Arts Council.

-- pop staff