66 readers will read George Orwell’s “1984” during a marathon reading at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library on Wednesday. (Haley Hinkle/MNS)
WASHINGTON — A Washington library hosted a marathon reading of George Orwell’s novel “1984” Wednesday as part of a series on privacy and government surveillance.
The reading’s theme was “Big Brother is watching you,” a reference to the all-knowing governmental figure in Orwell’s famous dystopian novel.
The reading began at 10 a.m. at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in downtown Washington and was scheduled to finish by 9 p.m. Notable readers included journalist Will Potter, and Danielle Brian, the executive director of the Project on Government Oversight.
The popularity of Orwell’s novel exploded after whistleblower Edward Snowden leaked information about National Security Agency surveillance in 2013. Written in 1948, the 328-page book was British author Orwell’s chilling prediction of the way government surveillance and technology would come together to create severe, totalitarian societies in the name of protecting citizens.
Amie Stepanovich, another of the event’s featured readers, said the novel is important today because of its message about the way technology can change our lives. “We look at some of these technologies and think this is a regular part of our everyday experience,” said Stepanovich, a senior policy counsel at Access, a digital human rights organization.
Reference Librarian Emily Menchal said part of the decision behind the marathon reading was to create a shared experience, one that is more intense than a book discussion.
“There’s also been a great concern in the library community,” Menchal said. “We’ve always been concerned about privacy and protecting patrons’ rights.”
An important takeaway from Orwell, Stepanovich said, is that the public plays an important role in standing up for its individual liberties. She said, “I think it’s important for the public to understand that they really do have the power.”
