The September Project is a great idea for promoting public deliberation. Libraries across the country will hold public discussions on the third anniversary of the 9-11 attacks. The library systems that have already signed up are shown on this map. Here’s an overall description of the project, written by its organizers:

On September 11, 2004, citizens across the U.S. will come together at their local libraries to discuss ideas that matter to all of us. Through

talks, debates, roundtables, and performances, citizens will share ideas

about democracy, citizenship, and patriotism. What better way to spend

September 11th, recently designated “Patriot Day,” than by participating

collectively, thinking creatively, and becoming a part of the

well-informed voice of the American citizenry?

Public libraries provide all citizens open and free access to information.

Almost all communities in the US have at least one library. There are over

16,000 public libraries in the US, and that’s not including university

libraries, K-12 libraries, and church libraries. In other words, libraries

constitute an impressive national infrastructure. Moreover, 96% of public

libraries have computer technology that can serve to connect events across

the nation, thereby constituting a national and distributed media

infrastructure. In this way, the September Project will foster a national

conversation with, for, and by the people.

The September Project has three goals:

1) To coordinate with all libraries — big and small, urban and rural —

to host free and public events on September 11;

2) To work with all forms of media — mainstream and alternative;

corporate and independent; print, radio, film, and digital — to foster

and sustain public discourse about issues that matter;

3) To foster an annual tradition for citizens around the world to

recognize and give meaning to September 11th.

The aim of The September Project is to create a day of engagement, a day

of community, a day of democracy.