On Saturday, the Deschutes Public Library Foundation will reveal its book selection for the 2023 iteration of A Novel Idea, Oregon’s largest community read project. The free, public event will be held at 6 p.m. in the Downtown Bend Library located at 601 NW Wall St.

Doors open at 5:30 for the unveiling, and hundreds of readers are expected to be there in order to learn firsthand about the next chapter of A Novel Idea, which is nearing two decades in existence. After the announcement at 6:30, books will be available for checkout or to purchase. Slated to begin April 1, A Novel Idea will again offer a month of free programming and events related to the chosen book, culminating in an author event on April 28.

“It’s an exciting time to be back in person with A Novel Idea 2023 on the horizon,” Deschutes Public Library’s Programs Supervisor Liz Goodrich said in a release for the event. “Many readers have enjoyed the selections together year-after-year. You may not know these people personally, but you’ve read the same books and are connected through them.”

A Novel Idea began in 2004 with David James Duncan’s “The River Why” and just 400 participants. This year, almost 9,000 took part.

“Over the past 19 years we’ve read some amazing novels and non-fiction titles, seen book-to-movie adaptations dominate the big screen, and watched up-and-coming authors hit the bestsellers list right before our eyes. We can promise you this year is definitely going to be one for the books,” Goodrich said.

For more, visit deschuteslibrary.org/calendar/novelidea or deschuteslibrary.org.