This spring, as Chicagoans participate in the Chicago Public Library’s “One Book, One Chicago” program by collectively reading Stuart Dybek’s “The Coast of Chicago,” DePaul University’s Master of Arts in Liberal Studies (MALS) program will sponsor two events on DePaul’s Lincoln Park Campus that examine this collection of short stories.

“Where the Ordinary and Extraordinary Meet,” a staged reading of excerpts directed by Dexter Zollicoffer, diversity student mentor of DePaul’s Theater School, will be held April 25 at 1 p.m. “Capturing the Essence of Chicago Neighborhoods,” a panel discussion led by DePaul faculty, will be held on April 26 at 6 p.m. Both events will be held at DePaul’s Student Center, 2250 N. Sheffield Ave., Room 120, and are free and open to the public. For more information about the events, call the MALS program office at 773-325-7840.

DePaul’s MALS program offers interdisciplinary graduate courses in conjunction with the “One Book, One Chicago” program on an exclusive basis. The centerpiece for the current “Chicago’s One Book: Issues and Perspectives” course is Dybek’s book. The spring course is taught by Susan Jacobs, adjunct professor of English, and is held on Wednesday evenings from 5:45 p.m. to 9 p.m. on DePaul’s Lincoln Park Campus.

The official citywide reading of “The Coast of Chicago” begins during National Library Week, April 18-24. For more information on book discussions and special events around Chicago, visit The Chicago Public Library Web site at www.chicagopubliclibrary.org .