Book Club Looks at Children's Literature

 

A different kind of book club was formed this past summer with weekly meetings held at lunchtime in Room 305 of the Weinberg Memorial Library. Katie Duke, Information Literacy Coordinator, and Betsey Moylan, Reference Coordinator, sent a message via B-Board inviting any University staff members who might have an interest in reading the Newbery award winning books for young children to attend an organizational meeting. Approximately eighteen people responded. A preference for which books would be read and in what order was arrived at at the first meeting. “Members” volunteered to serve as the moderators for each book, serving only as facilitators as the other participants contributed to the discussions. The first two books, Holes and The View from Saturday elicited many interesting comments. The fact that the former was recently turned into a feature length motion picture was indicative of the fact that the book was well received. The next several weeks were devoted to additional Newbery titles as well. The books were placed on reserve at the circulation desk or borrowed from local public libraries. The members commented on how well written and diverse each of the titles was. Many readers reflected on the multiple levels of meanings in each book and how at various ages, a different interpretation could be made. Library staff supplied additional resource material for each book, including brief biographies of the authors and their acceptance speeches when they received the award.

 

All agreed that the lunchtime discussion group allowed readers to get to know quality literature and their fellow University staff members.