By Briana Bizier
After 15 months of disruption, pivoting, and re-imagining our daily activities during the COVID-19 pandemic, some parts of
our lives are finally beginning to return to their pre-pandemic “normal.” With
vaccination numbers on the rise and COVID cases declining, Mainers are starting
to meet each other in person again. For the Raymond Village Library, this means
the monthly book club is getting ready to return to their big wooden table in
the back room.
The book club had been meeting online via Zoom
during the pandemic.
“COVID put a lot of challenges out there,” Champniss said. “It’s nice that one of our members suggested Zoom meetings. Not everybody was able to join, but the people who did get on did enjoy it. Some of the summer people who were living in other states were able to join, and it helped people get through COVID, just having that connection.”
The Raymond Village Library’s monthly book club already had a long history before the pandemic. Champniss has been coordinating the club for almost a decade, and she was a member of the group before she accepted her current leadership role.
As the coordinator, Champniss sends out a monthly
notice that includes questions for readers to consider before the club meets.
“Melanie does a great job,” said Deb Hutchinson, book club member and President
of the Raymond Village Library’s Board of Directors. “She researches the
author, she researches the book, she researches anything else that they’ve
done. And she sends out thoughtful questions before we meet. That does give a
focus to the meeting, although it doesn’t always stay on focus.”
The book club coordinator does not, however, select the books.
“It’s a
democratic organization,” Champniss said. “What we do in August is we have
people suggest books. They have their favorite authors, or they may have just
read something good. We put a list together, and then we vote on what books we
want to read for next year, and we put the list together. It’s a mix of books;
fiction, nonfiction, classics, Maine writers. We try to cover a wide range
because everyone has different taste. The hardest part is picking which books
to read.”
That variety of books and authors are part of what’s so appealing about the
library’s book club.
“What I really like about it is it pushes me to read things that I wouldn’t normally read, because I tend to stay in the same genre,” Hutchinson said. “Plus, I like the discussions with people. It’s a fun comradeship.”
The book club members vote in September on what 12 books they will read in the upcoming year, and in October, Champniss makes two lists available for the club members: the books they will read and discuss, and a complete list of all the books that were recommended.
“Even if a book didn’t make the cut,” Hutchinson said,
“then you have a list of those titles that you can read at another time.”
Another part of the book club’s appeal is its location.
“The Raymond Village Library is one of the best
libraries I’ve ever encountered, just in terms of making you feel welcome,”
Champniss said. “It’s just a good place.”
Library staff also makes sure that they have the book club’s selection on hand
and available.
“The library puts copies of the book out at the
beginning of the month, so you have a month to read it, because we meet at the
end of the month,” Hutchinson said. These books, like the book club itself, are
available to anyone.
“Everybody is welcome,” Champniss said. “People come in and out because
everyone has busy lives, and everybody is always welcome.”
The Raymond Village Library’s book club will be reading “The Book of Lost
Friends” by Lisa Wingate for the month of August. The book club will meet to
discuss Wingate’s novel at 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 30.
For more information, contact the Raymond Village
Library at 207-655-4283, visit them at 3 Meadow Road, or visit their website: http://www.raymondvillagelibrary.org. <
No comments:
Post a Comment