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Community Corner

Library Chat: Book Club Kits Added at Washington County Library

Washington County librarians have put together a new batch of book club kits.

Fall is soon coming on with cooler temperatures. And with cool nights, there is nothing like hunkering down with a good book. Some individuals take it a step further, saying: “There’s nothing like reading a good book, and then discussing it with others!”

To that end, Washington County librarians have recently put together a new batch of book club kits. They are each a collection of 10 titles of the same book, along with a resource manual filled with tips for reading groups, some author information, and a set of discussion questions --  everything a reading group needs, except for the members!

Now I remember English IV with Mrs. Elaine Nelson at Gale-Ettrick High School in 1966. It was like pulling teeth to get a class of Senior English students to offer their opinions on a piece of literature that had been assigned.

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My how that experience has changed for me, with age! Huh, put together in a room full of interested, grownup readers and watch what happens. You can’t STOP them from voicing their opinions!

It’s also gratifying to know that even with their whirlwind existence, grade schoolers and teens are getting together to read and discuss. (Hint/just one idea: the kits may be a useful tool for Scout groups working toward reading badges. 

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One of the books chosen for this round of book club kits is “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” by Rebecca Skloot. It’s the story of a poor, black woman being treated for cancer at Johns Hopkins in the 50s. Cells removed from her cervix in a biopsy were cultured without permission. The cells replicated in a phenomenal, unexplained manner, and have become the basis for many studies, even to this day. Medical ethics will certainly be a topic of discussion when book clubs get together to discuss this title.

Other book club kits recently added to Washington County Library’s collection include: “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins; “Maisie Dobbs” by Jacqueline Winspear; “State of Wonder” by Ann Patchett; “Still Alice” by Lisa Genova; and “Through No Fault of My Own” by Coco Irvine.

WCL circulates more than 130 book club kits, some with multiple copies. The selection includes fiction, nonfiction and juvenile titles, each with a loan period of 6 weeks. Enjoy!

Library Woman is Joey Halbach, Community Relations Librarian for Washington County Library. Contact her at: joey.halbach@co.washington.mn.us/library

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