Break out of a reading rut at the library this summer
Stuck in a reading rut? Reluctant to stray from the comfort of James Patterson, Nora Roberts or Stephenie Meyer?
The Downingtown Library wants to help.
Over the years, Karen Smith has seen a lot of the same people check out books from the same authors and genres. Working at the circulation desk for 16 years, sometimes she points out her readers’ habits, and prods them to visit different sections of the library. Her comments are usually well received — though, some patrons are happy where they are. Those looking to act on Smith’s suggestion may register for the library’s Stretch your Reading Horizons program, which runs through Aug. 31.
In its second year, the program is meant to get people to read some different books. “Some people come in and say, ‘I need help. I finished all of the Nora Roberts books. Can you suggest somebody else that’s like her?’” Smith said. “So I’ll suggest a couple of different authors for them, and sometimes they’ll be slightly different, and they start to branch out. Some don’t branch out, and that’s fine, too.”
There aren’t any meetings or discussions about the books. Readers just come in to the library, register, and are given a sheet to record the books they’ve read — that they normally wouldn’t. They’re also asked to rate the books so library personnel can make better recommendations. A enticing wrinkle to the program is that for every three books read, a reader is given a ticket to enter a drawing at the end of the summer.
Last year the library doled out a movie basket with tickets, popcorn and candy, and a handful of DVDs.
About 55 readers signed up last year to broaden their horizons. Twenty of them were teenagers, and most of them were women. The rut for younger readers comes from reading too much from the “Twilight,” “Eragon,” and the “Gossip Girls” series. Older readers can’t seem to get enough James Patterson, Nora Roberts, Vince Flynn and Lee Child.
“We’ll probably try to get them to read something nonfiction, or a mystery,” Smith said. “And humorists’ books — there’s a lot of funny things out there.”
Readers in the program read at their own pace and select their own books. For more information on the Stretch your Reading Horizons program, visit the Downingtown Library at 330 E. Lancaster Ave., Downingtown, call 610-269-2741 or e-mail Karen Smith at ksmith@ccls.org.
The Downingtown Library wants to help.
Over the years, Karen Smith has seen a lot of the same people check out books from the same authors and genres. Working at the circulation desk for 16 years, sometimes she points out her readers’ habits, and prods them to visit different sections of the library. Her comments are usually well received — though, some patrons are happy where they are. Those looking to act on Smith’s suggestion may register for the library’s Stretch your Reading Horizons program, which runs through Aug. 31.
In its second year, the program is meant to get people to read some different books. “Some people come in and say, ‘I need help. I finished all of the Nora Roberts books. Can you suggest somebody else that’s like her?’” Smith said. “So I’ll suggest a couple of different authors for them, and sometimes they’ll be slightly different, and they start to branch out. Some don’t branch out, and that’s fine, too.”
There aren’t any meetings or discussions about the books. Readers just come in to the library, register, and are given a sheet to record the books they’ve read — that they normally wouldn’t. They’re also asked to rate the books so library personnel can make better recommendations. A enticing wrinkle to the program is that for every three books read, a reader is given a ticket to enter a drawing at the end of the summer.
Last year the library doled out a movie basket with tickets, popcorn and candy, and a handful of DVDs.
About 55 readers signed up last year to broaden their horizons. Twenty of them were teenagers, and most of them were women. The rut for younger readers comes from reading too much from the “Twilight,” “Eragon,” and the “Gossip Girls” series. Older readers can’t seem to get enough James Patterson, Nora Roberts, Vince Flynn and Lee Child.
“We’ll probably try to get them to read something nonfiction, or a mystery,” Smith said. “And humorists’ books — there’s a lot of funny things out there.”
Readers in the program read at their own pace and select their own books. For more information on the Stretch your Reading Horizons program, visit the Downingtown Library at 330 E. Lancaster Ave., Downingtown, call 610-269-2741 or e-mail Karen Smith at ksmith@ccls.org.
