Readers Connect at RPL

by Abigail Hardison Rowan Public Library                                               

This spring RPL has two very special events planned for readers.  On February 16^th from 3 to 5 pm we are hosting a tea party called Love in the Afternoon for patrons who love romance novels.  And our following event, On a Dark and Stormy Night, is for those who love thrillers and mysteries. It will be held March 22^nd from six to eight pm. The purpose of these events may seem quaint to some in the day and age of Goodreads and other popular reader’s advisory publications, but they address a fundamental question that is still posed to librarians every day: “What should I read next?”

Bestseller lists and high-brow literary reviews are not terribly helpful for many casual readers, and Rowan county has a demographic and readership that is all its own. People select books for a wide variety of reasons, such as the recommendation of a friend or family member, or they saw an advertisement for an adaptation into a TV series or movie, or they know and love the author already.  Many of our most voracious readers are very devoted to certain authors or subgenres, and when there is not a new release that looks familiar, the dreaded unease of having nothing to read sets in.

Nowadays fan conventions are fairly commonplace. The most common, the science fiction/comic conventions, bring big crowds to visit vendors and purchase memorabilia, collector’s edition comics and all sorts of merchandise, but much of the enjoyment among attendees is just being around people who like the same things. This is the spirit with which our Readers Connect events were created.  These are places where people who love the same things can come together and find kindred spirits in their very own community.

Sure, games, prizes and refreshments are part of the event, but the true magic is in the interactions that start with “Hey, you love (insert author)? Me too!”, and lead to “Have you tried (different author)?” These conversations are the ones that tickle the hearts of librarians, because we very much want people to read and read the books they love, but we can’t be experts in every genre and subgenre. So the very best way for us to foster those conversations is to provide the place and time for people to share their own experiences.

Our Love in the Afternoon event will feature refreshments, decorations and prizes provided by local businesses such as Better Loafing Artisan Bread Company, Abigail’s Bakery, Mean Mug Coffee Company, Sweet Meadow Café, South Main Book Company, S & D Coffee and Tea, and Harris Teeter.  Prizes include literary themed gifts, books, and DVD adaptations of popular romances by Nicholas Sparks and Debbie Macomber. On A Dark and Stormy Night will provide participants with the case files and clues to solve the mystery of what they’ll read next.  We will have coffee and donuts graciously provided by Dunkin Donuts to sustain our amateur sleuths as they investigate. Hopefully our patrons will have as much fun attending these events as we have had planning them. We hope to see you there!