Silent Book Clubs--Happy Hour for Introverts

Are you an introvert? Do you like books? Do you like to read books of your own choosing? On your own schedule? Then a silent book club may be the book club for you!

What the heck is a silent book club? Simply put, it's a book club in which people gather together (usually for an hour) to read on their own in silence. You B.Y.O.B. (Bring Your Own Book...or Kindle or audiobook with earbuds), arrive early for provided beverages and munchies, find a seat, and start reading with the sounding of a bell. When the bell is rung again to mark the hour's end, socializing with your fellow book club members is optional. You can talk with others about your book, continue reading, or just leave.

I haven't heard of silent book clubs until recently, but apparently they've been around for over a decade and can be found around the world. They started in 2012 when two friends in San Francisco enjoyed reading but disliked traditional book clubs that felt like classes with assigned books. The emphasis of silent book clubs are on reading, and there's no pressure to read the same book in advance of the event. There's also no pressure to participate in conversation, no stress of trying to think of something witty to say.

Some of you may be wondering what's the sense of getting together with others just to read quietly and have snacks. Well, there's something to be said about companionable silence. Readers who are introverts are not necessarily hermits and may want to be among others like themselves. As C.S. Lewis once wrote, "We read to know we are not alone." 

Have you been in a silent book club? Would you like to be in one? Share with us!

Wishing you a happy hour (or more) reading from the perch.

Date Your Book

Reading a book can be like dating. 

Occasionally, it's love at first page and you're feeling an instant connection. You want to get to know the characters better and spend more time in the world the author has created. Although you may be busy, you WILL make the time to be with this new love of yours, whether it's a quickie during a work break, dinner, or under the bed covers. Any time spent apart is pure agony; you can't help thinking about your book and what the characters may be doing without you.

Hopefully it's rare, but you may not feel a spark from the first page. Maybe even from the first chapter. You might need to give a little time for your connection to the book to fully develop, so you begin with a mild interest, optimistic that some event in the story may create a spark that fans into a raging bonfire...or at least a flame. But if that spark never ignites, it may be time to move on.

Yes, you understood me correctly--if a book isn't grabbing your attention, it's time to ditch the book and find another that will. "But Perch Librarian," you may say, "I've invested 71 pages and 3 hours into this book, so surely I should power through, even to the bitter end?" To which I will reply, "Dear Patron, why force yourself to stay in an unhappy, difficult relationship with this book? You're a good reader and this is a good book, but you're just not meant to be together. Life is short and there are plenty of books out there--read the books that make you smile and give you the tinglies."

I will be honest with you, my dear readers. When I was younger, I stuck with some books not because I necessarily liked them, but because I didn't want to be a quitter. In more recent times, however, I've ended relationships with books that haven't satisfied me. Divorcing a book can truly be the best thing for your happiness and peace of mind. I am here to tell you that it's OKAY to stop reading a book that doesn't bring you joy and to find one that does...WITHOUT GUILT! I believe in you--YOU CAN DO IT! Reading is an activity you should enjoy; don't make it a chore.

Always wishing you love at first page from the perch.

Polar Bears and Polar Night

I wrote about armchair travel in the past, and I'd like to tell you about my latest armchair trip to a place near the North Pole (and no, it's not Santa's workshop). The book I recently read is Life on Svalbard by Cecilia Blomdahl, a New York Times bestseller by a Swedish YouTuber who has been living for the past 10 years in Longyearbyen, Svalbard's largest town with roughly 2,600 people.

Where the heck is Svalbard, you may ask? Svalbard is a group of islands in the Arctic Circle that belong to Norway. It's a place of extremes. At the moment, they are experiencing what is called polar night, which is when the sun doesn't rise at all for several months in the winter due to the tilt of the earth on its axis. In contrast, they will have 24 hours of sunlight for several months straight in the summer, a phenomenon known as polar day. 

I learned of the book through a CNN article, and I found the thought of people living somewhere like Svalbard fascinating. Blomdahl takes us through a year living in her cabin just outside of Longyearbyen with her Norwegian partner, Christoffer, and her dog, Grim. She writes about her cabin, going to town, seeing the northern lights, boating in the summer, and traveling hours by snowmobile to an off-the-grid vacation cabin, all accompanied by her stunning photos. 

I have to admit I've even started watching Blomdahl's YouTube channel. Cecilia comes across as bubbly and positive, like a good friend chatting with you. It's so interesting to watch her take us to the only supermarket in Longyearbyen, restaurants in town, walks during polar night with Grim, and around her cabin and deck on the water. And let's not forget about polar bears--there are plenty of them on Svalbard, and everyone who goes outside town needs to carry a rifle for protection in the event of facing one of these Arctic giants.

Find the book on Overdrive/Libby (ask us about FREE access), and unless you have a Kindle Colorsoft, be sure to download the app on your phone, tablet, or computer in order to enjoy Blomdahl's photos in all their glorious colors.

Wishing you good armchair travels from the perch.

Presidential Libraries

No doubt you've heard that President Jimmy Carter lay in repose at The Carter Presidential Center, which consists of a museum and library dedicated to the former president's time in office. It was not the first time that a president or a first lady lay in repose at a presidential library before burial. This got me thinking about American presidential libraries--their number and how they began, among other things.

Apparently, presidential libraries are a 20th century phenomenon and there are currently fifteen of them, two of which are completely digital at the moment (Obama and Trump). Franklin D. Roosevelt. was the first president to have a presidential library; he developed and built it, opening it to the public in 1941. Roosevelt was also the first president to donate his professional and personal papers to the federal government, and his presidential library was the only one to be used by a sitting president.

The Presidential Libraries Act in 1955 encouraged but didn't require presidents to donate materials from their administrations, but the Presidential Records Act of 1978 declared that all presidential records are owned by the public. The libraries are operated by the Office of Presidential Libraries, which falls under the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). There is a presidential library for every president since Herbert Hoover, and each library is located in a president's home state (Texas has three). A number of presidents and first ladies are even buried on the grounds of their presidential libraries.

Although it's possible to visit a presidential library, some have virtual tours. Additionally, many presidential documents and photos can be accessed through the internet. For instance, you can see photos of Jackie Kennedy's dresses and find information on when and where she wore them, or you can read the public papers of Ronald Reagan.

I'm probably a bit biased as a librarian, but presidential libraries make it easier for future generations to learn about past presidents and understand their administrations.

As always, sending you best wishes from the perch.

Winter Reading Challenge!

This year the library is doing its very first Winter Reading Challenge! Woo-HOO! Why are we doing it? Because we can! More seriously, though, aren't the post-holiday, colder, darker days of winter the perfect time to read? And isn't it a great excuse to read some of those books you were gifted over the holidays?

Our theme is "Bundle Up With Books," something that's so enticing to do right now on the sofa with a warm beverage, fuzzy socks, cuddly blanket, and flickering candle. Doesn't that give you the feel-good vibes and make you enjoy winter? The Danes sure have it right with the hygge thing!

For those of you who have done our Summer Reading Program, the Winter Reading Challenge works pretty much the same way. It's for kids, teens, and adults, and it counts if you read aloud to each other (for both the listener and the reader) or if you listen to audiobooks. You log your minutes (either online or in person at the library on paper) and get prizes for logs you turn in. Not a bad deal!

So, stave off those winter blues by registering for the Winter Reading Challenge (https://fairchildafblibrary.beanstack.org/) and get reading! The program runs now through January 31. Start your New Year right with books and fun!

Wishing you a winter and whole year of good reads from the perch.

Get the Facts

The library is a politically neutral zone (with the exception of upholding your freedom to read). It does not support any political party and it welcomes people of ALL parties. Heck, unless you tell us which party or candidate you support, we don't know and we don't need to know.

What the library will support and encourage is that you exercise your right to vote. And if you're unsure how to vote, we can help you find information that will aid you in making your choices. There are various materials online and in print about the candidates and different issues that will allow you to learn more.

A good voter is an informed voter, one who checks and evaluates sources. Are the sources reputable? Do they have an agenda? Are they more left-leaning or right-leaning? Do they present more facts or opinions? So many news sources today often present opinions as facts, and it takes effort to sift the real from the unreal. As a general rule, if something seems unbelievable, it probably is. Don't get taken by the sensationalism of a number of news outlets. Be especially wary of social media, which is full of opinions and emotions.

If there is one thing certain to come from the election, it's a different elected leader. Some of us will be happy with the result, and some will not. No matter what, when the election is done, let's move forward. Let's all respect each other and calmly continue. Then let's do something we can all (hopefully) agree on--read.

Wishing everyone the best from the perch.

Halloween--It's for Adults, Too!

Why can't adults have fun? I mean REALLY have fun? The kind of fun like you had when you were a kid, when you didn't feel silly about dressing up, pretending to be someone or something else, and playing make-believe? Think way, way back. Can you remember what that felt like?

Too many of us take life too seriously and have forgotten how to play. Or we think we can't afford the time to play because there are more important things to do, like doing taxes, making dental appointments, or following news on the election (that last one is the best, isn't it?). Playing for adults, however, is not only fun, it's good for our mental and physical health. It helps us to relax our minds and bodies, de-stress, laugh, move, and more.

Let's face it. Halloween gives us adults an excuse to put on a costume, have fun, and act goofy (something my co-workers will say I do often enough). We can be a Jedi knight, a princess, a superhero, an alien, or anyone else, real or imagined. We can even be something strange like a Rubik's Cube, puffy cotton candy with a paper stick sitting on our head, or a washing machine. You can be whatever you can imagine! And don't be afraid to act out the new persona you've taken--just do it. Halloween is for everyone--kids and adults.

If there's one thing I've learned from the kids in the library storytimes that I lead, don't worry about how you look or if you're doing things right. Just get out there, let yourself go, and have fun in the moment!

What do you want to be for Halloween this year? Share with us!

Wishing everyone loads of fun this spooky season from the perch.