In a world full of technology and AI, MTPL finds a way to connect teens to books and their community. Every fourth Monday of the month, teens ages 13-18 can attend the Teen Book Discussion Club at the public library. There, they engage in thought-provoking discussion about the monthly novel, form relationships with other teens and gain different viewpoints on the world around them.
“The Teen Book Discussion Club is [there] to get teens involved in the library and reading,” club adviser and library liaison Joelle Block said. “It gets teens together to form a community of readers that like certain books and [allows them] to enjoy it together.”
The books that are discussed cover many different genres, such as romance, mystery and science fiction. Each one allows the reader to explore different themes and styles of writing. Even if you are not a fan of a specific type of book, attending a book club and talking about it could make it an enjoyable read.
“I didn’t really enjoy ‘Klara and the Sun’,” Block said. “However, it led to really interesting topics for discussion, getting everyone’s perspectives on AI, and how new developments and medical advancements can benefit society. It was a really interesting topic.”
The novel took place in a dystopian future full of AI friends and genetic enhancements, and it follows a robot named Klara and her bond with her child, Josie. It discusses the gains and disadvantages of advancing technology to the point that it is harming humans. Though it is certainly an unique style, it raised great questions on different topics.
Еven if you are not able to make it to the meeting, book club member Edie Isaac encourages readers to still read the month’s novel. Though she has not come to every meeting, Isaac has read most of the novels, including some that she especially enjoyed.
“Even though I couldn’t make it to the book club [that month], I did read [‘The Lost Girl of Astor Street’],” Isaac said. “I liked that one. I liked the mystery, and the characters were interesting.”
Though the book club is mainly about discussing the novels that the members read, it is also about building connections with those in your community. Those in the club emphasize this is a great opportunity to build connections with people you would not normally meet, and it helps you feel comfortable enough to share your views on life and literature.
“I’m hoping it can be a safe space to talk about anything like relating books to real life and being able to share about stuff,” Isaac said. “Also, [it’s] a place for people who love books to connect and meet people you didn’t know before through a shared love of reading.”
Block hopes those that come to the book club enjoy reading the book and the experience of discussing it with other teens.
“[This is] a fun way to get together with other readers to talk about interesting ideas, perspectives, and to think about things differently than when you read it,” Block said.
The Teen Book Discussion Club is new to MTPL and has only been running for five months. However, the members hope that it is a project that will continue for a long time. Its creation is credited to the library’s Teen Advisory Board (TAB), a club that encourages teens to make a change in their community.
“Even though [TAB] is very much a new group, it’s already fun,” Isaac said. “We have grants going into new furniture for the YA sections, and that feels really big. Even if it hasn’t necessarily happened yet, it feels like I’m actually making a difference by doing something rather than just sitting in a room talking about the library. We even got to start doing the book club. I don’t think I’ve ever been in a book club before this, and it’s really fun to just sit for an hour and talk about books.”
TAB works on a lot of different projects, and they are thinking of more every meeting. Alongside the Teen Book Discussion Club, the members are creating an art display for teens and a book drive for the library.
“It really came from a group of teens that are very interested in supporting the library and wanting to connect teens more to the books that they are reading,” Block said.
For readers in Manheim Township, the Teen Book Discussion Club is a great way to diversify after school activities and to meet new people who share the same interests.
“It’s really great to have an opportunity to branch out from normal activities. Doing library activities isn’t something you would think of when you think of extracurriculars, but it’s actually really fun,” said Isaac.
Next month’s book club is on Oct. 27, where you can discuss October’s novel. The next TAB meeting is on Oct. 20, where you can help create meaningful changes in the community. For more information, visit www.MTPL.info.
