Wheaton Reads program focuses on Sherlock Holmes

Wheaton residents on the hunt for something fun to do this month are being encouraged to pick up a copy of “The Hound of the Baskervilles” at the Wheaton Public Library.

The Sherlock Holmes novel, written in the early 1900s by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is the focus of the library's monthlong Wheaton Reads program, which features special events, movies, book discussions, contests and prize drawings.

“We're really trying to get people to come into the library,” Programming Coordinator Courtney Tedrick said. “We're encouraging the community to read the same book, to come to the library and to discuss it with their fellow residents.”

Beth Rupert, head of reader's services, said this is the second year the library has hosted a community reading program.

“There are many communities across the U.S. that now do a communitywide reading program each year and we thought the time was right for it,” she said.

The library's staff tried to pick a theme that was appealing to all ages, Rupert said. Like last year's theme of “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen, Sherlock Holmes has a huge following, and one that has grown in recent years with two TV series, “Sherlock” and “Elementary,” and new movies featuring Robert Downey Jr.

“We had a really good turnout last year,” Tedrick said of the attendance at Wheaton Reads events. This year all the events are free and scheduled to take place at the library.

The Friends of the Wheaton Public Library has purchased several paperback copies of “The Hound of the Baskervilles” that residents can keep. They can pick them up for free at the reader's help desk on the main floor.

The book also can be checked out or downloaded in an e-book form from the library's website.

Besides “The Hound of the Baskervilles,” residents are welcome to discuss “The Beekeeper's Apprentice,” which tells the story of a young woman who helps Sherlock solve mysteries, and “Eye of the Crow,” a young adult novel about Sherlock's boyhood during book discussions.

Anyone who attends at least three Wheaton Reads events will earn a prize drawing entry for “Sherlock” and “Elementary” DVDs and a $50 Downtown Wheaton gift card. A Sherlock event punch card is available at the information desk.

In addition, the first person to correctly answer Sherlock Holmes trivia questions posted at 10 a.m. each Tuesday on the library's Facebook page will win a Sherlock-themed prize.

“As a community center, we like to encourage the whole community to read,” Rupert said. “We wanted to encourage people to maybe have a conversation, something they can talk to their neighbors about.”