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Schaumburg Township Library plans communitywide book read

The Schaumburg Township District Library is planning a communitywide reading and discussion of the 2003 novel "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri during the fall of 2018.

The book, which highlights the immigration experience in the U.S. through the eyes of a family from India, was chosen for the library's inaugural "Big Read" next year.

"'The Namesake' is a perfect fit for our community - in the last several years we've seen a surge in the number of immigrants that are relocating to our township and the surrounding areas," said Hollis Sienkiewicz, the library's marketing and communications director. "By creating a safe space for discussion and inclusion, we hope Big Read will enable us to recognize everything that our community members have in common, while being able to celebrate our differences."

It's unclear how often the library will have a new "Big Read." But there likely will be significant variety in the general themes of the books chosen, Sienkiewicz said.

Library officials expect the program to be a large, multivenue event and are seeking grant funding from the National Endowment of the Arts as well as assistance from local partnerships.

Though the author of "The Namesake" won't be available next fall, the library is currently seeking another relevant speaker - possibly someone associated with the movie, Sienkiewicz said.

Other possibilities being pursued are demonstrations of Indian food and dancing at different locations throughout the township, she added.

The library hopes to have more copies of the book available for people to read around August.

For more information on how to become a partner in the library's planning for "Big Read," contact Sienkiewicz at hsienkiewicz@stdl.org or (847) 923-3208.

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