Library Board Invites Community to Big Read This Fall
Trustees from Schaumburg Township District Library invite all ages in the Library's service area to join the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Big Read this autumn.
To participate, adults will read "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri, while children, tweens and teens will read Little Read books that target similar themes. Children ages 5-8 years old can join the fun by reading "I'm New Here" by Anne Sibley O'Brien, while 7-12-year-olds can read "Save Me a Seat" by Sarah Weeks and Gita Varadarajan. The title for teens is "When Dimple Met Rishi" by Sandhya Menon. A variety of discussions, activities and author visits that tie into The Big Read will take place at the library and other locations.
"I'm excited that so many kids and adults have a choice so they can all participate in the Big Read program," said Trustee Theresa Seyring. "I would like to encourage everybody to join in. I think these are very worthwhile titles."
The Big Read kick-off celebration will take place from 2-4 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 15 in the Central Library, 130 S. Roselle Road, Schaumburg. The kick-off will in include hands-on artistic experiences, a performance from the Nrutyakalashree Dance Academy, and refreshments. There will also be an exhibit titled "The Immigrant Experience Through the Eyes of Teens." The exhibit will be at the Central Library through Oct. 15.
Book discussions will take place beginning Tuesday, Sept. 18, and continue through Tuesday, Oct. 23, at all three library locations, as well as Wally's Coffeehouse in Schaumburg, Country Style Donuts in Hanover Park and other locations throughout the community. Times, dates and locations can all be found in the August-September Library Guide which was mailed to Schaumburg Township residents and is available in the library or SchaumburgLibrary.org/big-read. The library will also feature "The Namesake" in the Who Filmed This Book discussion from 6:30-9 p.m., Wednesdays, Sept. 12 and 26 at the Hanover Park Branch, 1266 Irving Park Road. During the first session, the group will view the movie, and during the second, everyone will discuss the book and movie.
Library Board Trustee Julie Wroblewski Bosshart said she read "The Namesake" a few years ago and recommended it to her book club.
"I really love this author and her voice, as well as the way she talks about the immigrant experience," Wroblewski Bosshart said. "I'm really excited to see the community come together on this initiative and look forward to more things like this in the future."
Trustee David Jonen has not read the book yet, but is anxious to get started.
"I look forward to sharing my thoughts about the book with fellow members of the community," he said. "I love the whole theme of new immigrants learning about the culture and ways of our society, and hearing their thoughts on it."
Details about the Big Read and Little Read book discussions and activities are listed in the library's August-September Guide and at SchaumburgLibrary.org/big-read.