Scariff teens club together to read

Clare Champion, Friday, 10th December, 2010

Scariff Library has been proving very popular with local teenagers lately, so much so that the library has now begun its own teenage book club

According to library assistant Samantha Morrissey, “Teenagers were coming in every day after school. They liked to use the internet, pick out books, read teen magazines, or just hang out with their friends in the teenage area. We have plenty going on here in the library for all ages. There’s the adult book club and children’s book club so I thought to myself, why not get the teenagers into a book club?”

The first meeting took place in November and the teenagers discussed what they would like to do in the bookclub. Among some of the ideas discussed were writing reviews, having a book club scrap book, charades based on the book, design alternative book covers and writing letters to the author.

“They came up with lots of great ideas and what they said when asked what they expected to get out of the club they said, ‘knowledge, friendship, experience and laughter’, said Samantha.

The book club meets once a month, generally the second Tuesday of each month. Samantha explained how the book club works. “Copies of the book chosen are available to pick up at the library desk. Suggestions for the next book are very welcome at the meetings. Everyone will read the book and then discuss it at the meeting. Even if you don’t finish it or hate it, we want to hear opinions,” she said.

The next meeting is on December 14 at 6 p.m. and they are reading The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Glass.

The Knife of Never Letting Go traces the journey of 12-year-old Todd Hewitt after he is forced to flee the stifling male-only environs fo Prentisstown. Todd fights to survive and to learn the dark secrets behind Prentisstown’s facade.

The teenagers have nothing but good things to say about Scariff Library and the new book club. Speaking about the library, Alex Milne, aged 15 said, “It’s a lot better than the one we had before. It was just a shack. It’s very good because teenagers can hang out and meet up with each other and there’s a lot more books than there ever was in Scariff.”

Lettie Knox, aged 13, said the book club was a good idea and a place where people could make new friends. While Sequoia Chung, aged 16, added that the book club offers “an opportunity to explore the world created by books with other teenagers.”

As the teenage book club is growing in popularity, other regular activities continue at Scariff Library. A recent meeting of the adult book club saw the Scariff Library poetry group join in. Irish classes have begun in the library on Thursdays, with four weeks of classes before Christmas and continuing after Christmas.

The Children’s Book Club is looking for new members and the Christmas Book club Party is on December 20. There will be Christmas treats for all. The book for this meeting is Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman and copies are available at the desk.

Scrabble for adults is ongoing and takes place every Thursday at 2pm, all are welcome. Computer classes for older people in conjunction with Age Action Ireland are ongoing. If you are interested, contact the library at 061 922893. And the second annual Young People’s Art Exhibition continues to showcase the works of youngsters from two to 21 in the library until December 11.

For more information on any of the events, contact Scariff Public Library on 061 922893.

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