Students, staff, and community members who love to curl up with a good book and a cup of hot cocoa are encouraged to join Mary B. Blount Library’s monthly book club. These open, casual meetings will be held on the 1st floor of the library in the cozy corner by the reference section. No sign up is necessary and light refreshments are provided.
Library Operations Coordinator and Averett English alum, Jessie Ross, had the idea for a book club during the summer of 2023.
“As a recent grad of Averett, I would have wanted it as a student,” Ross said.
The book club has discussed various genres such as fantasy, thriller, and historical romantasy. Ross personally liked January’s meeting for Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides.
“I liked them for the difference of opinions shown in those meetings,” Ross said. “It was nice to see different perspectives. I also thought Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller was beautiful.”
At the end of each meeting, club attendees can suggest other books for upcoming meetings. The group discusses their favorite genres and novels for future meetings or the following month. Then four or five options are posted online where users can rank the ones they would like to read next. The books that are ranked the highest will be selected to be read in the coming months. The only exceptions to this system are themed months such as Black history Month for February or Women’s History Month for March.
“Some are really close in rankings,” Ross said. “Some book suggestions may get tossed aside if there is not enough interest or votes.”
Ross explained that they try to get books that are available in multiple formats such as audio, physical copies, PDF files, free text, etc. A variety of versions are easier for some due to financial reasons, while others simply read better on a kindle than with a physical copy. The library also has an Inter-library loan system to Averett students, faculty, and staff. This system allows uses to acquire books, articles, and DVDs from other in and out of state libraries. Users can request a copy of that month’s selected book through this system.
The Averett book club typically meets Wednesdays of each month and is open to all who can attend. Joining remotely via Zoom is also offered by request only.
Ross wants to reassure readers that it’s not necessary to attend every meeting.
“Just see which book and time interest and works best for you,” Ross said. “We’ve had some attendees come just for the discussion without reading beforehand.”
As an Averett alum and current grad school student, Ross understands what it is like to juggle classes and leisurely activities. She reminds students that book clubs are not for everyone and that their studies must come first.
“Your number one priority is your course work,” Ross said. “This is not an official club, just something fun to do.”
The book club’s next meeting is Wednesday February 28th, 2024 from 5 to 6 pm where the novel Sulla by Toni Morrison will be discussed. All meetings are held on the 1st floor of Blount Library in the cozy corner by the reference section.
The meeting on Wednesday March 27th, 2024 will focus on books for Women’s History Month. The book selection for March is undetermined at this time. If you have a book suggestion for March, reach out via email,
Book club will not be held in April as the library will celebrate poetry month with a poetry reading event, on April 17th, 2024 at 4pm. April’s event will be hosted by The Ember, Averett University’s literary magazine.
For those who want to attend a local book club outside of Averett’s traditional semester schedule, local libraries and book stores are always encouraged. Rubie B. Archie Public Library in Danville, Virginia, for example, is offering an adult book club series where classic titles will be read and discussed.
For more information on the Blount Library book club and other library events, please email [email protected] or call 434-791-5636.
