Booklist Online and Downers Grove Public Library offer lively online book talk
Contact: Mary Frances Wilkens
Publishing
312-280-5715
mwilkens@ala.org
For Immediate Release
December 14, 2006
Booklist Online and Downers Grove Public Library offer lively online book talk
CHICAGO - An exciting new collaboration between the Downers Grove Public Library in Illinois and Booklist Online gets underway this month, aiming to offer the liveliest and most varied library-based online book discussions in the country. Library staff, general readers, Booklist editors and authors will air their thoughts, opinions, and book tips from wherever they can log on.
"The Downers Grove Public Library makes a natural partner for the Booklist Book Club,” said Booklist Editor and Publisher Bill Ott. “The library was an early leader in the Readers' Advisory renaissance and has continued to be known for innovative work in that area. And Booklist Online’s database offers ideal support for the various Book Club forums.”
The monthly discussions will include adult and youth, fiction and nonfiction titles. Kicking off the partnership are “The Sea” by John Banville (adult fiction), and “Girl Meets God” by Lauren Winner (adult nonfiction). The children’s side gets started with a mystery forum, discussing individual titles as well as how the children's mystery genre is changing.
"We're really looking forward to expanding the reach of our lively book discussions in the library," said Sue O'Brien, literature and audio services coordinator at Downers Grove. "By partnering with the Booklist Book Club, we're making it possible for people who can't get to their library at a set time to take part. For those of us who already participate in the Downers Grove book discussions, we're eager to enrich our experience by having a chance to add more thoughts and to engage with a wider group of readers."
The collaborative area of the Book Club covers a wider range of book-related activity than just the core discussions — a December forum throws open what books people are giving (or craving) for holiday gifts, while a January one will look back at favorite books of 2006. A conversation about the books selected by Booklist editors for the 2006 Editors’ Choice and Top of the List will offer readers the chance to support or challenge the choices — and to weigh in on what the professional reviewers said in the original Booklist reviews.
"This additional forum for nonfiction book discussions fills a gap since so much Readers' Advisory work tends to focus on fiction. It will be a great way to solicit suggestions for titles to consider in the future, too," said Bonnie Reid, reference and information services coordinator, Downers Grove Public Library.
The Booklist Book Club can be accessed through the Downers Grove Public Library Web site at www.downersgrovelibrary.org or through Booklist Online at www.BooklistOnline.com.
