Photo by Amy Cherry Michelle Casey (left) and Heidi Schmidt (right) currently oversee the St. Marys Public Library Book Club which is free and open to the general public. The group meets the first Wednesday of each month at the library from 6:30-7:45 p.m.

Behind the Scenes....

By Amy Cherry

Staff Writer

During the first Wednesday of each month local book worms gather at the St. Marys Public Library as part of the library’s book club.

Founded by Jane Vavala in 2004, the book club is currently overseen by Heidi Schmidt, a library associate for over 11 years, and Michelle Casey, a pre-school aide at St. Marys Catholic Elementary School.

The club is free to join and open to the general public. Those interested should sign up at the front desk or contact the library at 834-6141. With approximately a dozen participants, members ages range from mid-30s to 80.

“We get all our books through inter-library loan from local libraries so you are not required to buy your own copy,” Schmidt explained. “We check to make sure there are several copies available when considering our choices.”

In addition, the club offers audio versions of the selected book on tape and CD in order to accommodate the many lifestyles of the group’s members.

While Schmidt acts as the group’s historian, Casey moderates each meeting’s discussion about the chosen book.

“We have a general discussion where everyone gets a chance to comment about how they felt about the book, etc.,” Casey described.

Participants are given one month to read the book. If a member does not finish the book, whether because they did not have time or just did not enjoy the book, most still attend the meeting to discuss their thoughts on the book.

Both Casey and Schmidt have been involved with the book club since 2005.

“I’ve always had a lifelong passion for reading. When I was young I wanted to read all the best written books in English literature and from there I became an English major in college,” Casey said. “Plus I want to discuss all the good books I’ve read.”

“The book club offers another way for people in town to get together that’s free,” Schmidt added.

Schmidt noted that each week two members bring in a treat, while the library furnishes coffee for the group which meets from 6:30 to 7:45 in the library’s downstairs conference room.

During the club’s meetings some members take notes on each book. Often times they will write specific questions they have about the selection while they are reading the book. Questions are handed out each month for members to contemplate while reading the book. These questions are obtained online or included in the back of newer books.

When Casey first became involved with the group she provided a synopsis of three books each month in which members would vote on the assigned book.

However this format changed two years ago. Each member now recommends a book and explains why the group should read it. The group also gets suggestions via word of mouth, especially from library patrons who rave about specific books.

The first selection read by club was a book about the Johnstown flood.

As part of the book club’s selections Casey and Schmidt said they try to fit in a classic once or twice a year. A fair amount of the reading consists of non-fiction. The group strays from romances as well as mysteries or suspense which are mostly plot driven. In addition the length of the book is typically kept around 300 pages or less.

“Sometimes the best discussions are about the books that people don’t care about,” Casey said.

Among the book club’s favorite selections throughout the years have been “The Glass Castle” by Jeanette Walls, “Rebecca” by Daphne du Maurier, “The Story of My Life” by Farah Ahmedi with Tamin Ansary, “The Last Lecture” by Randy Pausch, “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society” and “The Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini.

Those listed as their dislikes have been “Love Me” by Garrison Keillor and “Brick Lane” by Monica Ali.

Schmidt noted the group has also several selections by local authors as well including “Shadows on the Bayou” by Lisa Lepovetsky and “Heartwood” by PJ Piccirillo who visited the club in July and offered several of his books on loan.

Currently book club members are reading “The Diary of Anne Frank” with the March selection being “The Help” by Kathryn Stockett.