NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact: Christine Perkins, Assistant Library Director
Bellingham Public Library
(360) 778-7206
cperkins@cob.org

LIBRARY OFFERS BOOK CLUB KITS

The Bellingham Public Library is introducing "Bellingham Reads Book Club Kits" for local book clubs who would like to take the hassle out of reserving multiple library copies of the same title each month. The kits consist of ten paperback copies of discussable titles, title-specific discussion questions and author background material, as well as general questions to keep conversations flowing. Everything is stored in a convenient plastic tote.

Book Club Kits can be checked out for six weeks at a time, allowing a club member to pick up a kit from the library up to a week before a monthly meeting and return it up to a week after the meeting. Fiction and nonfiction titles are available.

"This is our way of reaching out to the legions of book club members in Bellingham," explains Suzanne Carlson-Prandini, who is coordinating the program for the library. "We know what a challenge reserving your library books can be and we want to make it simple for you."

For a current listing of available titles, visit the library's website at www.bellinghampubliclibrary.org and click on Library Catalog. Do a "subject keyword" search for the phrase "Bellingham Reads".

"Word of mouth is spreading quickly," says Carlson-Prandini. Certain titles have already been requested by several groups. Popular titles include The Madonnas of Leningrad by Debra Dean and Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson. Twenty-four kits are available at this time, but the library hopes to add more as resources allow.

Book clubs are encouraged to consider donating ten gently used copies of the same book to the library in order to create a larger selection of kits. Alternately, a donation of $125 will fund the purchase of a new kit-and will secure naming rights in honor of the individual or club making the donation.

"Imagine if every club in Bellingham donated one kit a year, we'd have a tremendous collection to choose from," says Carlson-Prandini. "That would leave everyone with more time to focus on reading great books, instead of trying to get their hands on multiple copies."

Kits can be reserved by contacting Suzanne Carlson-Prandini at (360) 778-7236 or via email at scarlson-prandini@cob.org .

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