b007 Impact http://readinggroups.org/impact/ Find out how reading groups can make a difference to you and your community en Copyright 2013 Wed, 17 Oct 2012 09:47:00 +0100 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification Warwickshire's own Man Booker winner announced As this year's Man Booker Prize winner is announced - Hilary Mantel for Bring up the Bodies - Warwickshire Super Readers Group, who have been shadowing this year's Prize, have been voting for their own Man Booker winner. Jan Dawson from Warwickshire Libraries tells us whethr they managed to predict this year's winner as they did in 2011: Warwickshire's winner The voting was very close at our final meeting at Stratford Library, but after much heated discussion we voted for: Our winner: Tan Twan Eng for The Garden of Evening Mists. Our runner-up: Hilary Mantel for Bring up the Bodies. We also voted on which book we thought the judges would pick as a winner. The vote went to Hilary Mantel Bring up the Bodies and second (by one point) Tan Twan Eng for The Garden of Evening Mists, just beating Will Self's Umbrella into third place. Our thoughts about each shortlisted book Swimming Home by Deborah Levy A deceptively straight-forward story, with sinister echoes from the beginning. With its theme taken from Greek myth, mermaids, the Lorelei, it is beautifully written, sweeping the reader along in a study of depression and severe mental health problems. Poetic. Bring up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel This book was considered brilliant by many, a book with an after-life. Writing in the present tense reminds us that the characters have no idea what awaits them. A terrific story, with a short time-frame, documenting events week by week, day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute. Captures the period perfectly. Lighthouse by Alison Moore. A very well-crafted book, dramatic and sad. For some the images of the lighthouse and venus fly-trap, worked very well, and were not contrived. Smells were depicted evocatively, (especially cigarette smoke) and it was thought that it would make a great film. Umbrella by Will Self The most difficult and discussed book of them all. Brilliant in it's way. The experimental nature of the book was admired, and the memories of childhood were beautifully evoked. It was thought to be an interesting and original way of depicting mental health issues. The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng Another beautiful, poetic book, slowly developing, with themes of memory and forgetting. The garden is a work in process, as is the story, with a slow build-up to events towards the end. There is horror too, hatred and guilt, all worked through in the garden. A very subtle and clever work. Narcopolis by Jeet Thayil A great cover. A perceptive book of the underworld of Bombay, capturing the difference between addiction to opium, and the lethal spiral into heroin addiction. It is not at all judgemental in it's attitudes, and depicts Bombay as a living, breathing being, in all it's horrors and glories. The group has had an amazing time shadowing the prize, and are very grateful that Man Booker gave us the chance to do so this year. We're looking forward to more challenges next year, expanding and challenging our reading lives. Get involved Read Warwickshire's first blog and second blog posts about shadowing the Man Booker. Is your reading group shadowing this year's Man Booker Prize - do get in touch or post a comment below - we'd love to hear about how you are getting on and who you think the winner will be. Man Booker have produced reader's guides for each of the shortlisted titles - check them out here for your group or club. http://readinggroups.org/impact/warwickshires-own-man-booker-winner-announced.html http://readinggroups.org/impact/warwickshires-own-man-booker-winner-announced.html Case studies Impact Mon, 20 May 2013 00:48:03 +0100 Shadowing the Man Booker - halfway there Jan Dawson from Warwickshire Libraries updates us on the progress of their Warwickshire Super Readers Group as they shadow this year's Man Booker Prize: We met for the second time recently, to discuss progress, as things gather apace, and there are only two weeks left to finish the six books. What a great turn out, with everyone bar two, present. Such enthusiasm and commitment. The discussion focused on how people were progressing, and what we thought of the books so far. Of course, discussion on each book was limited to those who had read it, (and trying not to give away anything to those who hadn't). What we thought Narcopolis: A very vivid and colourful picture of Bombay in the seventies, depicting the utter awfulness of life on the margins, played out in the opium haze of the city's underworld. Characters are very strongly portrayed, Dimple being a favourite, but not easy to relate to. Written by an author familiar with addiction and with all the horrors it entails. Opinion was divided on this, some enjoying the colourful decadence depicted, others unable to cope with the squalor. No one's favourite. Umbrella: Such a lot of discussion this book has generated. Certainly not an easy read, but plenty in it, once the initial barriers of reading stream of consciousness writing, has been overcome. Inevitable comparisons with Joyce and Woolf were made, but the theme of mental illness was often thought to be well depicted, if in a self-effacing way. A couple of people's favourite. Bring up the Bodies: Quite divided opinions on this one, many people finding it a difficult read, not least because of the plethora of characters and their various names. Generally thought to be well researched; a book which got to the heart of Tudor England, into it's characters, customs and speech. For many, the fact that it is a sequel to Wolf Hall detracts, though others think it stands on it's own well. Garden of Evening Mists: A favourite of many, so far. Beautifully written, evocative, a book to savour. This is a work which will stay with the reader for a long time, with well drawn characters and a palpable sense of time and place. A winner. Swimming Home: This has provoked much theorising amongst the group, is Kitty a mermaid, a lorelei or a siren? Lots of questions, great for discussion, and worthy of a re-read (though not just yet). An interesting read, unusual and compelling. Lighthouse: A readable book, with good characterisation, particularly Futh. Characters appear to be on a non-stop track with a collision course at the end. Generally thought to be a good read, but without the weight or depth to make it particularly memorable. Favoured by some. Our current favourite At the end of the evening, we decided to do a quick "straw-poll" of our favourite so far, and what we think the judges will pick (as far as we can tell now). Our personal favourite at this moment is Garden of Evening Mists, with Lighthouse a second favourite. We think the judges may well pick Garden of Evening Mists but Umbrella runs a close second. So, watch and wait. Can Warwickshire pick the same winner as the judges second-time round? We're voting on 15 October. The Man Booker Prize winner will be announced on the 16 October. Get involved Read Warwickshire's first blog post about shadowing the Man Booker. Is your reading group shadowing this year's Man Booker Prize - do get in touch or post a comment below - we'd love to hear about how you are getting on and who you think the winner will be. Man Booker have produced reader's guides for each of the titles - check them out here for your group or club. http://readinggroups.org/impact/shadowing-the-man-booker---halfway-there.html http://readinggroups.org/impact/shadowing-the-man-booker---halfway-there.html Case studies Impact Mon, 20 May 2013 00:48:03 +0100 Shadowing the Man Booker Prize Jan Dawson from Warwickshire Libraries has been in touch about their Warwickshire Libraries Man Booker Prize Shadowing Group. She tells us a bit about the group and their initial responses to this year's Man Booker shortlist. They predicated the winner in 2012, can they do it again? This year 15 eager readers are on the starting blocks in Warwickshire ,as Man Booker official shadowers, for the second time ( thank you Man Booker! ). Getting started We are very pleased to have been selected, and the great thing is that the group is a mixture of " old " shadowers and " new" shadowers, which makes it even more exciting. The blog is up and running, and most readers have posted on it. Take a look at it - we're rather proud of it. Our first meeting took place last week, and it served as an introduction to each other and to the process, for those unfamiliar with it. We also managed to get nearly everyone on the blog--some people were having problems. Since then, most people are blogging away nicely now. Regarding the books Very esoteric, somewhat challenging, was the first impression, and a lot of worrying murmurs about the Will Self! However, those who have read it so far have some positive comments, so we will wait and see. Certainly not easily accessible and obviously an acquired taste. The others all a bit unknown, apart from Bring up the Bodies, with those who have read Wolf Hall keen to commune with Thomas Cromwell again. So here we are, do wish us luck, time is pressing, so read on, read on. Get involved Is your reading group shadowing this year's Man Booker Prize - do get in touch we'd love to hear about how you are getting on. Man Booker have produced reader's guides for each of the titles - check them out here for your group or club. Read about Warwickshire shadowing the Orange Prize for Fiction. http://readinggroups.org/impact/shadowing-the-man-booker-prize.html http://readinggroups.org/impact/shadowing-the-man-booker-prize.html Case studies Impact Mon, 20 May 2013 00:48:03 +0100 Hendon Library Reading Group shadowing the Orange Prize The Hendon Library Reading Group took a turn as judges this summer shadowing the 2012 Orange Prize for Fiction. The Orange Prize is awarded to the best novel by a female author judged on excellence, originality and accessibility. These same elements were considered by the Hendon Library judges when reading the shortlist and selecting a winner. Reviewing six books over three months, the Hendon judges faced a mammoth task. To help them keep track of all their reading, they used score cards to give marks on the judging criteria. Here they tell us how they got on: What we thought Our shadowing started with a debate on whether there should be a prize solely for women's writing. By the end we were firmly in favour of the prize as we so enjoyed reading the shortlist. At the final discussion, score cards were discarded in a heated debate over our two top books, State of Wonder and The Song of Achilles. Ann Patchett impressed us with her unexpected story of adventure in the South American jungle, State of Wonder. One judge noted that while the ending was satisfying, you wanted to keep following the characters into the future. Patchett's plot read beautifully and turned on questions of morality in medical research, love and loyalty. High marks for excellence and originality. The Song of Achilles was voted the most fun read. A tale of Greek heroes and goddesses for a modern audience. One judge called it "Rick Riordan for the adults". This was a page turning story of love and war, with high marks for accessibility and excellence. Judges questioned the originality of the writing, but the group decided that a new point of view on the Iliad qualified. Our jazz aficionado was eagerly anticipating Half-Blood Blues, a story of mixed race jazz musicians tangled up in World War II Europe. The writing about music was absorbing, but we had difficulties connecting with the main characters. Also, we were hoping to hear more about Louis Armstrong. Film, please! The other three candidates were for the Prize were, Painter of Silence, an accomplishment by the writer - a portrait of a man who never learned language; The Forgotten Waltz which was the finely described consciousness of woman who (we strongly felt) chose the wrong man. Finally, we enjoyed Foreign Bodies, another easy-to-read literary rewriting, this time of Henry James' The Ambassadors. Our winner After much lively discussion and totting up our individual score-cards, our personal winner for the Orange Prize was: State of Wonder by Ann Patchett The judges found shadowing the Orange prize exhilarating and Hendon Library will be back for a new shortlist next year. In the meantime, we're off to read Ann Patchett's other novels. Get involved Has your reading group or book club read any of this year's Orange Prize for Fiction's titles? We'd love to hear what you thought. Post your reviews of Half Blood Blues here. Post your reviews of The Song of Achilles here. Read about how the Warwickshire Super Reading Group who also shadowed the Prize. http://readinggroups.org/impact/hendon-library-chooses-its-own-orange-prize-winner.html http://readinggroups.org/impact/hendon-library-chooses-its-own-orange-prize-winner.html Case studies Impact Mon, 20 May 2013 00:48:03 +0100 Taking time for ourselves - Manchester Carers Forum Book Club Miriam from Manchester Carers Forum Book Club tells us about the club and the importance of it in people's lives: Manchester Carers Forum is a charity that exists to improve the lives of carers by identifying carers and their needs and by advocating and developing good practice to meet those needs. You may be aware that Carers are the unseen and unsung heroes of our communities, undertaking significant caring responsibilities for families and friends and saving our economy nationally some £119 billion annually. Carers are a true example of the Big Society in action and undertake this responsibility at great personal sacrifice, often giving up paid employment to provide care for their loved ones. Caring is demanding and in many cases relentless. Anyone can become a carer at any time in their life. As well as raising awareness of carers issues we run several support groups, training opportunities, and activities including a book club for carers. Our book club The book club has been running for a number of years now. We have an ebb and flow of carers joining depending on their caring commitments and often choose books to read that have been made into films so if carers don't have a chance to read the book, we all view the film together to discuss. For us as an organisation, the importance of the book club is to allow carers to take a step away from their caring situation and take time out for themselves. It gives carers an opportunity to meet others and reduce isolation that can all so easily happen. We are a small and cosy group of between 6 - 10 carers at one time, although we welcome anyone who wants to join. Sara says: I joined the group to give me an opportunity to read books outside my comfort zone. The warm friendly atmosphere is what keeps me coming to the group. Brenda says: I love reading. It's great to share views with other readers and meet like minded people, who have become friends. Reading and writing is a way in which I take time out for myself from my caring role. For me reading is an escape into another world. The Door to Another World Brenda writes about how she helps to stay sane as a carer: As I walked through the doors, I had a feeling of being wrapped in a warm blanket. It was bright and warm with soft white light bathing my face. I felt as though every tense muscle in my body was relaxing. I was conscious of a smile softening my face. This was pure, pure pleasure. The atmosphere was as calming as an afternoon stroll along a sandy beach warmed by the sun. With book in one hand and a milky coffee in the other, I sat down, opened my book and lost myself in the wonderful pages unfolding before me. I was transported to another time and place, imagined I was floating like a leaf over water. Rippling on Water over Stones. This was my escape. This is my Waterstones. Our favourite Waterstones 11 reads The book club won reading group sets of the 2012 Waterstones 11 titles - here are their favourites: Absolution by Patrick Flanery The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce Signs of Life by Anne Raverat Our top 5 recommended reads The Stone Angel by Margaret Lawrence Agent ZigZag by Ben MacIntyre The Bridges of Madison County by Robert James Waller Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier True Grit by Charles Portis Get involved If you are an unpaid carer living in Manchester and would like to join the book club, do get in touch on: 0161 819 2226. Read about the Maidstone and Malling reading group and watch their video. Check out our Mood-boosting book recommendations for carers. If you run or are part of a reading group for carers, we'd love to hear from you. Please do get in touch to tell us your story. http://readinggroups.org/impact/taking-time-for-ourselves---manchester-carers-forum-book-club.html http://readinggroups.org/impact/taking-time-for-ourselves---manchester-carers-forum-book-club.html Case studies Impact Mood Boosting Books Mon, 20 May 2013 00:48:03 +0100 Meet Hackney Libraries' Telephone Reading Group Chris Garnsworthy from Hackney Community Library Service tells us about how they set up and run their Telephone Reading Group and the difference it is making to people's lives: The idea of Hackney's Telephone Book Club is simply to allow housebound people to participate in a traditional book club that would otherwise be unreachable. The reading group runs on a conference call basis with participants discussing a pre-selected book chosen by the group. Members join each group session one by one, introduced by the phone switchboard operator. The telephone calls are free and last for an hour, facilitated by a member of library staff and a representative from the RSVP charity, who work in partnership with Hackney Community Library Service to run the group. The group meets every 6 weeks to allow time to gather copies of the books in the different formats and there can be up to 8 people can be on each session on the phone in their own home. The group has evolved and look to innovate along the way. Early fears around bringing together housebound individuals of varying ages, 28 - 100 years, from across Hackney's diverse borough and then ask them to talk about books and gel as a group purely through the power of voice, were dispelled fairly quickly as the books became the bonding thread. To reflect different tastes, the groups early choices were Mark Hadden's Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time, Alan Titchmarsh's The Last Lighthouse Keeper, Malorie Blackman's Noughts and Crosses and Ruth Rendell's Adam and Eve and Pinch me. Lessening isolation The partnership with RSVP works well and is achieving results we could not have dreamt about when we had our initial discussions on how best to move forward. The group has flourished with members telling us of feeling part of the wider library community, enjoying the mental stimulation of reading then discussing the books, giving something to look forward to and enjoying the contact with staff and other housebound residents. Group members have become firm friends and been given an interest that has considerably lessened their isolation in the community. Putting faces to voices Such was the enthusiasm from the Telephone Reading Group members to meet and put characters and faces to the voices, we tentatively organised a coffee morning. We were worried that meeting might have a negative effect on the group if it didn't go well. We overcame transportation difficulties to bring everyone together at Stoke Newington Library. The traditional quiet of the library environment was shattered by the hubbub and laughter that came from the meeting room. Dial-a-ride drivers were sent away at collection time because no-one wanted to go home and the meeting over-ran by an hour. Our fears were unfounded. A new impetus for the group had been established and even more value had been unearthed for the participants. Authors taking part An innovative and successful addition to the Telephone Book Club schedule was inviting authors to participate in the discussion of their own novels. Crime writer Dan Waddell joined us to discuss The Blood Detective and a lively hour ensued with Dan enthusiastically answering all the questions that were fired at him. Some members found parts of the book too gruesome but Dan was able to explain why he felt that was necessary to the story, even revealing that his mother-in-law was shocked when she first read it too. Historical fiction writer Vanora Bennett has joined us since and we have had offers from other authors willing to give their time in the future. Making a difference Funding is important for RSVP to maintain and develop their support of the reading group and we were delighted when The Times singled out our work as part of The Times Christmas Appeal 2010. Alyson Rudd, their book editor, joined us in a book club session. This caused tremendous excitement among the group and Alyson was so taken with the group that she attended our next coffee morning. At the end of the telephone session Alyson joined, she asked the group what it meant it to them. We were overwhelmed as each participant spoke passionately about their enjoyment, how much they looked forward to the group sessions and the friends they had made, but, when looking at how we have changed lives, it was one simple thing that really stood out as a powerful image for me. Evelyn who is disabled and lives alone in a house in Stamford Hill said "It has given me something special back in my life. When my family were at home and there was noise all around me I used to tell them about what I was reading, share the funny bits and seek comfort when reading sad things. The house became quiet and I had no-one to share these things with. The telephone reading group has given me those pleasures back." Hackney Libraries Telephone Reading Group has been national news, won an award at the RSVP conference and been a big story for us in Hackney Libraries but it's the opportunity it gives people like Evelyn to be involved in the joy of a book club and get such a valuable addition to their lives that really makes the whole thing worthwhile. Get involved Find out about Scottish Libraries' visual impairment reading groups in libraries. Do you have a story to tell about your reading group? Do get in touch we'd love to hear it. http://readinggroups.org/impact/hackney-libraries-telephone-reading-group.html http://readinggroups.org/impact/hackney-libraries-telephone-reading-group.html Case studies Impact Mon, 20 May 2013 00:48:03 +0100 How reading and running a reading group changed my life Nominated by Judith Robinson and Maz Iqbal from Kirklees Libraries, Shaun Allison, won an Outstanding Learner of the Year for the Yorkshire and Humber region at this year's Adult Learners' Week Awards for the huge progress that he's made since taking part in the Six Book Challenge and joining a reading group at Huddersfield Library in 2008. Shaun tells us about how he runs the group and how reading has changed his life: My tutor Shirle said to me that she thought I would make a good teacher. I had never thought about that, but she said that the way I'd helped others in our group, that style of teaching was the future, and she asked me if I would do a teaching support course. I didn't think I would be able to do it, but she said: "Just do what you do in class". Running the reading group Then that led to staff suggesting I attend the Huddersfield Library Reading Group. When I went there I enjoyed it so much, and I got on so well with the readers in the group, I was only supposed to do two to three sessions but I wanted to keep going, and I did. Then when Hazel, who led the group, had to move away, she asked me if I would like to take over. I thought "Wow". I have been so lucky because throughout all of my reading and learning journey I have had a lot of support, I always think of the people who gave me that and I will never forget them, and I thought of them when I took the group on. I've run it on my own now for about three years; we meet every Friday at the library. It's for readers who, like me, are on a journey to improve their literacy and numeracy. They know I know what it's like, because I have been through it. We range in age from people in their 30s to people in their 60s, but we all get on. If any of the learners have got exams coming up, then sometimes we will meet more, or I will meet up with them outside of the library to go through things with them. I get a lot of joy out of supporting others, and I do actually learn a lot myself because up until a few years ago I had never read a whole book myself. I try to get them all to the level that I am at. Keeping my Six Book Challenge diary, I definitely enjoyed that - and as a reading group leader I would ask the rest of the group: "What do you think?" When we were reading a book they would often ask me what I thought of it, but I would ask them what they thought. We mark a book out of ten, and I always ask them why they have given it a particular mark, and we will discuss the book: discussion is an important part of the way I try to run our reading group. In the group, if one of us is struggling with a word we will stop and discuss it. Getting inside the mind of readers In our group, I am always trying to get inside the mind of the readers, to understand where they are going and trying to find something that they will make a connection with and get into. For example, one of the group members is Ron. He is the oldest member of our group at 68. He has now passed his Entry Level 3 Literacy, but I have also learned such a lot from him! For example, I am quite a weak speller - it is not my strong point - but Ron, who is also a weak speller, introduced me to a little electronic dictionary he had, which also has a thesaurus in it. At first I thought it looked really complicated, but now I don't go anywhere without one! Ron is a very valuable member of the group, no one looks down on anyone; they all support each other and we all pitch in and help each other. Seeing other people succeed, it's amazing, it gives me such a buzz! For example when I see Ron coming along and making a lot of progress, my heart flutters and I get full of emotion. Now at the reading group all he wants to do is tell us about the books he is reading at home; it's brilliant! "When I first started I couldn't read out loud, but working with Shaun and the rest of them, it has come out of me!" "It's nice to see the group progress as a group. I think that's the thing that makes me smile." Reading changed my life For me, education has helped me to get out of the hole I was in, and completely turn my life around. I do now feel like I will be able to get a decent job and lead a normal life. Going to the library and getting back into learning has made me more confident as a person, and it has made me a lot happier as a person. Being able to read and getting an education has opened so many doors for me. I am living in a completely different world from the one I was living in four to five years ago. I'm even thinking that one day I might go to university: that doesn't seem impossible now. Reading is therapeutic, it's nice; it helps me to sleep better and to relax. It makes me feel great! I have to admit that sometimes when I think about my reading and learning journey, it does make me emotional. I can't really put into words what reading and learning has done for me - it has totally changed my life through and through. Get involved Find out more about the Six Book Challenge, The Reading Agency's programme to support adults with low level literacy. Read about the benefits of running a reading group for adult learners. Read our tips for running a reading group for adult learners. Read about the Quick Reads Book Group in Watford. http://readinggroups.org/impact/how-reading-and-being-part-of-a-reading-group-changed-my-life.html http://readinggroups.org/impact/how-reading-and-being-part-of-a-reading-group-changed-my-life.html Case studies Impact Mon, 20 May 2013 00:48:03 +0100 The Woman Reader - women's reading through history We've been in touch with Belinda Jack whose book The Woman Reader has just been published by Yale University Press. It tells the story of women's reading from its earliest origins to the present day. Here's what Belinda has to say: The history of reading and the power of literacy We take for granted that we can read more or less anything that we choose. We may have to wait until another reader returns it to the library, or until we can afford to buy it, or while it's shipped from another part of the world, but with a bit of patience we'll be able to read it. It's a great privilege and it hasn't always been like this and it isn't now for a large number of men, and even more so women, in many parts of the world. The history of reading is to some extent the history of civilisation. Literacy brings power and wealth and these encourage rapid change. The history of women's reading, on the other hand, is more distinctive. For all manner of reasons women have been prevented from reading by being denied literacy or by being denied access to certain books. The South African writer Doris Lessing, makes the point very clearly when describing the importance of free access to books provided by public libraries: 'With a library you are free', she writes, 'not confined by temporary political climates.' For Lessing, who has lived through one of the most dramatic stories of a regime attempting to deny freedom to the majority, access to books is the most fundamental human right. She goes on to say, of the library, 'It is the most democratic of institutions because no one - but no one at all - can tell you what to read and when and how.' The history of the woman reader is in large part one of societies' attempts to control the freedom Lessing identifies, and women's rebellion against those constraints. Women's stories of reading Along the way I've uncovered large numbers of wonderful stories about remarkable women. I begin with women's image-making in the Cro-Magnon caves and end with the digital bookstores of today. The Woman Reader introduces determined female readers of many eras--a Babylonian princess who called for women's voices to be heard, rebellious nuns who wanted to share their writings to travel outside their closed communities, confidantes who corresponded with - and questioned - Reformation theologians, New England mill girls who risked their jobs to smuggle novels into the workplace, Quaker volunteers who taught literacy to women and children on convict ships bound for Australia, and many more. Campaigning for the right to read Throughout this history there have been remarkable women with a passion for reading and books--women who established libraries and universities, women whose contributions altered the great intellectual debates of their times, women who refused to believe the misogynist arguments against literacy and learning that surrounded them. And in some Muslim countries women are still campaigning for full enfranchisement into reading, and in sub-Saharan Africa, for example, women are still fighting for girls' literacy. My book is finally finished - seven years on - but the story isn't. About the book This lively book tells a story never told before: the complete history of women readers and the controversies their reading has inspired since the beginning of the written word. Belinda Jack's groundbreaking volume travels from the Cro-Magnon cave to the digital bookstores of our time, exploring how and what women have read through the ages and across cultures and civilizations. Today, a new set of distinctions between male and female readers has emerged, and Jack explores such contemporary topics as the commitment of mothers vs. fathers to children's literacy, women's vocal demands for censorship in school libraries, and the impact of women readers in their new status as the prime movers in the world of reading. About the author Belinda Jack is Tutorial Fellow in French, Christ Church, University of Oxford. She is the author of George Sand: A Woman's Life Writ Large and Beatrice's Spell. She lives in Oxford. Read an interview with Belinda Jack. http://readinggroups.org/impact/the-woman-reader---womens-reading-through-history.html http://readinggroups.org/impact/the-woman-reader---womens-reading-through-history.html Impact Research Mon, 20 May 2013 00:48:03 +0100 Warwickshire's Super Reader's Group shadow the Orange Prize Jan, from Warwickshire Libraries and a member of Warwickshire's Super Reader's Group, tells us about how they are getting on shadowing the Prize: The Orange Prize Super Reader's Group in Warwickshire are full steam ahead, reading as if it's going out of fashion, in their bid to meet the deadline of Monday 28 May when they will meet to decide the Warwickshire Orange Prize Winner 2012, and see if it's the same one the judges choose. About the super group Our super reader's group is made up of reading group members across the county, who have come together to shadow the Orange Prize, for the second year. This year's group consists of nine members, some of whom have shadowed before, and others for whom it is new. They meet up three times during the period between the short list and the winner being announced. They keep in touch with each other, and discuss the books on the Warwickshire Blog, which we set up especially for the prize. As far as we know, Warwickshire is the first library service to do this. Anyone can look at the site, but cannot post. (Take a look-we're very proud of it!) Half-way through At the mid point meeting last night (Monday 14 May), at Kenilworth Library, everyone discussed where they had got to, and they all seem to be racing along. Many only have one book left to read. One member is reading everything on her Kindle, so doesn't have the bother of picking books up from the library. At the outset, Warwickshire Libraries purchased multiple sets of the short listed titles from our local bookshop (Warwick & Kenilworth Books) and organised a swapping system, to ensure that nobody runs out of a book! What we're thinking So far, everyone is finding the books very stimulating. Half Blood Blues by Esi Edugyan has raised lots of comments, some people finding it difficult to get into and read, mainly because of the patois and style. However, once started, it keeps the attention, and rings very true. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller has been well received and enjoyed by many, and the stream of consciousness style of The Forgotten Waltz by Anne Enright is considered beautiful by some. State of Wonder by Ann Patchett holds the attention from the beginning, and Foreign Bodies by Cynthia Ozick has become a few people's favourite. Strangely, many people have left Painter of Silence by Georgina Harding to last, so there is no "feel" for it as yet. Check out our blog, and you can see that we have separated each book, so that the comments can be easily viewed How we'll be voting There was some discussion last night about the criteria for voting, and we came to the conclusion that, at the end of the day, decisions are inevitably quite subjective, even though we try not to be! However, it is quite possible to appreciate a book without actually liking it, and also to love a story but discover the book as a whole is flawed, either because of the language or structure. It is such thoughts that will guide us when it comes to voting. So do check out our next blog, which will be on Tuesday 29th May, when our winner will be announced. We can't wait to find out who it will be! Get involved Is your reading group or book club shadowing the Orange Prize? Do get in touch, we'd love to hear how you're getting on. Read Hertfordshire Book Group's reviews of Song of Achilles and On the Floor. http://readinggroups.org/impact/warwickshires-super-readers-group-shadow-the-orange-prize.html http://readinggroups.org/impact/warwickshires-super-readers-group-shadow-the-orange-prize.html Case studies Impact Mon, 20 May 2013 00:48:03 +0100 Engaging children with disabilities Kerry Brookes, Children's Librarian for West Sussex Libraries, tells us about a Chatterbooks project she ran in Chichester aimed at children with disabilities: In West Sussex we ran four Chatterbooks projects to engage with disabled children which was supported by 'Short Breaks' funding. The Aiming High for Disabled Children Short Breaks transformation programme was designed to ensure that disabled children and young people had greater access to services and activities in their local and wider community. A Short Break was defined as a positive activity for the child or the young person, where the parent/carer had a break from their caring responsibilities. I ran a Chatterbooks group in Chichester over a six-weeks. I have a good partnership with the local special educational needs school and liaised with one of the teachers to select children who would most benefit from the project. The children I worked with had different types of disabilities including: being on the autistic spectrum, dyspraxia, downs syndrome, aspergers syndrome and mobility impairment. Using multi-sensory stories I worked with seven children over the six sessions. We took a different story each week and used varying tools to bring the stories to life. The first session was used as an introduction where I used ice-breakers so we could all get to know each other which was followed by sharing the Matilda Multi-Sensory Storytime. Multi-Sensory stories, also know as Bag Books, are designed to be used with children who have profound and multiple learning disabilities or visual impairment. Boxes contain a script and a series of interactive 'pages' for children and young people to share with a parent, care or sibling. The Matilda box is the first one to be based on a story and has props and interactions to bring the well loved Roald Dahl book to life. In sessions two, three and five we shared a story or stories and then had a craft related activity. These included modelling characters out of clay and making superheroes and monsters out of potatoes. In session four we had a workshop using a local contact who used dressing up to retell a story. The final session was used as a celebration event where we invited the parents to come and share what we had done in the previous sessions. We booked the Storytelling company OrangeApples to peform at this session. What parents and teachers thought There has been such a wonderful response from the parents and the teachers. The overriding message is that they would like more events like this for children of all abilities. There was one girl in particular who was very shy at the beginning of the sessions but by the end she interacted well with all the stories and was keen to engage. Her mum said that she "...is able to engage with stories well and this has been fabulous". When asked how she might use the library in the future she said that she will now "...come in and look at books with her daughter". Another parent said how enjoyable the sessions were and when asked what she would take home from it said "A brilliant memory". Continuing the work Our remit was to run a programme of events that would expose the children to a range of literary and cultural experiences that would hopefully encourage them to continue to access the library service. I feel confident in saying that this has been achieved. Several of the children have now become library members and they have all been shown new ways to enjoy and access stories. There are currently two other Chatterbooks groups running in West Sussex that are specifically aimed at disabled children and we hope to continue with this work throughout the next year. We have gained some invaluable links with local special needs schools which we hope to build on in the coming months. Like to tell us about the work you've been doing in your Chatterbooks group? Do get in touch. http://readinggroups.org/chatterbooks/kerry-brookes-childrens-librarian-west.html http://readinggroups.org/chatterbooks/kerry-brookes-childrens-librarian-west.html Case studies Chatterbooks Impact Mon, 20 May 2013 00:48:03 +0100 0