Bookworms are invited to join library club set up to encourage reading and discussion
February 25, 2012, Saturday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
No matter how busy you may think you are, you must find time for reading," Confucius once said.
The great sage would no doubt have smiled on the latest effort by the Minhang Library to stir up public interest in reading.
The library is starting a monthly reading club, where book lovers can come together to discuss modern and classic literature, and exchange ideas about what they have read.
The discussion groups will be held at the library at 85 Mingdu Road on the last Saturday of every month.
Each session can accommodate about 40 bookworms.
The kick-off discussion group was held on February 18, the only exception to the last Saturday of the month schedule. It drew an overwhelming response.
"We received more than 80 applications to attend, and we had to exclude about 40 to 50 of them because our space is limited," said Han Yihua, a library staff member.
The outpouring of interest may have been related, in part, to the guest appearance of well-known Shanghai writer Ye Xin, who lives in Minhang.
Going forward, one book will be the feature topic of each discussion session. It will be chosen in consultation with comments on douban.com, a social networking site for Chinese lovers of the arts.
On the list of books to be discussed in coming months are the Chinese epic classic "A Dream of Red Mansions;" Jia Pingwa's "Qinqiang," a book about the lives of farmers; Eileen Chang's English-language novel "I Ching;" and Dickens "A Christmas Carol."
Library staff will lead the first three months of discussion groups, and then readers will be encouraged to take up the reins.
"The idea of setting up a book club originated from a report issued last year on World Reading Day," said Han.
The report said that most people are drawn to what it calls "shallow reading" - such as books on how to get rich quick or find instant success in life.
The report stressed the need for more focus on serious reading in the arts and humanities.
"At the same time, a number of readers expressed their hope that the library would set up a book club to provide a platform for them to meet other book lovers and exchange opinions," said Han.
The aim is to encourage more "profound" reading, she said.
Those interested in attending future discussion groups can visit the library or contact staff at hyh@mhlib.sh.cn.
The library is popular venue in Minhang.
In 2011, it issued 16,270 library cards and loaned out 2.3 million books, ranking first among district and county libraries citywide.
The great sage would no doubt have smiled on the latest effort by the Minhang Library to stir up public interest in reading.
The library is starting a monthly reading club, where book lovers can come together to discuss modern and classic literature, and exchange ideas about what they have read.
The discussion groups will be held at the library at 85 Mingdu Road on the last Saturday of every month.
Each session can accommodate about 40 bookworms.
The kick-off discussion group was held on February 18, the only exception to the last Saturday of the month schedule. It drew an overwhelming response.
"We received more than 80 applications to attend, and we had to exclude about 40 to 50 of them because our space is limited," said Han Yihua, a library staff member.
The outpouring of interest may have been related, in part, to the guest appearance of well-known Shanghai writer Ye Xin, who lives in Minhang.
Going forward, one book will be the feature topic of each discussion session. It will be chosen in consultation with comments on douban.com, a social networking site for Chinese lovers of the arts.
On the list of books to be discussed in coming months are the Chinese epic classic "A Dream of Red Mansions;" Jia Pingwa's "Qinqiang," a book about the lives of farmers; Eileen Chang's English-language novel "I Ching;" and Dickens "A Christmas Carol."
Library staff will lead the first three months of discussion groups, and then readers will be encouraged to take up the reins.
"The idea of setting up a book club originated from a report issued last year on World Reading Day," said Han.
The report said that most people are drawn to what it calls "shallow reading" - such as books on how to get rich quick or find instant success in life.
The report stressed the need for more focus on serious reading in the arts and humanities.
"At the same time, a number of readers expressed their hope that the library would set up a book club to provide a platform for them to meet other book lovers and exchange opinions," said Han.
The aim is to encourage more "profound" reading, she said.
Those interested in attending future discussion groups can visit the library or contact staff at hyh@mhlib.sh.cn.
The library is popular venue in Minhang.
In 2011, it issued 16,270 library cards and loaned out 2.3 million books, ranking first among district and county libraries citywide.
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