Summer reading at the Effing Library has just started off with a bang. Many libraries have summer themes like "Dive Into a Book," "Summer Reading Frenzy," "School's Out. Reading's In" or "Read. White and Blue."
But this year's theme at the Effing Library is, "It Happens Between the Covers."
"We took the theme of 'reading in bed' and created these six foot by six foot book beds," says the Director. "They are all designed to reproduce covers from classic books."
He pointed to the large foam beds with cover reproductions from Tropic of Cancer, Portnoy's Complaint, Fanny Hill, A View from Above by Wilt Chamberlain, and My Life by Bill Clinton.
And we let our patrons get in between the covers. "See," he said as he demonstrated with the Cleland book, "these are very roomy. I can get one or two other people in here. Three if they were children."
"We converted our public meeting room into this large bedroom. We've put down cushions and pillows and dimmed the lights to give our patrons a comfortable place to spread open a good book. It's extremely popular with the high school students. And these middle-aged men."
"Hi," the Director calls out to a man squeezing into a Portnoy's Complaint with a teen, "did you guys meet on MySpace?"
"We want it to have the exact same atmosphere as a bedroom. And what's better to do in the bedroom than read a good book?" the Director added.
"It's so good to see kids getting into the classics. We only ask that they write about their books on the social networky thingies. And they can do that through their phones," the Director said. "One girl asked me, 'Is sexting okay?' And I just laughed and said, Of course, 16, 17, all ages are welcome. Kids think they need permission for everything. But I say, go wild."
Starting June 6, the program runs throughout the summer and climaxes with a group booktalk on July 20.
sorry, but this post was inspired by this actual headline:
"Books with Benefits" by COLIN MERRY
...come on, "books with benefits"? it's like "friends with benefits" which is SEX. gawd, do I have to explain all my dirty jokes to you? you're like my mom...
