Book Riot is teaming up with Harlequin.com to giveaway a Nook GlowLight Plus to one lucky reader! To enter, simply fill out the form and subscribe to the Harelquin.com newsletter. Here’s a little more about our sponsor: Harlequin.com is the official Harlequin book site. Join us to see the newest romance novels, read exclusive free stories from Harlequin authors, connect with our community of romance book lovers, meet your favorite authors, buy romance books online and more! My favorite thing to do as both a reader and a library staff member is share my joy in reading with others. Libraries are community spaces, and they serve as the perfect hub to build and celebrate a community of readers. A community of readers takes the joy you’ve experienced in reading a good book and increases it a hundredfold as you’re given the opportunity to share about the book. According to the National Literacy Trust (2006), “…children and young people who choose to read in their leisure time see themselves as members of a reading community that interacts socially around books and shares a love of reading with at least one family member (Strommen & Mates, 2004).” Interacting socially about books and feeling part of a reading community is an integral part in nurturing a joy in reading. So, how can we as library staff members build a community of readers in our libraries? Below, I’ve compiled a list of steps I’ve picked up from my time spent working in libraries and visiting them as an enthusiastic patron. How do you support a community of readers in your library? In the library, you could share what you’re reading with your patrons through conversations and displays. A simple way I do this at the library I work at is by posting a “Currently Reading…” sign in my office window with a picture of the latest book(s) I’m in the middle of.
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