For her, the library is all about the joy of reading; from exploring the latest bestsellers to using the Spydus app to curate the perfect ‘to be read’ list. But it’s so much more than that too . Libraries are also about people: the warm welcome from library staff, the friendships forged through the Literature & Laughter for Ladies Book Club, and the shared excitement of discovering a story together.
We sat down with Beth to discuss her journey from occasional visitor to weekly regular. We explored the joy of book clubs, the books she can’t stop recommending, and why she believes libraries are one of the most valuable community spaces we have.
“Pendleton library was my local when I first moved to Salford. When I moved again, the first thing I had to know was where my local library was and was made up when I realised Swinton was on my doorstep.”
The staff are so friendly and always put the effort in to help at any turn and give some book suggestions.
“Before covid, I didn’t come as much. Then, during covid, I bought a lot of books and realised that wasn’t sustainable. After that I started coming to the library more and now, I come on a weekly basis.”
That you have all the current reads. The stock caters for everybody. I don’t think people realise just how diverse the collection of books is.
“I also use the Spydus library app daily and save books to my list on there. It makes it so easy to search for different books, as I can filter by preference in hardback/paperback.
I just think the library is a fantastic service for people that can’t afford to buy new books regularly. They can get their books for free from the library instead .”
“Easy and accessible. I can search by author, by book, and I love the “new adult fiction” category. It’s great how everything I like can be added to the saved list, so I’ve got a big to be read list. I just need to remember to update them and remove books I’ve read from that list.”
“The group is celebrating its 10th birthday this year! I Joined in July 2019. Over the years, leadership has changed and a group of six of us now run the admin side of the group. We have 80 active core members and use the Book Club website for our events and activities. We meet once a month, on the first Tuesday. Around 20/30 people come to the book club discussions, but we also have regular social events including a Walk and Talk, Coffee Morning, and Cinema Club.”
“We plan our reading list for the year ahead and ask members to submit suggestions. We’ll wait until we have around 60/70 suggestions, and then the club organisers sit down and make sure we have a mix of genres. That means there’s something for everyone and also means people will pick up books they would never have otherwise read. For example, fantasy is not my genre, but I’ve read a few fantasy books that have been amazing because of the book club.
The forward planning also means people can add the books onto wish lists in advance and reserve the books at the library with plenty of notice.”
“The friendships made and the social interaction. I work from home and live alone so to have a social event, or something tied to the group to go to is a massive benefit. Friends for life have come from the group. It’s a great way of making new friends. We’re a really diverse group with a huge age range from students at university to retirees. There’s no judgement and everyone’s friendly.”
Afterall, what’s not to love about talking about books.
“Always choose something that feels familiar and that you know you’re going to enjoy. Follow your interests and passions and give it a go. It’s the best way to relax and wind down during the day. 30 minutes a day to read is just a perfect way to ease yourself into a new journey.”
“Where do I even start?
My top 3 genres are historical fiction, contemporary, and literary fiction.
My all-time favourite book would be The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker. It’s a bit of a random, off the cuff book with an amazing love story in a historical fiction setting. You get an extreme emotional reaction where you’ll be laughing and then crying. There’s also a follow up The Hidden Palace which, in my opinion, isn’t as good, but was well worth the read as well.
Another favourite is A little Life by Hanya Yanagihara.
This one isn’t for the faint hearted, but I fell in love with the characters.
“Last, I have to give a mention to, well, anything by Kristin Hannah. The Nightingale is my favourite but I love all her books as well.”
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