Many activities built around Community Read

Hosting a community-wide reading event is about more than just picking up a book; it's about bringing people together in a meaningful way. When neighbors, friends, and families all turn the same pages, it sparks conversations, builds connections across different backgrounds and turns reading into a truly shared experience. The benefits go far beyond the story itself, fostering a sense of belonging, encouraging thoughtful discussion and reminding us how powerful a good book can be when it's experienced together. For 21 years, the Tiffin-Seneca Public Library has hosted the Christopher D. English Community Read, and we are excited to announce "The Astral Library" by New York Times and international bestselling author Kate Quinn as this year's title! "The Astral Library" is "a gorgeously written fantastical adventure which poses the question: Have you ever wished you could live inside a book? Welcome to the Astral Library, where books are not just objects, but doors to new worlds, new lives, and new futures." Several related events will take place over the next few weeks, culminating in Kate Quinn visiting Tiffin for a public presentation on Tuesday, April 28 at 6:30 p.m. at the Chandelier Community Event Center. The author event is completely free and open to the public and will be followed by a book signing. Copies of The Astral Library will be available for purchase at the author event thanks to the Pan Yan Bookstore, and advance copies can be purchased at the bookstore. Copies of the book can also be checked out at the Library, and the eBook and audiobook can be found on the Ohio Digital Library and Libby app. We wanted the Community Read to be more than just a fun time with an exciting book and author; we wanted it to create opportunities for meaningful conversations about issues in our community, so last year we introduced Community Impact Partners. Our partners are organizations in Tiffin and Seneca County that work hard every day to improve the lives of the residents. Our Community Impact Partners correlate with the themes and topics in the book, so this year's topics are growing up in the foster care system, homelessness, and the influence that cultivating a love of books as a child can have on the rest of our lives. Our Community Impact Partners are Northwest Ohio Treatment Foster Care, Transformation Life Center, and the Gase Family Literacy Fund. Each week in April we will highlight a new partner with special displays and social media posts designed to bring awareness to the work that they do. In addition to Quinn's visit on April 28, we will be hosting a series of events to bring The Astral Library to life, starting with "How to Read a Book Like a Professor" on Tuesday, April 7 at 6 p.m. Join Heidelberg University professor Dr. Barry Devine to learn how literature professors approach and analyze books. In this engaging session, he will share simple techniques to help readers notice deeper themes, ask better questions, and get more out of the books they read. This session is meant to be a precursor to reading The Astral Library, so you do not need to have read it to attend. Next up is our adult craft program Glitter & Glue: Book Bedazzling on Monday, April 13 at 10 or 6:30 p.m. Celebrate the wonder and enchantment found within every story by transforming well-loved books into glittering works of art! Bring a favorite book to bedazzle (perhaps pick up a copy of The Astral Library from Pan Yan Bookstore!), or choose from a limited selection we'll have available. Two sessions will be offered. Registration is required by visiting the online calendar at www.tiffinsenecalibrary.org. Next, if you have ever wondered about the process of becoming a foster parent, join us for "T-SPL Talks: Foster Care" on Tuesday, April 14 at 6 p.m. This presentation, led by Community Impact Partner Northwest Ohio Treatment Foster Care, will discuss what treatment foster care is, what it takes to become a foster caregiver, and how community members can get involved. Lastly, Dr. Barry Devine returns on Thursday, May 7 at 6 p.m. for a follow up discussion on The Astral Library. Now that we've read the book AND heard from the author, we will explore the novel and discuss how Dr. Devine's tips and techniques influenced our reading experience. The Christopher D. English Community Read is funded by the Tiffin-Seneca Library Foundation and the many donors who have contributed to the Foundation over the years. Visit www.tiffinsenecalibrary.org/community-read or call 419-447-3751 for more information about this year's Community Read festivities. Kayleigh Tschanen-Feasel is the Community Relations Manager at Tiffin-Seneca Public Library.