Book Clubbing at Bendale
Bendale Branch has run an Adult Afternoon Book Club for as long as anyone can remember. It was in the inspired hands of Branch Head Sylvia Simpson until her retirement in January 2009, when staffer Hanna Malek took over. Hanna brings wide book knowledge, spark and sparkle to the proceedings. This dedicated group of amateur literary critics meet at 2:00 p.m. on the third Tuesday of the month, fueled by refreshments and conversation.
On Tuesday October 18, at 2:00 p.m., author Julie Kirkpatrick will present her new book The Camino Letters to the group. This Ontario lawyer reduced her workload and set out on El Camino de Santiago pilgrimage with her teenaged daughter. Her book is the intensely personal and honest account of this journey.
In response to the call for a book club held outside regular working hours, Hanna began the Adult Evening Book Club this fall. This group meets the second Thursday of the month, from 6:30-8:00 p.m.. The first order of business was to select titles to discuss for the coming months. This was done democratically, by secret ballot. Attendance has been strong, but there is still lots of room for new members.
Please contact Bendale Branch at 416-396-8910 for information.
–thanks to Sandra and Hanna
2 thoughts on “Book Clubbing at Bendale”
It was the former Bendale Branch Head , Carol Ives, who was the inspiration for the Bendale Book Club. She started the Bendale Book in the early 1970’s. The club met every 2 weeks in the beginning years of the club. (Agincourt library did have a play reading group however). Bendale library was the first library to offer a book club in the former S.P.L. long before amalgamation and long before there were any other book clubs in Scarborough. Sixty people turned up for the first meeting! In latter years, the club met once a month instead of bi-weekly. I believe that some of the original members still attend the current day club. Just so you know the correct story of the Bendale book club and its inception.
Carol Ives
(Agincourt Library had a play reading group.)Carol led the book club for years and years until her retirement in 2003. Sylvia Simpson ran the book club only after Carol Ives retired.
Carol:
Thank you so much for letting us know the real story. It’s amazing that Bendale was the first book club in Scarborough. You were truly cutting edge!
Thank you for establishing one of the most vibrant and long running book clubs in Toronto Public Library.