New student book club at Seeley Lake Library

Students gathered around a small table, drawing and eating snacks, as librarian Carrie Benton read aloud.

It was the first meeting of the new Student Book Club that took place on Dec. 11. The meeting began at 3:45 p.m., just a few minutes after school got out. It started with everyone sharing a book they've read and enjoyed in the last year. Then, the reading began.

There were a variety of books laid out for students to choose from. Coraline by Neil Gaiman was chosen unanimously by the attendees.

Carrie Benton, Seeley Lake librarian, got the idea for the book club from a conversation with a student. She was encouraging the student to find a book in the library and they mentioned their preference for audiobooks. She realized that many people haven't been read to since they were in elementary school and wondered what it would be like for teenage students if they had the option of a librarian reading to them.

After multiple students expressed an interest in a read-aloud book club, Benton planned the first meeting.

"Students get a chance to hang out and meet other readers outside of school," Benton said.

She hopes the book club will help build a community and that attendees are able to have fun, aided by the warm drinks and snacks, which included Dots Pretzels and Sour Patch Kids at the first meeting.

Although the Seeley Lake Library and the Seeley-Swan High School Library share a space, they are separate. It is the Seeley Lake Library, which is a branch of the Missoula Public Library, that hosts the student book club. However, since the book club is for high school students, Benton got permission from high school Principal Shawn Holmes. The book options for meeting attendees to select will come from the high school section of the library.

The book club lasted an hour and afterwards students were welcome to stay in the library where they could continue to enjoy snacks and draw.

The second meeting of the Student Book Club will take place on Wednesday, Dec. 18. There will be no meeting on Dec. 25 or Jan. 1, but the book club will resume on Wednesday, Jan. 8.