ALL RIGHT, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND GET THE RECORDING STARTED. AND I'M SO VERY EXCITED TO WELCOME OUR PRESENTERS TODAY. TOM FISH COMES TO US FROM NEXT CHAPTER BOOK CLUB WHERE HE IS THE FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT. PAM BROOKS FROM THE SCOTCH PLAINS PUBLIC LIBRARY IN NEW JERSEY SERVES THERE AS THE DEPARTMENT HEAD AND ADULT IN-SERVICE AND TEEN-SERVICES HEAD. AND MAGGIE ALLBEE COMES TO US FROM THE HENRICO COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY IN VIRGINIA WHERE SHE IS THE ADULT SERVICES SUPERVISOR AND THEY ALL BRING A GREAT WEALTH OF INFORMATION AND EXPERTISE AND PRACTICE ON NEXT CHAPTER BOOK CLUBS SO WELCOME ALL OF YOU AND I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND PASS THE BALL OVER TO TOM AND HE WILL KICK US OFF. WELCOME, TOM! IT LOOKS LIKE TOM I'M NOT HEARING YOU SO PERHAPS YOUR LOCAL PHONE MIGHT BE MUTED, AS WELL. STILL NOT HEARING YOUR AUDIO. >> TOM, ARE YOU THERE? >> ARE YOU THERE NOW? >> THERE WE GO. WE HEAR YOU. WELCOME. >> OKAY, EVERYONE, SORRY FOR THE CONFUSION. MY NAME IS TOM FISH AND WE'RE DELIGHTED TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU THIS AFTERNOON. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LITERACY FOR PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES. AND HOW THAT ENTERS INTO THEIR SOCIAL LIVES AND -- AND ALSO TO THEIR ABILITY TO BE INVOLVED IN THEIR COMMUNITY. A COMMON BARRIER FOR PEOPLE WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES IS THAT THEY ARE INCREASINGLY LIVING IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT REALLY HAVE LIMITED SYSTEMATIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOCIAL INTERACTION AND MANY IF NOT MOST OF THEIR ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY TEND TO BE SEGREGATED. SO -- AND THEY JUST WERE NOT HISTORICALLY THOUGHT TO BE INTERESTED OR CAPABLE OF LEARNING AFTER HIGH SCHOOL AND FOR THAT MATTER HIGH SCHOOL FOR MANY PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES PROVIDED A LOT OF PROBLEMS BECAUSE THEY WERE CONSTANTLY REMINDED ABOUT WHAT THEY DIDN'T KNOW, THEY WERE STIGMATIZED. SO LEARNING WAS ALWAYS SOMEWHAT PEJORATIVE. SO THE IDEA OF THEM BEING INTERESTED IN READING AND EXPLORING BOOKS IN THEIR ADULT LIFE WAS REALLY FOREIGN TO THOSE, FOLKS. WHEN WE STARTED TO THINK ABOUT THE NEXT CHAPTER BOOK CLUB IDEA IN 2002, REALLY WHAT WE DID WAS ME MET AT AN OLD BORDER'S. BORDER'S IS NO LONGER, BUT WE MET AT BORDER'S BOOKSTORE, INTENTIONALLY, A GROUP OF US, A COUPLE OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, A COUPLE OF FAMILY MEMBERS AND SO FORTH AND WE WE WANTED TO -- WE KNEW WE WANTED TO SEE HOW WE COULD THINK ABOUT PROVIDING BOOK CLUB EXPERIENCES FOR PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES, JUST LIKE ANY OTHER FOLK IN THE COMMUNITY. SO THEN WE JUST KIND OF STARTED THINKING WELL HOW WOULD WE DO THIS? YOU KNOW, AND -- AND WE GOT A LOT OF PUSHBACK BECAUSE WHEN WE STARTED VENTURING THE IDEA OF HAVING A BOOK CLUB FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES SOME FOLKS SAID HOW CAN YOU HAVE A BOOK CLUB FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T READ. WE CAME UP WITH THIS MODEL. IT'S REALLY AN INTEGRATED MODEL OF THE NEED FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES TO HAVE SOCIAL OPPORTUNITIES, FOR THEM TO BE INCLUDED IN THEIR COMMUNITY IN VERY REAL, GENUINE ACTIVITIES, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, TO EXPLORE LITERACY AND SOCIAL COMMUNICATION. SO I WANT TO ALSO MENTION THAT -- THAT THOSE THREE COMPONENTS ARE REALLY CRITICAL AND THEY ALL WORK TOGETHER. SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT MEETING IN THE COMMUNITY AND -- AND READING A BOOK TOGETHER AND FEELING LIKE YOU'RE PART OF A SOCIAL NETWORK, IF YOU WILL, LIKE I WANT TO GO WHERE EVERYBODY KNOWS MY NAME. THOSE THREE THINGS KIND OF ARE REALLY IMPORTANT AND WHEN THEY COME TOGETHER, THEN WE HAVE NEXT CHAPTER BOOK CLUB. THE GOAL OF THE PROGRAM IS FOR MEMBERS TO INTERACT MORE FREQUENTLY IN NEW WAYS WITH BOOKS AND A VARIETY OF ORAL COMMUNICATION. AND ALSO ANOTHER GOAL OF THE BOOK CLUB IS FOR MEMBERS TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK WITH ONE ANOTHER AND TO BE PART OF THE COMMUNITY, REALLY GENUINELY PART OF A SETTING WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. SO SINCE WE STARTED IN 2002, WHICH IS ABOUT 16 YEARS AGO, THE NEXT CHAPTER BOOK CLUB HAS GROWN SIGNIFICANTLY AND WE NOW HAVE WELL OVER 250 CLUBS ACROSS AMERICA AND THROUGHOUT EUROPE, PARTICULARLY IN GERMANY WHERE WE HAVE CLOSE TO 50 CLUBS AND I'VE GOT TO TELL YOU WHEN WE FIRST STARTED THINKING ABOUT THE BOOK CLUBS AND WHERE WE MIGHT MEET IN THE COMMUNITY, ONE OF THE THOUGHTS WAS WELL, WE SHOULD REALLY JUST MEET IN BOOKSTORES AND COFFEE SHOPS AND CAFES AND WE WERE A LITTLE BIT RELUCTANT ABOUT LIBRARIES AT THAT POINT, 16 YEARS AGO, BUT MY GOODNESS, THAT HAS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY. CERTAINLY OVER THE LAST FIVE, SIX, SEVEN YEARS, LIBRARIES HAVE INCREASINGLY BEEN MORE WELCOMING IN A SENSE AND -- AND CERTAINLY, A PLACE THAT IS PART OF THE COMMUNITY AND A VERY GENUINE PART OF THE COMMUNITY WHERE WE NOW CONSIDER HAVING BOOK CLUBS ALL THE TIME. SO THE CLUBS ARE PRETTY SIMPLE. THEY MEET ONCE A WEEK FOR AN HOUR. ONLY AN HOUR. WE GENERALLY TRY TO STICK TO THAT TIME FRAME AND WE MEET GENERALLY AT THE SAME LOCATION FOR FAMILIARITY. FOUR TO FIVE -- BETWEEN FOUR TO FIVE AND EIGHT MEMBERS IN EACH CLUB. WE GENERALLY DON'T WANT TO DO TOO MUCH FEWER THAN FOUR OR REALLY ANY MORE THAN EIGHT. IT JUST SEEMS TO BE THE RIGHT SIZE FOR THE CLUB. AND ONE TO THREE FACILITATORS AND BY THE WAY, MANY IF NOT MOST OF OUR FACILITATORS TEND TO BE VOLUNTEERS, ALTHOUGH SOME OF THE LIBRARIANS AND OTHER PROFESSIONALS DO -- DO -- DO ACT AS FACILITATORS, BUT BY AND LARGE, WE TEND TO WANT TO TRY TO GET VOLUNTEERS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY AND EVEN PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AS WELL AS VOLUNTEER FACILITATORS. THE NEXT CHAPTER BOOK CLUBS MEET, AS I SAID, IN PUBLIC SPACES, WHERE OTHER PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY MEET AND -- AND SOCIALIZE, BOOKSTORES AND LIBRARIES AND COFFEE SHOPS AND CAFES. WE ONCE HAD A BOOK CLUB IN A VERY SMALL TOWN IN OHIO THAT MET AT A -- THAT KIND OF PROVED TO BE A LITTLE DIFFICULT, BUT THEY DIDN'T HAVE A LIBRARY THAT WAS REPRESENTATIVE -- RECEPTIVE SO THEY STARTED AT BOB'S BAKE BOY, BUT EVENTUALLY ENDED UP AT A LIBRARY AT A UNIVERSITY AND THE REASON IT DIDN'T WORK REAL WELL AT THE RESTAURANT WAS BECAUSE 50 TO 60 -- 40 TO 50 MINUTES OF THE ONE HOUR WAS SPENT EATING. SO GENERALLY, WE DO NOT MEET IN ISOLATED SETTINGS LIKE WORKSHOPS OR AGENCIES, PRIVATE MEETING ROOMS. WE GENERALLY TEND TO BE IN PUBLIC SPACES. OF COURSE, THE BENEFIT FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE NEXT CHAPTER BOOK CLUB, PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, IS THAT THEY HAVE A MEANINGFUL REGULAR OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. THEY HAVE AN AUTHENTIC OPPORTUNITY TO PRACTICE THEIR LITERACY AND SOCIAL SKILLS AND FROM THE COMMUNITY'S STANDPOINT, IT GIVES THE COMMUNITY AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN EVERYDAY ACTIVITY AND DOING SOMETHING THAT'S PURPOSEFUL AND NOT IN A THREATENING WAY, BUT A VERY CASUAL WAY AND -- AND IT ANSWERS THE DIVERSITY WITHIN THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ARE NOT JUST DROPPING IN AT A WENDY'S FOR HAMBURGERS. THEY'RE DOING SOMETHING INTENTIONAL AND PURPOSEFUL AND FOR THE LIBRARIES, OF COURSE, IT'S -- IT'S AN EFFORT TOWARDS COMMUNITY SUPPORT, IT INCREASES LIBRARIES' ABILITY TO BE VISIBLE AND INCREASED RESEARCH -- REACH A TYPICALLY MISUNDERSTOOD POPULATION SO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ARE SEEN AS BEING GENUINE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY. IT FULFILLS A LOT OF THE LIBRARY'S MISSIONS TO SERVE AS WIDE A POPULATION AS POSSIBLE AND ENHANCES THE STAFF AND VOLUNTEER PROFESSIONAL AND LIFE EXPERIENCES FOR THOSE STAFF MEMBERS. SO WE PICK MEMBERS WITH DISABILITIES OF ALL LEVELS. AND SOME PEOPLE SAY HOW CAN YOU INCLUDE SOMEBODY WHO CAN'T PRESUMABLY READ? WELL, WE HAVE STRATEGIES AND THE OTHER FOLKS TODAY WILL BE SHARING SOME OF THAT, SOME STRATEGIES, HOW WE REALLY ENGAGE PEOPLE TO READ. MEMBERS ALSO SPEND TIME SOCIALIZING DURING -- DURING THE CLUB. EVERY EFFORT IS MADE TO ACCOMMODATE EVERYONE WHO WANTS TO JOIN, WHETHER PEOPLE HAVE HEARING PROBLEMS OR VISUAL PROBLEMS. WE -- WE FIND A WAY AND WE HELP YOU AT THE CENTRAL OFFICE TO DEAL WITH THAT, TO ACCOMMODATE PEOPLE. WE ONLY ASK THAT DISRUPTIVE AND AGGRESSIVE PEOPLE, THAT PEOPLE WITH THAT ARE EXCLUDED AND PROSPECTIVE MEMBERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO VISIT THE EXISTING BOOK CLUBS IF AND WHEN POSSIBLE. WE READ A BOOK, THAT'S REALLY AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO ENJOY AN ADULT-THEMED LITERATURE THAT'S WRITTEN IN SIMPLIFIED LANGUAGE. AND A WHOLE HOST OF SHORT STORIES THAT CAN BE READ OFTENTIMES WITHIN AN HOUR. ALTHOUGH MANY OF OUR MEMBERS DO IMPROVE THEIR LITERACY SKILLS, AND THEY REALLY DO, WE FOCUS ON READING TO LEARN AS OPPOSED TO LEARNING TO READ. ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDE THE JOIN AS AFFILIATES, INCLUDE MANY A PUBLIC LIBRARIES, SMALL AND LARGE BY THE WAY, SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES, PARENT GROUPS OFTEN WORKING IN COLLABORATION WITH ONE ANOTHER AND THAT'S VERY RICH, PART OF THIS -- OF THIS NEXT CHAPTER BOOK CLUB IDEA THAT YOU CAN PARTNER WITH OTHER AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATIONS. WE CHARGE $350 FOR OUR FEE AND THAT'S A ONE-TIME COST AND IT'S A HIGH-IMPACT -- IT'S A REAL HIGH-IMPACT PROGRAM AND ONE THAT I THINK YOU'LL FIND VERY BENEFICIAL. WE'RE MOST WILLING TO WORK WITH YOU TO TALK ABOUT STRATEGIES FOR COVERING THOSE COSTS AND WE HAVE AN ONLINE TRAINING WHICH HAS THREE MODULES, TWO AND A HALF HOURS, AND IT'S INTENDED FOR DESIGNATED COORDINATORS AND PEOPLE WITHIN THE ORGANIZATIONS AND ONCE YOU BECOME AN AFFILIATE, THERE'S A SHORTER TRAINING VIDEO FOR VOLUNTEER FACILITATORS, WHICH IS ABOUT ONE HOUR. IN ADDITION TO THE ONLINE TRAINING, THE TWO AND A HALF HOUR LONG ONLINE TRAINING YOU WOULD RECEIVE ACCESS TO A PORTAL THAT GIVES YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO INTERACT WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUPPORT BOOK CLUBS AROUND THE COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD. AND THEN AGAIN, THESE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE ASK THE RESPONSIBLE COORDINATOR AT THE AFFILIATE TO DO TO -- TO KIND OF MAINTAIN THE ONGOING INTEGRITY OF THE -- OF THE CLUB. IT'S NOT DIFFICULT, BUT RECRUITING MEMBERS, RECRUITING VOLUNTEERS, TRAINING AND RETAINING VOLUNTEERS AND FINDING APPROPRIATE HOST SITES, SCHEDULING BOOK CLUB, AND SELECTION OF ACTIVITIES AND BOOKS AND THE OTHER PRESENTERS WILL TALK MORE ABOUT THE BOOKS, BUT WE -- WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO -- TO EXPLORE YOUR IMAGINATIONS, TO CONSIDER THIS OPPORTUNITY AND HOPEFULLY BELIEVE ME, YOU'LL GET A LOT OUT OF IT AND AS WE GO THROUGHOUT THE DAY, THROUGHOUT THE SESSION, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ASK QUESTIONS OR FOLLOW UP WITH US INDIVIDUALLY AFTER THE -- AFTER THE PRESENTATION. IT'S BEEN A JOY TALKING WITH YOU. THANK YOU AND I'LL PASS -- PASS THE BALL ALONG. >> THAT'S GREAT. THANKS SO MUCH, TOM. I'M JUST GOING TO JUMP IN WITH ONE QUESTION. I KNOW THAT PAM AND MAGGIE WILL TOUCH ON THE MATERIALS. THE BOOKS THAT THEY SELECT. BUT THERE WAS A QUESTION IN TERMS OF THIS COMMUNITY, IT SOUNDS LIKE HAS A LARGER GROUP OR A GROUP -- A GROUP HOME THAT THEY SERVE WITH A LARGE NUMBER OF RESIDENTS. HOW HAVE YOU RECOMMENDED THAT PEOPLE APPROACH IF THEY HAVE A LARGER GROUP ALREADY SORT OF IN PLACE, HOW DO YOU WORK WITH MAKING THAT WORK? >> WELL, I THINK YOU START WITH ONE BOOK CLUB. I THINK ONCE YOU START ONE BOOK CLUB THEN OTHER PEOPLE CAN SEE IF THEY LIKE IT. THEY CAN LOOK AT IT, THEY CAN COME TO IT AND SEE WHAT IT REALLY MEANS NOT ONLY PROSPECTIVE FACILITATORS, BUT ALSO PROSPECTIVE MEMBERS. SO YOU HAVE -- I THINK YOU HAVE TO START WITH ONE AND GET A FEEL FOR HOW IT GOES AND THEN DEAL WITH THE OTHER PEOPLE. YOU CAN'T SERVE EVERYBODY. YOU HAVE TO BEGIN WITH -- WITH ONE LAUNCH. AND ONCE YOU LAUNCHING -- LAUNCH, THEN YOU'LL FIND WAYS TO REPLICATE IT WITH OTHER PEOPLE IN THE ORGANIZATION. >> OKAY IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S AN EXISTING GROUP SO THAT'S -- THAT'S THE PIECE, BUT WE CAN CONTINUE ON AND WE'LL GET SOME INPUT FROM PAM AND MAGGIE. I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND MAKE MAGGIE THE PRESENTER AND I'M GOING TO UNMUTE YOU. HELLO, PAM. >> HELLO, HOW ARE YOU JENNIFER? >> EXCELLENT, GREAT THANKS SO MUCH. AND YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO MOVE YOUR SLIDES. >> I'M TRYING. OKAY HOLD ON. GIVE ME A SECOND. >> SOMETIMES, YOU HAVE TO GET YOUR MOUSE OVER ON THE SLIDE TO GET THAT SILLY TINY PILL MENU. >> ALL RIGHT, HOLD ON. I CHANGED THE VIEW UP ON TOP. IS, BUT EVEN EVEN SO IT'S NOT WORKING WITH PAGE DOWN OR THE UP AND DOWN LITTLE ARROWS. >> THERE YOU GO, I SEE IT. >> HI, EVERYBODY! CAN YOU HEAR ME? >> YES, WE CAN. YEP. >> PERFECT. I'M PAM BROOKS AND I COORDINATE TWO NEXT CHAPTER BOOK CLUBS SPONSORED BY MY LIBRARY IN NEW JERSEY. TODAY, I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU THE STORY OF MY LIBRARY'S INVOLVEMENT IN NEXT CHAPTER AND THE CHALLENGES AND THE REWARDS OF OUR AFFILIATION. I ALSO WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE SIX NEXT CHAPTER BOOK CLUB WE HELPED OTHER NEW JERSEY LIBRARIES LAUNCH THROUGH A CONTRACT FROM THE NEW JERSEY STATE LIBRARY. AND LAST OF ALL I WILL SHARE OBSERVATIONS, MY OWN AND OTHERS, ABOUT WHAT MAKES FOR A SUCCESSFUL GROUP AND HOW TO BUILD A STRONG, ONGOING AND MEANINGFUL INVOLVEMENT. NOW, IF I COULD ONLY -- THERE WE GO. WE CURRENTLY RUN TWO GROUPS. AS YOU CAN SEE, ONE GROUP IS NOW IN ITS 11th YEAR AND WE ADDED A SECOND GROUP EIGHT YEARS AGO. WE BEGAN OUR FIRST GROUP WHEN A MOTHER OF A 15-YEAR-OLD ASKED ABOUT A BOOK CLUB FOR HER SON, BILLY. SO WE DECIDED WE WOULD START A NEXT CHAPTER BOOK CLUB FOR TEENS. 11 YEARS LATER, BILLY IS STILL AN ACTIVE MEMBER IN WHAT HAS BECOME AN ADULT GROUP AND I WILL TALK MORE ABOUT HIM LATER. MOST OF THE MEMBERS OF OUR FIRST GROUP ARE ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM, ALTHOUGH WE DON'T KNOW THE DIAGNOSIS OF MOST OF OUR MEMBERS, UNLESS PARENTS OR MEMBERS WANT TO VOLUNTEER THAT INFORMATION. THIS GROUP HAS GREAT PARENTAL SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT, WHICH IS DEFINITELY A HUGE ASSET AND CONTRIBUTES TO A SUCCESSFUL AND STABLE GROUP. THE MAJORITY OF OUR INITIAL MEMBERS ARE STILL ACTIVE BOOK CLUB PARTICIPANTS. MEMBERS OF OUR 530 CLUB ARE NOT AS HIGH FUNCTIONING. ONE MEMBER IS LEGALLY BLIND AND READS VERY HALTINGLY FROM AN IPAD. WE PRACTICE ECHO READING WITH ANOTHER MEMBER AND SOME MEMBERS ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO SENSORY OVERLOAD. WITH THIS GROUP WE HAVE FOUND THAT A HIGHER RATIO OF VOLUNTEERS TO MEMBERS IS KEY. WHEN WE BEGAN, WE HAD LITTLE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT WORKING WITH PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES IN A GROUP SETTING. OF COURSE, WE INTERACT WITH MEMBERS OF THIS POPULATION EVERY DAY AT OUR PUBLIC DESK, BUT THIS WAS DIFFERENT. WE WONDERED WERE WE EQUIPPED TO PUT A BOOK CLUB INTO PLACE THAT WOULD PROVIDE A GOOD EXPERIENCE FOR ALL INVOLVED? WE HAD FEARS OF THE UNKNOWN, BUT WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE FOLKS IN COLUMBUS WE SET OUT TO DO IT. WE ASKED OUR FOLKS WHAT WILL IT TAKE IN MANPOWER, RESOURCES, TIME, LOCATION? ARE WE UP UP TO THIS CHALLENGE? ONCE WE DECIDED TO FORGE AHEAD, WE VISITED OTHER NEXT CHAPTER BOOK CLUBS IN NEW JERSEY. THEY WERE NOT LIBRARY SPONSORED CLUBS BUT SPONSORED BY ARCS AND THE LIKE BECAUSE THERE WERE OTHER OTHER LIBRARY-SPONSORED BOOK CLUBS IN NEW JERSEY AT THE TIME. WE GAUGED COMMUNITY INTEREST IN EVERY WAY WE COULD THINK OF. WE HAVE COMMITMENT FROM VOLUNTEERS AND WE ARRANGE WITH NEXT CHAPTER BOOK CLUB FOR VOLUNTEER TRAINING. WE ALSO APPROACHED OUR LOCAL PANERA BREAD BECAUSE THEY WANTED A GUARANTEE OF A WARM WELCOME FOR OUR CLUB. WE DISTRIBUTED FORMS AT PRELIMINARY GET-TOGETHERS AT FIRST MEETINGS AND WHENEVER SOMEBODY WANTED TO SIGN UP. THE FORMS INCLUDED INQUIRIES ABOUT MEMBERS' INTERESTS AND FAVORITE BOOKS ALONG WITH MEDICAL CLEARANCE FORMS AND THE LIKE WHICH I NOW BELIEVE ARE CREATED AND SHARED BY NEXT CHAPTER HEADQUARTERS. WHEN WE STARTED IN 2008 OUR MEMBERS WERE AGED 13 TO 20 WITH A FOURTH GRADE READING LEVEL OR BELOW, MALE AND FEMALE WITH VARIED INTERESTS. WE WERE UNCLEAR AT THAT POINT WHAT KINDS OF BOOK WOULD RESONATE WITH MEMBERS WE HARDLY KNEW. SO WE LOOKED FOR A FOURTH GRADE LEVEL BOOK THAT WOULD APPEAL TO ALMOST ANYONE. OUR CHILDREN'S LIBRARIAN HELPED US CHOOSE A DOG'S LIFE. WE WENT VERY HEAVY ON BOOKS ABOUT ANIMALS AT THE BEGINNING BECAUSE WE DID NOT WANT MEMBERS TO FEEL -- READING ABOUT FOURTH GRADE CHARACTERS WHEN THEY WERE SO MUCH OLDER. WE CHOSE TITLES FOR THE GROUP, BUT WE ARE ALWAYS IN THE PROCESS OF TRANSITIONING AND HAVING MEMBERS CHOOSE THEIR OWN BOOK IS MORE IN LINE WITH NEXT CHAPTER BOOK CLUB'S PHILOSOPHY AND A FEW YEARS AGO, AS OUR MEMBERS GOT OLDER WE STARTED TO OFFER CHOICES FROM BOOKS LIBRARIANS SELECTED OR A MEMBER WOULD SUGGEST. THIS PAST JUNE, BILLY TOOK THE INITIATIVE. HE WANTED TO GATHER SUGGESTIONS FROM THE GROUP IN A MORE FORMAL WAY. SO THE FACILITATORS HELPED HIM PRESENT HIS IDEA TO THE GROUP AND HE MADE A LIST OF THEIR SUGGESTIONS, WHICH YOU CAN SEE ON THE GREEN. I TOOK THE LIST AND CHECKED AVAILABILITY. WE GENERALLY TRY TO STAY BELOW $7 OR SO PER BOOK. AND IT ALSO GAVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO VET TITLES I FELT MIGHT BE INAPPROPRIATE FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS. I MADE A SIMPLE TEMPLATE AND WORKED WITH BILLY AT THE LIBRARY TO COME UP WITH TWO OR THREE SETS OF SUMMARIES TO E-MAIL TO CLUB MEMBERS AND FAMILIES ABOUT FIVE WEEKS IN ADVANCE OF THE START. THE NEXT CHAPTER COORDINATOR AT CAMDEN COUNTY LIBRARY IN NEW JERSEY SAYS THAT THERE, THE LIBRARIANS GIVE THE MEMBERS A COUPLE OF CHOICES FROM THEIR OWN READING AND THE MEMBERS' SUGGESTIONS AND THAT IS HOW THEY READ THE ENTIRE FIRST HARRY HARRY POTTER BOOK. THIS IS THE LIST WE E-MAILED TO MEMBERS AND THEIR FAMILIES TO REVIEW TOGETHER. ALL OF THE TITLES WERE RECOMMENDED BY CLUB MEMBERS AND -- WHEN THE VOTES CAME IN, CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY AND THE CLASSIC ROBIN HOOD WERE THE POPULAR CHOICES TO BEGIN WITH AND SINCE ROBIN HOOD IS BACK ORDERED, WE ARE GOING TO START WITH CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY. ALL DONE! AT THE ONSET ONE OF OUR BIGGEST FEARS WAS THAT WE WOULD ENCOUNTER UNPREDICTABLE OR UNCONTROLLABLE BEHAVIOR ISSUES. FOR THE MOST PART, EVEN THOUGH MANY OF OUR MEMBERS HAVE WHAT I WOULD DESCRIBE AS TYPICAL BEHAVIORS FOR PEOPLE ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM OR OTHERDISHES LIKE ROCKING AND SELF-SOOTHING, SENSITIVITY TO SOUNDS AND OTHER STIMULI, WE HAVE HAD NO INCIDENTS WE COULD NOT HANDLE. BOOK CLUB MEETINGS YOU'LL FIND BECOME EASIER TO RUN ONCE YOU ESTABLISH A FAMILIAR ROUTINE. EVEN SO, THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES THAT WE HAVE HAD TO ADDRESS CERTAIN SITUATIONS. TECHNIQUES WE USE INCLUDING SETTING CLEAR GUIDELINES ABOUT BEING RESPECTFUL OF OTHERS AND NOT INTERRUPTING THEIR READING OR CONVERSATIONS AND PEER PRESSURE HELPS US REINFORCE EXPECTED BEHAVIOR. SOMETIMES, ONE OF OUR FACILITATORS WILL SIT NEXT TO A MEMBER WHO NEEDS A LITTLE HELP WITH CONTROL AND CAN REMIND THEM WITH A VISUAL CUE OR A SOFT TOUCH TO GET BACK ON TRACK OR THEY CAN TEMPORARILY LEAVE THE GROUP OR WALK TOGETHER AROUND THE RESTAURANT. VERY INFREQUENTLY WE HAVE TALKED WITH PARENTS, SOMETIMES, THERE IS A MEDICATION CHANGE OR ANOTHER LIFE EVENT, WHICH CREATES A CHANGE IN DEMEANOR OR BEHAVIOR. SOMETIMES, A FAMILY MEMBER ACCOMPANYING THE MEMBER FOR A FEW WEEKS PROVIDES JUST WHAT IS NEEDED. WE HAVE RETAINED THE VAST MAJORITY OF PARTICIPANTS OVER THE LAST 11 YEARS, BUT A COUPLE HAVE LEFT BECAUSE THEIR BEHAVIOR WAS DISRUPTIVE TO THE GROUP AND WE COULD NOT WORK OUT THE PROBLEM. USUALLY, DUE TO NOT HAVING ENOUGH FAMILY SUPPORT. ONE LEFT BECAUSE HE DID NOT LIKE TO READ. TWO OF OUR MEMBERS LIVED QUITE A DISTANCE AWAY AND THEY LEFT BECAUSE THEIR MOTHERS FOUND JOBS OR HOUSING THAT MADE IT VERY DIFFICULT TO GET THEM TO MEETINGS. FOR US, FAMILY SUPPORT IS SO IMPORTANT TO MAKING THINGS WORK. PARENTS AND SIBLINGS ARE TRULY THE UNSUNG HEROES OF OUR CLUB. AS FOR RELUCTANT READERS, WELL MANY OF OUR NEW MEMBERS REFUSE TO READ AT FIRST AND THEN TYPICALLY AFTER A COUPLE OF WEEKS WE CAN'T GET THEM TO STOP READING. IT'S BEEN QUITE A WHILE, BUT TO MY BEST RECOLLECTION, STAFF TIME DURING SETUP INCLUDED FOUR TO FIVE HOURS OF VOLUNTEER TRAINING, 35 TO 50 HOURS OF STAFF TIME FOR RECRUITMENT, ORGANIZING, P.R. AND OUTREACH, AND AS FAR AS ONGOING STAFF TIME, I DON'T THINK I SPEND MORE THAN ONE HOUR PER MONTH ON THINGS LIKE E-MAILS ABOUT SNOW CANCELLATIONS, INQUIRIES FROM POTENTIAL MEMBERS, CHOOSING BOOKS, REPORTING AND THE LIKE. AS FOR COSTS, OUR INITIAL COSTS INCLUDED TRAINING, NEXT CHAPTER BOOK CLUB MATERIALS AND BOOKS. ON AN ONGOING BASIS, OUR LIBRARY SUPPLIES THE BOOKS FROM OUR TRUSTEES' FUND. OTHER CLUBS RELY ON FRIENDS GROUPS, COMMUNITY GROUPS OR MEMBERS BUYING THEIR OWN BOOKS. BOOKS LAST A LONG TIME IF YOU READ 20 PAGES PER WEEK. IN OUR CLUB, SINCE WE MEET AT PANERA, MEMBERS AND VOLUNTEERS PAY FOR THEIR OWN REFRESHMENTS. OUR LIBRARY DOESN'T PAY US. WE'RE VOLUNTEERS. BUT IF A LIBRARY PAYS YOU HAVE TO FACTOR IN PAYING FOR YOUR STAFF TIME. THE YOUNG MAN YOU SEE IN THE UPPER RIGHT-HAND CORNER IS BILLY. AND WE TALKED ABOUT BILLY A LITTLE BEFORE AND HE'S GROWN UP TO BE A REAL LEADER IN OUR GROUP. AT FIRST THERE WAS FRICTION WITH ANOTHER MEMBER, AND NOW, HE HELPS ALL MEMBERS BY SAYING THINGS LIKE GOOD JOB AND APPLAUDING THEIR EFFORTS AND THE REST OF THE GROUP JOINS IN. BRIAN WHO IS ON THE LEFT, IS THE -- HIS READING IS HARD TO UNDERSTAND, BUT AS HE SAYS EVERYONE HELPS ME READ THE HARD PARTS. I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT THE SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT THAT CLUB MEMBERS SHARE IS TRULY WONDERFUL TO SEE. YOU CAN SEE FROM THE FAMILY COMMENTS ON THE SCREEN THAT NEXT CHAPTER BOOK CLUB IS APPRECIATED BY OUR PATRONS. OVER THE PAST TEN YEARS, OUR TEENAGE MEMBERS HAVE BECOME ADULTS AND HAVE AGED OUT OF SCHOOL AND CERTAIN STATE SUPPORTED SERVICES. OTHER ADULTS HAVE JOINED OUR CLUBS, PROVIDING A MUCH-NEEDED SOCIAL CONNECTION AS AN ANTIDOTE TO ISOLATION. NEXT CHAPTER BOOK CLUB IS AN IMPORTANT WAY THAT OUR LIBRARY ACTS UPON OUR MISSION. WE WERE CONVINCED OF THE VALUE OF SHARING OUR EXPERIENCE WITH OTHER LIBRARIES WITH THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF CHERYL O'CONNOR WHO WAS THEN THE HEAD OF LIBRARY LINK NEW JERSEY, OUR STATEWIDE COOPERATIVE. WE APPLIED FOR A CONTRACT FROM THE NEW JERSEY STATE LIBRARY TO HELP INTERESTED NEW JERSEY LIBRARIES START THEIR OWN NEXT CHAPTER BOOK CLUB. WE WERE LOOKING FOR A GEOGRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION FROM ACROSS THE STATE AND AS OF TODAY, FIVE OF THE SIX LIBRARIES WE ARE STILL OPERATING BOOK CLUBS, THEY ARE SPREAD OUT THROUGHOUT THE STATE WITH WAYNE, NEW JERSEY, BEING UP IN THE NORTH OF OUR STATE AND GOING ALL THE WAY DOWN TO CAMDEN COUNTY LIBRARIES, WHICH IS RIGHT ACROSS THE RIVER FROM PHILADELPHIA IN THE SOUTH. WE QUICKLY LEARNED THAT THE LIBRARIES HAD DIFFERENT PERSONNEL AND UNION POLICIES AND STAFF OR VOLUNTEER PREFERENCES. NEXT CHAPTER BOOK CLUB HAS BEEN FLEXIBLE TO THE NEEDS OF EACH LIBRARY. DECISIONS TO MAKE INCLUDE WHETHER TO PAY STAFF OR TO HAVE STAFF OR COMMUNITY MEMBERS VOLUNTEER TIME. YOU HAVE TO DECIDE WILL YOU MEET ON LIBRARY TIME OR AFTER HOURS? WHERE WILL YOU MEET AND WHO WILL BE YOUR MEMBERS? AND HOW WILL YOU SUPPORT THE EFFORT? ONE OF THE SIX LIBRARIES WORKED DIRECTLY WITH THE TOWN'S DEVELOPMENTAL CENTER. SOME GROUPS MEET IN THE LIBRARY WITH LIBRARIANS. ONE GROUP MEETS IN THE LIBRARY WITH COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS. SOME GROUPS LIKE OURS MEET AFTER LIBRARY HOURS IN A PUBLIC PLACE WITH FACILITATORS AND COORDINATORS VOLUNTEERING THEIR TIME. SOME GROUPS GIVE FUNDS, SOME USE THEIR BUDGET, SOME APPROACH LOCAL GROUPS LIKE THE ROTARY FOR FUNDING. THERE ARE CHALLENGES TO MEET WHEN YOU SET UP AND MAINTAIN A NEXT CHAPTER BOOK CLUB. YOU'LL NEED TO FIND TIME AND MONEY AND YOU'LL NEED TO PLAN A ROBUST PUNT EFFORT. IT IS CRUCIAL TO SEEK AND OBTAIN SUPPORT FROM YOUR LIBRARY LEADERSHIP TEAM AND BOARD. AT SCOTCH PLAINS PUBLIC LIBRARY WE WERE REALLY FORTUNATE TO HAVE A DIRECTOR WHO WAS PASSIONATELY ENGAGED IN THE DRIVE TO HAVE LIBRARIES RESPOND TO THE NEEDS OF THE AUTISM COMMUNITY. NOT ONLY DID NED ENCOURAGE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF NEXT CHAPTER BOOK CLUB, BUT SHE CHAMPIONED THE PROJECT THROUGH THEIR BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY AND SHE TOOK AN ACTIVE PART IN OUR WEEKLY MEETINGS EVEN WHEN ILLNESS FORCED HER RETIREMENT AND MADE IT REALLY PHYSICALLY DIFFICULT TO GET TO THE MEETINGS. THAT'S REALLY UNUSUAL AND NOT TYPICAL, BUT WHAT YOU DO WANT TO GET FROM YOUR LEADERSHIP IS THE KIND OF SUPPORT OUR CURRENT DIRECTOR GIVES US. SHE SUPPORTS NEXT CHAPTER BOOK CLUB BECAUSE IT MAKES SENSE TO DO SO. IT HAS A PROVEN TRACK RECORD OF SERVING AN UNDERSERVED POPULATION, STRONG COMMUNITY RECOGNITION, FAMILY SUPPORT, STAFF ENGAGEMENT AND IS LOW COST. MY ADVICE WOULD BE TO LOOK FOR STAFF MEMBERS AND COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS WHO ARE COMMITTED TO COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND SERVING INDIVIDUALS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AND TO LIBRARY STAFF WHO BELIEVE IN YOUR LIBRARY TO BE YOUR FACILITATORS. WE'VE HAD SOME WONDERFUL HIGH SCHOOL FACILITATORS, TOO. ENCOURAGE COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO SPREAD THE WORD, AS THEY DO IN CAMDEN COUNTY WHEN THE TWO REGULAR LIBRARIANS CANNOT MAKE THE MEETINGS. HERE'S THE REAL THING. FOR THOSE OF US WHO RUN NEXT CHAPTER AFFILIATES, IT IS TRULY A LIFE AFFIRMING AND REWARDING EXPERIENCE. I ALWAYS SAY THAT NO MATTER HOW TIRED I AM AT 5:00 P.M. ON TUESDAY, I LEAVE PANERA AT 8:15 FEELING ENERGIZED AND INSPIRED BY OUR CLUB MEMBERS. IF YOU ARE INTRIGUED BY THE THOUGHT OF HAVING YOUR OWN NEXT CHAPTER BOOK CLUB AND WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT OURS PLEASE REACH OUT. I WOULD LOVE TO HELP YOU AND SUPPORT YOU, HOWEVER, I CAN. OUR MEMBERS LOVE HAVING GUESTS AT CLUB MEETINGS AND CAN SHOW YOU THE ROPES SO CONSIDER YOURSELVES INVITED AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME! >> OH, THANK YOU SO MUCH PAM AND I WOULD LOVE TO TAKE YOU UP ON THE INVITATION. I WOULD LOVE TO SIT IN ON A BOOK GROUP. >> THAT WOULD BE SO AWESOME. >> THAT SOUNDS FANTASTIC. GREAT. AND I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE ARE LOTS OF GREAT QUESTIONS COMING IN AND I'M BUSY COLLECTING THEM. I JUST WANT TO BE MINDFUL OF OUR TIME AND LET'S GO AHEAD AND HAVE MAGGIE CONTINUE. I KNOW MAGGIE IS GOING TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT HAVE COME UP AND WE'LL CIRCLE BACK ONCE MAGGIE'S DONE WITH ANY OF THOSE OUTSTANDING QUESTIONS. THANKS SO MUCH PAM. >> YOU'RE WELCOME. >> AND WELCOME MAGGIE. >> THANKS. I'M SORRY TO SAY THAT I CANNOT FORWARD THE SLIDES. >> OKAY. >> SO CAN YOU GET YOUR MOUSE OVER ONTO THE SLIDE AND THEN DOES THAT LITTLE PILL MENU POP UP OVER ON THE LEFT? >> NO, IT DOES NOT. >> OKAY ALL RIGHT. >> THE THING THAT WAS STRANGE IS THAT IT WAS UP WHILE PAM WAS SPEAKING AND WHEN EVERYONE ELSE WAS SPEAKING BUT NOW THAT I'M SPEAKING IT'S NOT THERE. >> CAN YOU JUST TRY CLICKING ON THE SLIDE AND THEN USE YOUR PAGE DOWN ON YOUR KEYBOARD? >> NOPE. WELL, LET ME GRAB THE BALL BACK AND I CAN DRIVE THE SLIDES FOR YOU AND I KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, BUT IF I MISS A PROMPT YOU CAN JUST NUDGE ME. >> OKAY. >> HERE WE GO. WELCOME. >> NOW, I SEE IT. >> I JUST MOVED THE SLIDE BUT LET ME MOVE THE BALL BACK TO YOU AND IF YOU SEE IT, SEE IF YOU CAN ADVANCE YOUR OWN. >> YES. >> EXCELLENT, THANKS FOR YOUR PATIENCE EVERYONE. >> OKAY. SO I WANTED TO TALK TO YOU ALL ABOUT OUR PROGRAM HERE. JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHERE WE ARE AND WHO WE ARE. WE ARE LOCATED IN THE GREATER RICHMOND AREA. OUR COUNTY HAS A POPULATION OF ROUGHLY 300,000 PEOPLE. WE HAVE FIVE LARGER LIBRARIES IN FOUR SMALLER BRANCH LIBRARIES AS WELL AS OUR MOBILE LIBRARY SERVICES ALSO KNOWN AS BOOK MOBILE. AND HERE ON THE MAP YOU CAN SEE WHERE WE ARE LOCATED. WE STARTED PLANNING OUR CLUB, FORMALLY PLANNING IN 2007. 2017, SORRY, WHEN I FIRST CAME ON TO JOIN THE TEAM. AND IT WAS HANDED OVER TO ME WHEN I STARTED MY NEW POSITION. AND THEN WE HAD OUR FIRST MEETING IN JANUARY SO WE ARE A NEW CLUB. WE CURRENTLY HAVE ONE CLUB THAT MEETS ON TUESDAY MORNING. AND SO FAR, WE HAVE USED BOOKS THAT WE ALREADY OWN. I WANT TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW WE GOT STARTED. WE WERE APPROACHED BY A LOCAL AUTHOR WHOSE DAUGHTER IS DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED. THAT WAS SORT OF HOW THIS CAME ON OUR RADAR. AND OUR ATTENDEES ARE ALL ADULTS. I ACTUALLY DON'T KNOW THE AGES OF ANY OF OUR ATTENDEES. I HAVEN'T ASKED THEM. WE USUALLY HAVE SIX AT ALL OF OUR MEETINGS. I DO KNOW THAT SOME OF THEM ARE IN THEIR EARLY 50s AND I BELIEVE THAT SOME OF THEM MIGHT BE OLDER TEENS, BUT SO FAR, AGE HASN'T REALLY BEEN ANYTHING TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT. WE'VE ENJOYED HAVING ALL AGES AND THEY ALL SEEM TO INTERACT VERY WELL WITH EACH OTHER. AND AT LEAST ONE OF OUR REGULARS DRIVES A 45-MINUTE DRIVE TO GET TO OUR BOOK CLUB SO THAT SHOWS YOU HOW INTERESTED PEOPLE ARE AND HOW FEW OPPORTUNITIES THERE ARE FOR ACTIVITIES LIKE THIS. WE HAVE SOME DIFFERENCES FROM OTHER NEXT CHAPTER BOOK CLUBS. FOR EXAMPLE, WE MEET FOR EIGHT WEEK SESSIONS FOUR TIMES A YEAR. SO WE'RE EIGHT WEEKS ON AND THREE WEEKS OFF, EIGHT WEEKS ON, THREE WEEKS OFF. AND WITH EACH SESSION, WE HAVE A NEW BOOK AND A NEW LIBRARY STAFF MEMBER. SO THERE'S SOME ROTATION THAT GOES ON. WE HAVE ALSO PATTERNERED -- PARTNERED WITH OUR COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND THAT ARRANGEMENT WITH THEM HAS BEEN SET UP SO THEY WILL PROVIDE FOR OUR ATTENDEES FOR EACH SESSION. THAT MEANS WE, AS THE LIBRARY, HAVE TO RECRUIT AN ADDITIONAL FOUR MEMBERS OR AS MANY AS FOUR MEMBERS OURSELVES. PARTNERING WITH COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH HAS BEEN GREAT BECAUSE IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING ATTENDEES THEY PROVIDE MEETING FACILITATORS. IT'S BEEN VERY HELPFUL TO HAVE A PROFESSIONAL ON HAND AT THE MEETINGS WHO KNOWS THE ATTENDEES THAT THEY HAVE BROUGHT WITH THEM AND IS EXPERIENCED IN HELPING AND COORDINATING THINGS WITH DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED PEOPLE. THE OTHER THING THE COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT DOES FOR US IS THEY ENSURE THE PEOPLE THEY BRING WITH THEM ARE BOTH INTERESTED IN JOINING OUR BOOK CLUB AND ALSO WOULDN'T NECESSARILY HAVE SOME OF THE BEHAVIORAL ISSUES THAT WE MIGHT HAVE ENCOUNTERED OTHERWISE. SO WE HAVE A LOT OF REGULARS, BUT THERE IS A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT COMBINATION OF ATTENDEES AT EACH MEETING. THIS IS BECAUSE FOR THE COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT IF SOMEONE IS SICK OR ON VACATION, THEY WILL HAVE OTHER ATTENDEES ATTEND IN THEIR PLACE SO WE HAVE SUBSTITUTE ATTENDEES AND A LOT OF THEM WE'VE SEEN BEFORE AND THEY'RE HAPPY TO COME IN AND ATTEND FOR A MEETING OR TWO. AND WE WILL SEE THEM AGAIN AT THE NEXT SESSION. IT DOES GIVE US A DIFFERENT COMBINATION, BUT WE ARE EXPOSING THE PROGRAM TO A WIDER AUDIENCE AND WE ARE ALSO GETTING TO KNOW MORE MEMBERS OF THIS COMMUNITY. SO LET'S SEE. WE DO REQUIRE ADVANCE REGISTRATION FOR THE FOUR THAT WE RECRUIT ON OUR END AND THAT'S JUST TO GIVE US AN IDEA OF HOW MANY PEOPLE TO EXPECT. WE ALSO DO A STAFF GUIDED BOOK SELECTION. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE MAY OR MAY NOT CONTINUE TO DO. WE PRESENT A LIST OF POSSIBLE BOOKS TO THEM AND THEN WE LET THEM CHOOSE WHICH ONE THEY WANT TO DO NEXT. SO THAT'S HOW WE DO THAT. SORRY, I'M GOING THE WRONG WAY. SO I WANTED TO PASS ALONG SOME TIPS ABOUT BOOK SELECTION. SHORT STORIES AND ANIMAL STORIES WORK REALLY WELL. WE HAVEN'T TRIED A GRAPHIC NOVEL YET, YOU JUST HAVE TO WATCH OUT, SOME OF THEM MAY NOT BE APPROPRIATE AS FAR AS GRAPHIC NATURE TYPE THINGS. I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO IF YOU HAVE ACCESS TO NOVELIST, IT WILL FREQUENTLY LIST THE READING LEVELS FOR BOOKS. WE AIM TO HIT THE 700 TO 800 LEXILE READING LEVEL, ALTHOUGH THAT'S A VERY GENERAL RULE OF THUMB. WE MAKE EXCEPTIONS DEFINITELY, BUT THAT LEVEL OF READING WILL GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF THE KINDS OF BOOKS TO CHOOSE. ALSO TO BE BUDGET CONSCIOUS. REMEMBER THAT YOU NEVER NEED MORE THAN TEN COPIES OF ANY BOOK. SO FOR US, THAT HAS ENABLED US TO SO FAR -- WE HAVEN'T HAD TO BUY ANYTHING BECAUSE WE'RE A FAIRLY LARGE SYSTEM AND THUS FAR WE HAVE HAD AT LEAST TEN COPIES OF ALL OF THE BOOKS THAT WE HAVE SELECTED. OF COURSE, AS YOU'RE PROBABLY GUESSING, WE WILL EVENTUALLY RUN OUT OF BOOKS THAT WE HAVEN'T READ YET SO AT SOME POINT, WE WILL HAVE TO PURCHASE, BUT SO FAR, WE'VE BEEN LUCKY. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ADD SOMETHING I RECENTLY LEARNED. IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE COPIES YOU USE ARE EITHER THE SAME EDITION OR HAVE AT LEAST THE SAME PAGINATION. RIGHT NOW, THE BOOK THAT WE'RE READING, WE HAVE TWO DIFFERENT EDITIONS AND THE PAGE NUMBERS ARE OFF AND IT MAKES THINGS A LITTLE CONFUSING. SO I WISH THAT I HAD THOUGHT ABOUT THAT BEFORE SELECTING THE BOOK THAT WE'RE DOING. AND LET'S SEE. ABOUT MEETINGS, I WANTED TO PASS ALONG SOME MORE TIPS. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONSIDER THE TIME OF DAY THAT YOU WANT TO HAVE YOUR MEETING BECAUSE FOR US, STAFFING-WISE, WE CAN ONLY DO IT DURING THE DAY AND WE WISH THAT WE COULD HAVE IT AT NIGHT. THERE ARE SEVERAL PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WOULD ATTEND OUR MEETING. UNFORTUNATELY, THEY WORK DURING THE DAY OR THEY HAVE ACTIVITIES DURING THE DAY. THEY CAN ONLY MEET AT NIGHT AND THIS UNFORTUNATELY HAS PREVENTED THEM FROM PARTICIPATING. SO IF YOU CAN, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO HAVE YOUR MEETINGS IN THE EVENING. IT'S ALSO NICE IF YOU'RE MEETING IN THE LIBRARY TO GIVE NEARBY PATRONS A HEADS-UP THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A MEETING OR PROGRAM HAPPENING RIGHT NEAR THEM. WE HAVE ONE PARTICIPANT IN PARTICULAR WHO HAS A VERY LOUD READING VOICE AND SO JUST AS A COURTESY TO PEOPLE WHO MIGHT NEED SOME PLACE QUIET WE WILL GO AROUND AND TELL THEM IT MIGHT GET KIND OF LOUD, YOU MIGHT WANT TO MOVE DOWNSTAIRS TO OUR QUIET STUDY AREA, JUST TO PREVENT ANY SORT OF DISRUPTION IN THAT WAY. I WOULD ALSO ADVISE YOU TO BE READY FOR CRASHERS AND NO SHOWS. WE'VE HAD PEOPLE REGISTER AND NEVER SHOW UP. WE'VE HAD PEOPLE THAT HAD REGISTERED FOR THE PREVIOUS SESSION AND THEN EITHER FORGOT TO REGISTER FOR THE NEXT SESSION OR JUST HAPPENED TO BE FREE THAT DAY AND THEY KNOW THAT WE MEET ON TUESDAYS AT 10:00 A.M. AND SO THEY JUST SORT OF SHOWED UP. YOU HAVE TO BE READY TO ROLL WITH IT. I ALSO RECOMMEND THAT YOU KEEP THE BOOKS WITH YOU AT THE LIBRARY. IT JUST CUTS DOWN ON PEOPLE FORGETTING THEIR BOOKS OR NOT KNOWING WHERE THE BOOKS ARE AND HAVING TO SCRAMBLE AROUND AND FIND EXTRA COPIES. WE COINCIDENTALLY HAPPEN TO HAVE SOME MAGNIFYING BOOKMARKS AROUND AND THIS PICTURE SHOWS YOU. WE DIDN'T THINK ANYTHING OF IT. WE JUST THOUGHT THEY CAN HAVE THESE BOOKMARKS, THEY'RE NICE, STURDY AND PLASTIC AND THAT WAS ALL WE THOUGHT, AND THEN WHEN THE MEETING STARTED WE REALIZED VERY QUICKLY THAT ONE OR TWO OF OUR ATTENDEES HAVE VISION ISSUES AND THEY REALLY APPRECIATED THE MAGNIFYING BOOKMARKS SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO ALSO GET MAGNIFYING BOOKMARKS FOR YOUR PARTICIPANTS. WE ALSO USED NAME TAGS WHICH HAS BEEN VERY NICE. IT HELPS EVERYONE REMEMBER EVERYONE'S NAMES. SINCE NOT EVERYONE KNOWS EACH OTHER. YOU SHOULD ALSO PREPARE YOURSELF FOR AN EXTREMELY WIDE RANGE OF READING ABILITIES. WE HAVE SOME THAT READ FASTER THAN I DO AND WE HAVE SOME THAT REALLY NEED A LITTLE MORE HELP SO BE PREPARED FOR THAT. WE ALSO HAVE A WIDE RANGE OF PARTICIPATION. THERE ARE A COUPLE OF MEMBERS WHO MIGHT SAY TWO WORDS IN A MEETING AND OTHERS WHO WANT TO TALK THE ENTIRE TIME. SO THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF NAVIGATING THAT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE FEELS INCLUDED AND ALSO THAT NOT EVERYONE FEELS PRESSURED TO TALK IF THEY DON'T WANT TO DO. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO TELL YOU A TALE OF WARNING. WE HAD ONE MEETING WHERE WE THOUGHT WOULDN'T IT BE FUN IF THEY COULD DECORATE THEIR NAME TAG SO WE PUT OUT MARKERS AND THEY CAN COLOR AND DECORATE THEIR NAME TAGS WHILE WE READ. WELL, THAT ENDED UP BEING A BAD IDEA. EVERYONE WANTED TO COLOR AND NOBODY WANTED TO READ OR TALK. SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO KEEP THE TABLE CLEAR OF ANYTHING ELSE THAT COULD BE DISTRACTING DURING THE MEETING. WE HAVE ALSO LEARNED THAT IT'S GOOD TO IMMEDIATELY START A WAITING LIST. WE HAVE A LIST GOING. WE KEEP IT GOING. IT'S GOOD TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT THEY CAN SIGN UP IF YOU HAVE AN OPEN SPOT. BE PREPARED WITH WHAT TO SAY TO DISAPPOINTED PATRONS OR DISAPPOINTED FAMILY MEMBERS WHO WANT TO JOIN, BUT YOU ARE OUT OF OPEN SPOTS. SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO HAVE SOMETHING PREPARED TO TELL THEM. YOU CAN ALWAYS START PROMOTING YOUR NEXT CHAPTER BOOK CLUB QUIETLY AND ALWAYS RAMP IT UP LATER IF YOU FEEL LIKE YOU NEED MORE MEMBERS. I WOULD ALSO ENCOURAGE YOU TO REACH OUT DIRECTLY IS TO AREA ORGANIZATIONS. WE REACHED OUT TO THE GREATER RICHMOND -- I THINK IT'S THE DOWN SYNDROME ASSOCIATION OR DOWN SYNDROME -- I CAN'T REMEMBER WHICH ONE. THEY WERE RECEPTIVE, BUT THEY DIDN'T REALLY RESPOND TO US A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THAT. IT WAS SURPRISING, BUT WE'RE GLAD THAT WE DID REACH OUT TO THEM SO I'M SURE THERE'S SIMILAR ORGANIZATIONS IN IN YOUR AREA THAT ARE A GREAT WAY TO FIND POTENTIAL PARTICIPANTS. WE WERE ALMOST IMMEDIATELY APPROACHED BY THE PRESS AND SO THIS WAS A LOT OF LEGWORK ON OUR END. THIS IS A VULNERABLE POPULATION SO WE HAD TO GET PERMISSION FROM THEM, SOMETIMES FROM THEIR GUARDIANS OR THEIR PARENTS. WE HAD TO TALK TO THE DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH. WE HAD TO FIGURE OUT IF IT WAS OKAY TO USE THEIR NAMES, USE THEIR FACES IN THE PHOTOS. IT TOOK A LOT OF PERMISSION CHECKING AND APPROVAL FORM SIGNING. IT WAS A LOT OF WORK SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO BE PREPARED IN ADVANCE FOR THIS. MAYBE WHEN PEOPLE SIGN UP TO JOIN YOUR CLUB, FIGURE OUT WHAT KIND OF PERMISSIONS THEY'RE OKAY WITH. AND THAT WAY IT'S ONE LESS THING FOR YOU TO WORRY ABOUT WHEN THE PRESS COMES KNOCKING ON YOUR DOOR AND SAYS THEY WANT TO INTERVIEW YOU NEXT WEEK. I WOULD ASSUME THAT THE PRESS WILL CONTACT YOU. THIS IS A REALLY HIGHLY VISIBLE PROGRAM AND A REALLY UNIQUE PROGRAM SO I WOULD -- I WOULD EXPECT THAT IF I WERE YOU. OTHER THINGS WE HAVE LEARNED. IT'S GOOD TO TRAIN EVERYONE AT ONCE. YOU CAN ALL ASK QUESTIONS, YOU CAN HAVE A NICE LIST OF QUESTIONS PREPARED FOR WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR HOUR CONVERSATION WITH THE NEXT CHAPTER BOOK CLUB HEADQUARTERS REPRESENTATIVE. I'M REALLY GLAD THAT WE TRAINED EVERYBODY ALL AT ONCE. IT JUST MADE EVERYTHING THAT MUCH MORE SMOOTH AND CONSISTENT AND EVERYONE WAS READY TO GO. YOU WILL GET POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE FEEDBACK FROM PATRONS. WE HAD SOME PATRONS COMPLAIN THAT IT WAS LOUD AND NOISY AND JUST AS MANY PATRONS CAME UP TO US AFTERWARDS AND SAID THIS WAS WONDERFUL, THAT WE WERE DOING THIS AND THEY COULDN'T HELP BUT LISTEN IN AND THEY GOT AS MUCH OUT OF IT AS THE PEOPLE THAT WERE ACTUALLY PARTICIPATING IN THE MEETING. SO WE ARE VERY GLAD THAT WE PARTNERED WITH AN ORGANIZATION THAT IS FAMILIAR WITH THIS POPULATION, THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE I WOULD RECOMMEND AND I ALSO ENCOURAGE YOU TO WORK WITH THE PARENTS AND GUARDIANS OF THE PARTICIPANTS. THEY ARE GOING TO BE YOUR MAJOR SUPPORT GROUP AND THEY CAN REALLY PROVIDE YOU WITH A LOT OF INSIGHT AND SUPPORT. WE'RE STILL TINKERING WITH A FEW THINGS. WE'RE KIND OF SURPRISED THAT THE SOCIALIZING IS NOT COMING AS NATURALLY AS WE THOUGHT IT WOULD. WE HAVE A LOT OF INTROVERTS IN OUR GROUP. WE ALSO HAVEN'T MET YET AT A LOCAL RESTAURANT, BUT WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT IT. I'M THINKING MAYBE WE MIGHT GET TOGETHER IN DECEMBER FOR A SPECIAL HOLIDAY SORT OF MEETING. AND I MENTION THAT THE MENTAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT DOES BRING A DIFFERENT COMBINATION OF PEOPLE EVERY WEEK WHICH IS GOOD AND BAD. IT MAKES IT A LITTLE DIFFICULT FOR US TO HAVE CONSISTENCY WHERE PEOPLE CAN REALLY GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, LIKE I SAID, WE'RE EXPOSING THE PROGRAM TO MORE PEOPLE SO IT'S NOT -- IT'S SORT OF A TWO-EDGED SWORD. EVENTUALLY, WE WILL RUN OUT OF SHORT BOOKS. FINDING A BOOK THAT YOU CAN READ IN AN EIGHT-WEEK PERIOD IS A TALL ORDER, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE NOT REALLY SURE HOW FAST YOU'RE GOING TO GET THROUGH IT. SO WE WILL EVENTUALLY RUN OUT OF SHORT BOOKS AND WE WILL HAVE TO FIGURE OUT SOMETHING ELSE. WE MIGHT HAVE TO CHANGE OUR SCHEDULE AROUND. WE ALSO HAVE NOT BEEN VERY GOOD AT PROMOTING OTHER LIBRARY PROGRAMS AND SERVICES AT OUR MEETINGS. AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M WORKING ON. SO WE HAVE SOME WARM FUZZIES. I WANT TO SHARE THESE WITH YOU GUYS. WE FOUND OUT THAT A LOT OF OUR MEMBERS HAVE STARTED A WALKING CLUB AND THEY ALL GO FOR A WALK WITH THEIR PARENTS OR GUARDIANS AFTER THE CLUB IS OVER. MY SUPERVISOR IS ONE OF OUR FACILITATORS. SHE'S BEEN A LIBRARIAN FOREVER. AND SHE SAYS THAT THIS IS HER ABSOLUTE FAVORITE PROGRAM SHE'S EVER DONE. SHE LOVES IT. WE HAVE OFTEN NOTICED AN AWESOME SIDE EFFECT THAT WE HAVE SEEN SOME IMPROVED READING ABILITIES. IT'S REALLY AMAZING HOW FAST THAT HAPPENS. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO IN OURS IS THAT THE LAST MEETING FOR THE SESSION, THE LAST MEETING FOR THAT PARTICULAR BOOK, WE TRY TO PROVIDE A LITTLE SOMETHING EXTRA. THE PHOTOS YOU'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW ARE FOR THE LAST MEETING OF THE BOOK WE READ CALLED THE K-9 CONNECTION. THEY WERE ALL SHORT STORIES ABOUT DOGS. SO WE CONNECTED WITH A LOCAL ORGANIZATION THAT HAS THERAPY DOGS AND WE INVITED A THERAPY DOG TO COME TO OUR LAST SESSION. IT WAS A HUGE HIT! THEY READ TO THE DOG. EVERYONE GOT TO GIVE THE DOG TREATS. YOU CAN SEE THEY'RE SITTING ON THE FLOOR, THEY DIDN'T WANT TO SIT IN THEIR CHAIRS ANYMORE. THEY WANTED TO BE CLOSER TO THE DOG. THEY GET DOWN ON THE FLOOR AND WE WERE ALL PETTING THE DOG. IT WAS A WONDERFUL DAY. WE ALSO READ ANOTHER BOOK THAT WAS ABOUT A COMMUNITY GARDEN SO AT THE END OF THAT SESSION WE GAVE EVERYONE A PACKET OF SEEDS. RIGHT NOW, WE'RE READING BUNNYCULA AND AS TEMPTED AS I MEAN, TO GIVE THEM VEGETABLES, I THINK IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE MUCH MORE SUCCESSFUL IF I GIVE THEM SOME HALLOWEEN CANDY. SO I WILL PROBABLY GO WITH THE CHOCOLATE HALLOWEEN CANDY ROUTE INSTEAD. AND THIS IS MY FAVORITE QUOTE THAT WE HAVE SO FAR FROM VIRGINIA, ONE OF OUR REGULARS, WHO'S SORT OF THE SOCIAL LEADER OF OUR GROUP. SHE IS ALMOST AT EVERY SINGLE MEETING AND SHE REALLY BRINGS A LOT OF PERSONALITY TO OUR GROUP. WE REALLY LOVE HAVING VIRGINIA. AND HERE IS MY CONTACT INFORMATION. I WOULD BE HAPPY TO TELL YOU MORE OR ANSWER ANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. >> FANTASTIC. THANK YOU, MAGGIE. WOW, YOU GUYS HAVE DEFINITELY PUT A LOT OF WORK INTO THIS AND WE'RE SO FORTUNATE TO HAVE YOU SHARE WITH US. THERE WERE LOTS OF EXCELLENT QUESTIONS. I'M GOING TO WORK THROUGH THEM KIND OF CLUSTERED BY THE TOPIC THAT THEY COVERED. TOM I'M GOING TO HAVE YOU UNMUTE AND ANSWER FIRST THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT THE TRAINING FOR FACILITATORS AND VOLUNTEERS. THE QUESTION WAS DO YOU HAVE JUST 30 DAYS TO TRAIN THE FACILITATORS OR VOLUNTEERS? I KNOW YOU HAVE AN ADDITIONAL 90 DAYS TO COVER VOLUNTEER TRAINING. CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT? >> AND IT LOOKS LIKE YOU MIGHT BE MUTED STILL ON YOUR END, ON YOUR PHONE. >> HI, THERE. CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? GOOD. >> I CAN HEAR YOU GREAT. >> YEAH, IT'S 90 DAYS. SO THERE'S PLENTY OF TIME AND IF YOU NEED ADDITIONAL TIME, WE'RE PRETTY LENIENT ABOUT THAT SO THE WHOLE IDEA IS FOR YOU TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET PEOPLE EXPOSED TO THE TRAINING AND ALSO TO MAKE THE FACILITATOR TRAINING AVAILABLE TO PROSPECTIVE FACILITATORS. >> FANTASTIC. LET'S HEAR FROM PAM. THERE WERE SOME QUESTIONS THAT CAME UP WHILE YOU WERE SPEAKING. CAN YOU GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ON THE MEETING STRUCTURE? I KNOW IT SOUNDS LIKE EVERYBODY IS READING THE SAME BOOK AT THE SAME TIME. CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT HOW THE READING ALOUD AND FOLLOWING ALONG AND YOU MENTIONED ECHO READING. CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT? THANKS. >> I CAN. WHAT WE GENERALLY DO IN OUR GROUP IS WE ALL SETTLE IN, SAY HI, CATCH UP REALLY QUICKLY. AND THEN WE READ AND THE WAY WE READ IS EVERYBODY HAS HIS OR HER OWN BOOK AND WE GO AROUND. THE FIRST PERSON WHO READS CAN EITHER CHOOSE WHETHER WE'RE GOING TO GO TO THE RIGHT OR THE LEFT THAT DAY. AND EVERYBODY READS A COUPLE OF PAGES EACH IS THE PREFERENCE. SOMETIMES, JUST DEPENDING, DEPENDING ON HOW MANY PEOPLE SHOW UP, DEPENDING ON THE STORY WE'LL LET THEM READ MORE PAGES. SOMETIMES, SOMEBODY WILL WANT TO READ FOUR PAGES AND THE NEXT PERSON ONLY WANTS TO READ A HALF-PAGE. AND WE GO AROUND AND WE READ AND I GENERALLY AT THAT POINT GAUGE THE MOOD OF THE GROUP THAT NIGHT. SOMETIMES TOWARDS THE DOLDRUMS OF THE WINTER, PEOPLE ARE JUST EXHAUSTED AND DISGUSTED WITH THEIR LIFE AND THEIR SCHOOL BUS DRIVER OR WHATEVER AND IN THAT CASE WE'LL STOP A LITTLE EARLIER AND GO GET OUR SNACK. USUALLY, WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE'LL READ FOR THE FIRST HALF OF THE SESSION, HAVE OUR SNACK, SOCIALIZE AND THEN DEPENDING ON EVERYBODY'S MOOD, IF PEOPLE ARE INTO THE READING OR IF WE'RE STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF A CHAPTER WE'LL GO BACK AND WE'LL READ SOME MORE. IF PEOPLE JUST NEED TO SOCIALIZE WHICH HAPPENS A LOT IN OUR 11-YEAR GROUP, AND WE'LL JUST SOCIALIZE AND NOT DO SO MUCH MORE READING. IF PEOPLE ARE JUST -- YOU JUST PLAY IT BY EAR. AS FAR AS THE ECHO READING, GENERALLY WHAT WE'LL DO IS HAVE THE BOOK IN FRONT OF US AND LET'S SAY THE SENTENCE IS THE BOY FED THE DOG. AND I'M WORKING WITH PETER WHO'S THE PERSON THAT WE ECHO READ WITH. PETER, DO YOU WANT TO READ? AND HE'LL GO, YES. I'LL SAY THE BOY... AND HE'LL REPEAT THE BOY. FED THE... FED THE DOG. AND WE'LL GENERALLY DO THREE OR FOUR WORDS AT A TIME WITH HIM AND HE'LL REPEAT THEM. AND THAT'S JUST WHAT WE DO. DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? >> THAT'S PERFECT. ONE SMALL BIT IS DO YOU -- DO YOU HOST A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE BOOK OR IS IT REALLY FOCUSED ON READING? >> WE DISCUSS, TOO, AND AGAIN, IT DEPENDS ON WHAT WE'RE READING AND WHO -- AND WHICH GROUP IS READING. GENERALLY, WE'LL TRY TO IS IN -- MY MEMORY IS NOT A GOOD. SO I'LL SAY OH, GOSH LAST WEEK WE WERE READING ABOUT THE WOLF WILDER AND DOES ANYBODY REMEMBER AND CAN YOU FILL IN, JEREMY AND TARA WHO WEREN'T HERE LAST WEEK AND THEN GENERALLY A MEMBER WILL START SAYING OH, YEAH, THEY WENT INTO THE WOODS, AND THEN SOMEBODY ELSE WILL CHIME IN AND THE COSSACKS CAME AND WHAT WAS HIS -- AND I'LL PROMPT THEM TO SORT OF REPEAT WHAT WE HAD READ THE PREVIOUS WEEK. AND THEN WE'LL GO ON AND WE'LL STOP PERIODICALLY AND WE'LL SAY OH, WOW, SHE FOUND A TREASURE UNDER THE TREE, YOU KNOW. THE DISCUSSION CAN GO ANY WAY YOU FEEL LIKE. IT COULD BE WHAT DO YOU THINK WAS IN THE BOX, HAVE YOU EVER FOUND ANYTHING SPECIAL? AND THEN I NOTICED WITH OUR MORE LONG-STANDING GROUP, WE ACTUALLY DO RESEARCH, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT THEY'VE PICKED UP FROM THE LIBRARIANS IN OUR GROUP. WE'LL SAY I WONDER WHAT THAT WORD MEANS OR DOES ANYBODY KNOW WHAT A BAIL -- BALEEN WHALE. LET'S LOOK DURING THE BREAK AND PEOPLE WILL BE RESEARCHING BALEEN WHALES AND THEY'LL REPORT BACK TO OUR GROUP BEFORE THE SNACK AND THAT OFTEN BRINGS UP CONVERSATIONS. >> THAT'S FANTASTIC. I LOVE THAT RESEARCH ELEMENT. >> IT'S SO COOL AND I DIDN'T EXPECT IT. >> IT'S GREAT. THERE WERE ALSO A HANDFUL OF QUESTIONS AROUND RECRUITMENT AND I KNOW YOU TOUCHED ON REACHING OUT TO PARTNERS. MAGGIE, CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT -- DO YOU -- DO YOU DO MARKETING ASIDE FROM SORT OF THAT DIRECT RECRUITMENT? >> WE HAVEN'T NEEDED TO YET. WHAT WE HAVE FOUND IS THAT THE PARENTS AND GUARDIANS TYPICALLY ALL KNOW EACH OTHER AND THEY ARE ALL FRIENDS AND SO WORD OF MOUTH HAS BEEN A GREAT BENEFIT TO US. >> OKAY. AND THE OTHER PIECE THAT CAME UP EARLIER WAS IN TERMS OF THE AGE. THERE'S REALLY NOT AN AGE LIMIT OR YOU DON'T GROUP FOLKS BY AGE, DO YOU? >> NO, NO, WE DON'T. >> YEAH, THAT'S THE IMPRESSION I GOT. TOM -- >> THAT'S TRUE AND WE CERTAINLY DON'T GROUP UPON READING ABILITY. SO WE HAVE ALWAYS STOOD STRONG ABOUT, YOU KNOW, DIVERSITY OF EVERYBODY, LIKE MAGGIE WAS SAYING. SOME PEOPLE READ BETTER THAN SHE DOES AND SOME PEOPLE DON'T READ AT ALL. AND IT DOESN'T SEEM -- I THINK IT DOESN'T SEEM TO AFFECT THE MEMBERS. IT MAY AFFECT OTHER PEOPLE WHO CAN'T QUITE RELATE TO IT, BUT IT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE A BARRIER AND PEOPLE ARE VERY UNDERSTANDING AND HELPING OF ONE ANOTHER. A LOT OF -- PEOPLE HELP ONE ANOTHER ALL THE TIME WITH WORD FINDING AND SUPPORTING ONE ANOTHER AND ENCOURAGING ONE ANOTHER AND THAT KIND OF STUFF. >> WOW, FANTASTIC. SUCH GREAT COMMUNITY BUILDING REALLY ALL AROUND AND, AS I SAID, I WOULD LOVE TO COME VISIT MORE OF THE BOOK GROUPS, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE WILL BE MORE BASED ON THE ENTHUSIASM FROM THOSE GATHERED HERE IN TODAY'S SESSION. IF YOU HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS FOR TOM FROM NEXT CHAPTER BOOK OR FOR PAM AND MAGGIE, FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT, THEIR E-MAILS ARE HERE AND THANK YOU ALL THREE OF YOU FOR BRINGING THIS GREAT WORK TO A WEBJUNCTION WEBINAR. ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND WRAP UP. I WILL LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT I WILL SEND YOU AN E-MAIL ONCE THE RECORDING IS READY AND I WILL SEND YOU A CERTIFICATE WITHIN A WEEK FOR ATTENDING AND AGAIN, IF YOU HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS, REAL FREE TO REACH OUT AND AS YOU LEAVE THE ROOM I'LL SEND YOU TO A SHORT SURVEY TO GATHER YOUR FEEDBACK ON TODAY'S SESSION. SO HOPEFULLY, YOU CAN TAKE THE TIME NOW OR I'LL INCLUDE THAT LINK TO THE SURVEY IN THE E-MAIL I SEND YOU IF YOU NEED TO GET TO IT LATER. SO YOUR FEEDBACK IS WELCOMED AND WE'LL SHARE THAT WITH OUR PRESENTERS TODAY. SO EVERYONE HAVE A FANTASTIC DAY. THANKS TO OUR CAPTIONER AND EVERYONE, HAVE A GREAT REST OF YOUR WEEK AND WEEKEND. BYE-BYE. >> BYE THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.