Adult Storytime...Really??

While I haven't done a full "storytime" for adults, I have read to them & told stories and they have been as fully committed to the story as any child. Authors read from their books for the same reason. Adults, many of them, do love being read to.

Alessya, Have you really not been read to since you were small? How sad. My friends and I read to each other all the time: excerpts, short stories, poems, even entire novels on occasion. We read because the passage deeply affected us, because we found it humorous or evocative or because it spoke to us in some way and we want to share that feeling or idea with people. A passage read aloud in a group enriches the group experience, creating common touch-stones and enabling a type of sharing that might not otherwise have occurred. Reading, and story in general, is part of our particular group culture. When we go on a long trip or spend the weekend hanging out together, we each bring something to share: a story, a song, a book (and – of course – food). When we get together at special times of the year (Christmas, Labour day, camping trips, festivals), we do the same. We are friends, we are a type of family, and this part of what we do. I realise this may be odd. But does it have to be? Voice is one of the earliest and most enduring ways we are connected to one another, and not just when we are children. The Victorians were quite literate, yet spent a lot of time reading aloud. Today, while people who read aloud to one another may form part of a counter-culture, we are far from alone. Check out the hundreds of podcasts read by volunteers at LibriVox (http://librivox.org/), the popular CBC Between the Covers (http://www.cbc.ca/podcasting/index.html?arts#betweenthecovers) show, or the annual live readings of the Christmas Carol or audiobooks in general. If one of the functions of a public library is community, then absolutely adult story time is good idea. If one of the functions of a public library is enriching the lives of both the literate and the less literate, of native speakers and of non-native speakers, then absolutely adult story time is a good idea. If one of the functions of a public library is lending books, then absolutely adult story time is a good idea. But then, that is just MHO. Donna BTW, if you DO read to 40 year-olds with the same “enthusiasm and spunk as (you) do to a bunch of 4 year olds”, they will definitely not be back! I, at least, would wander quickly in another direction. ;-)

Hi AlessyaQ, I was quite intrigued by the idea of story time for adults. Frankly, I love it. I'm an elementary school librarian in a K - 6 school so I think we share the same experiences of reading stories to younger people. I agree that you wouldn't read the same way to adults as you would to children. It would be a different experience for you and your audience. I think some adults would love to attend a reading. I'm thinking of those who might have difficulty reading because of sight problems or poor literacy skills. Some might be intimidated at the thought of joining a book club because of time commitments. As adults, when we read, we may read so quickly that we don't hear the beauty of the rhythm and the cadence of the language. A good reader can really make the story come alive and ring true. I think that some adults might enjoy learning a bit about the author or the issue explored in the book, followed by a reading. I remember some of the discussions I had recently with a grade 6 class about Jules Verne and the writing of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. We explored the creation of the character of Captain Nemo, the invention of the submarine and the changes the book might have had had it been written now. The discussions were interesting, but with a group of adults who could bring so many more experiences and so much more knowledge, the discussions could be quite stimulating. If you're open to the idea, I suggest that you choose a book with male and female protagonists, do a bit of research about the author and the topics raised in the plot, present a brief introduction to the book and then read with all the passion and excitement the story can bring. Julie Demers