The sound of warm laughter and energetic discussions heard from the second floor of the Belleville Area District Library on the last Thursday of every month belongs to the African American Literature Book Group (AALBG), a cornerstone library organization celebrating its 20th anniversary this October.
Former Library Director Deb Green founded the group in 2006 in response to demand from library patrons. She personally selected “Dreams from My Father” by Barack Obama as their inaugural read.
The first meeting was small, but attendance continues to grow every year. It is an open, welcoming and empowering environment encouraging all members of the community to join. Neither reading the book nor even being physically present are requirements, as Green recalls a friend of a local member attending via Zoom from Colorado.
Green went on to say that leading the group was her favorite part of her job when she was serving as library director because it was “so positive and fun” compared to her other duties.
Administrative Assistant Nikki Pickeral joined Green in managing the group a few years ago, taking over the administrative side of things such as email reminders, and allowing Green to focus on leading the conversation. “It’s her baby, I just was privileged enough to join her,” Pickeral said.
While libraries are often quiet places, this crowd is anything but. Affectionately referred to as “the loud reading group,” both Green and Pickeral mentioned that they always need to shut the door of the conference room during meetings.
“It’s welcoming, it’s happy, it’s exuberant,” says Assistant Library Director Hillary Savage, who often overhears the monthly meetings from her seat at the reference desk.
“There’s conversation the whole time. It makes you want to go in that room.”
Choosing the next read can be a slightly chaotic (but fun) process. Members suggest books on an ongoing basis, and Pickeral creates a packet with a description of each book, projecting it on the conference room TV. The group then discusses, debates, and agrees on their next few selections.
The group focuses on African American voices and unique perspectives. Though fiction is their favorite genre, they also read nonfiction, which leads to insightful discussion. A recent selection detailing Detroit’s civil unrest in 1967 provided a unique opportunity for sharing, as a few members lived through the events themselves.
Providing that safe space for open discussions (as well as an abundance of tasty snacks at every meeting) is exactly why the group has been thriving for two decades. In October, the library will honor the milestone with a special celebration for current and past members.
The gathering planned is going to be “just a chill evening of hanging out,” giving current and past members a chance to get reacquainted. There will be plenty of special touches, as Pickeral is planning to stage a timeline of past book selections around the room, compile a slideshow of photographs to share, and even invite a few special guests, including a favorite local author.
The anniversary isn’t the only exciting event coming up for the group. Every November, a “Super Book Group” forms to accommodate holiday schedules, merging the AALBG with The Other Book Group, led by Savage. This meeting combines the best of both groups, with members of the AALBG picking the book and the meeting taking place in a restaurant, a standard of The Other Book Group.
In addition to the AALBG and The Other Book Group, which reads a little bit of everything, the library is home to five other book groups across various genres, so there is something for every reader. The Evening Book Group serves up classic book club fare; The Witching Hour specializes in horror; Cook the Book allows members the opportunity to test and taste recipes; tweens and teens can read comics and create their own in the Comic Book Club; and those who would prefer not to have assigned reading can gather with the Quiet Reading Club in the fireside reading lounge.
The library does book groups a little differently than other places, as they make sure that books are always available to check out. If they do not have enough copies, they will arrange holds at other libraries and purchase additional copies to ensure everyone can participate. They also display current selections on a dedicated shelf to the left of the circulation desk so that patrons are up to date and can easily see what sparks their interest.
Support from library is invaluable to the group’s longevity, Green notes that it’s the enthusiastic members that bring the meetings to life. “They come for the joy.”
When asked what she would like the future of the group to look like, Green replied that she hopes it’s “just as loud in another 20 years.”
The African American Literature Book Group’s next meeting is Aug. 27 at 7 p.m. in the conference room of the Belleville-Area District Library at 167 Fourth St. They will be discussing “Did You Hear About Kitty Karr?” by Crystal Smith Paul.