Butler library program attempts to spark understanding of other cultures
The goal of the Butler Area Public Library is to serve the literary needs of everyone, which includes those from other countries.
So a group of library officials and others came up with the Un Libro, Un Butler! program, or One Book, One Butler!
The program is free and open to anyone who would like to read a book, open their mind and discuss the beauty and challenges of other cultures.
Anita Bowser, information services manager at the library, said Tuesday, July 18, that anyone interested in participating can pick up a free copy of “The House of the Spirits” by Chilean author Isabel Allende at the library, 218 N. McKean St.
The books are available in English or Spanish, and readers can participate in one of three discussions on the story.
Bowser said “The House of the Spirits” is of the magical realism genre and tells the story of a family in Chile and how they are affected by political unrest and a turnover in government.
She said the program was created so the library could reach those of Hispanic heritage in Butler and engage them in programs and services at the library.
“We want to serve everyone in the community,” Bowser said. “We’re really excited about this.”
She said the group wanted to choose a book that was written in Spanish.
“We asked some literary people and some Latinx people who patronize the library, and this (book) appeared on everyone’s list,” Bowser said.
Books can be picked up free on the second floor of the library, then readers can attend one or all of the book discussions, which are:
√ Literary Classics Book Club at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 26, at the library.
√ No Shelf Control Book Club at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 5, at the library.
√ Coffeehouse Book Chat at 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 9, at Vintage Coffeehouse, 209 S. Main St., Butler. Space for this discussion is limited, and registration with the library is required.
But the book discussions are not mandatory.
“We encourage everyone who gets a copy to read it and share their thoughts, either in a formal book discussion or in casual conversations with family, friends, neighbors or even strangers,” Bowser said.
She hopes the goal of getting people to talk to one another about other cultures comes to fruition in Butler.
“Here at the library, we’re hoping this event will inspire community dialogues that can spark camaraderie and understanding across cultures and neighborhoods in our area,” Bowser said.
Based on the response to Un Libro, Un Butler!, Bowser hopes to pursue a broader outreach that will include Spanish language story times and game nights, Latin American cultural events and movie discussions, and formal book discussions.
To entice Hispanic people living in Butler to participate, Bowser said information has been distributed at Mexican restaurants and various other locations.
“We are really hopeful that word-of-mouth will get the message out there, too,” she said.
If successful, the program could result in the library bumping up its small supply of books written in Spanish, but she said she can likely get a specific book in Spanish if a reader requests it.
Alba Hughes, of Butler, is looking forward to Un Libro, Un Butler!, as she is a native of Venezuela who immigrated to Butler seven years ago.
“People have been very welcoming here and always interested in where I come from and why I have this accent,” Hughes said.
She hopes the new program will be successful even though just 1.9% of Butler’s population is Hispanic, according to the 2020 Census.
But even if the Hispanic turnout is low, the program will be a great opportunity for those who participate to learn about Hispanic cultures.
“There are 20 countries where Spanish is spoken,” Hughes said.
She will hold a Spanish language story time in the fall, which will fit in with her 25 years experience teaching English as a Second Language and special education in Venezuela.
Hughes invites everyone interested in other cultures to participate in Un Libro, Un Butler!
“The library is making a big effort,” she said. “I’m really excited about this and being part of it.”
