New Book Club Launched with Mt Prospect Library

In October Search began an exciting partnership with Mount Prospect Public Library by launching a book club! Next Chapter Book Club is a community-based book club for adults with disabilities. The club’s goals are to help build friendships, self-esteem, community connections, and reading skills for its group members.

Prior to starting the club, Search and Mount Prospect Library staff met to learn more about Next Chapter Book Club’s history. Next Chapter Book Club is an international non-profit organization that is operated solely by volunteers. Next Chapter Book Club was founded in Ohio in 2002 by Dr. Thomas Fish. The club was started as a way for adults with disabilities to actively participate in their community and have fun!  At the moment there are currently 129 active clubs in the US and clubs as far away as Germany, Nigeria, and Rwanda!

Search and Mount Prospect Library staff share in facilitating meetings, assisting club members in following along, echo reading, and discussing the topics covered in this quarter’s book, Wonder. Club member Stephanie said she is excited to read wonder because it is “inspirational, and it’s nice to read about a person with a disability that they can relate to.”

The club meets biweekly at the library and serves not only as a book club but also a social group. The club has plans to move their meetings into the community to try reading in a more casual setting like a café or diner. Thank you to Mount Prospect Public Library for partnering with us on this great opportunity!