ALTON - Megan Dees knows firsthand the value of book clubs. After all, she has started several through Hayner Public Library District — and the lucky librarian recently won a major prize through her own book community.
Dees, who oversees the TeenSpace programming at Hayner, started the Comic Chaos comic book club for teenagers a few months ago. But in her personal life, she enjoys the friendships she has made through an online book community, where members talk about books, authors and life. This book community also has a weekly winner, and Dees received over 600 “blessings” in one week from her online friends.
“When I won, I kind of had a freak-out moment,” Dees remembered. She explained that members purchase items off the winner’s Amazon wish list, and these purchases serve as their “ticket” for next week’s drawing. Dees regularly participates and purchases items for her fellow members, but she had no idea what to expect when her own name was chosen earlier this month.
Members decided to “bless” Dees with several packages, gifting her household items, necessities and books that she had chosen through her Amazon wish list. Not only was it fun for Dees, who was stunned when 600 packages showed up at her door, but her children loved receiving the books and gifts.
“I cried,” Dees said. “It was just so amazing. To have my kids be able to open up all those gifts and their books, and they’re so excited that they received books from people — it was just so amazing. And then I received books, and I received just a bunch of things that my family would need. It was just so humbling. I ended up getting over 600 blessings. That’s just mind-blowing.”
Dees has donated or gifted a few of the duplicate items she has received. She wants to “pass it forward” and give back to the people who blessed her. This online book community has meant a lot to Dees, and she is proud to be a member.
It also reminds her of what Hayner’s community can be. Hayner hosts several book clubs, including the Comic Chaos group for teenagers, a Cookbook Club, and the Taps & Tomes Book Club. They have quarterly reading retreats and other events that encourage readers to come together and connect.
The library goes beyond the books on the shelves, Dees said. Hayner aims to create a community of people who can engage through their programs, offerings and events. They want to help people form connections and access resources.
“We try to make sure we create that community,” Dees explained. “We’re trying to create a good, safe place for people to make those connections and enjoy books and become friends.”
She encourages people to stop by the library or visit the official Hayner Library website for more information about their offerings. She hopes Hayner can provide a community feel for people to engage and build connections.
“You can just come in and see what it’s all about,” she added. “Just don’t be afraid to try new things, because you never know who you’re going to meet or what you’re going to like. You may meet your future best friend.”
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