I’ve been a member of the Jackson County Library Foundation board for nearly two years now, and it’s helped me connect more deeply with my community while allowing me to support what I believe is a vital resource in any community: public libraries. Our foundation secures and stewards resources to support and enhance the 15 branches of Jackson County Library Services, funding key programs, advanced technology and improvements to library spaces beyond what public funding through taxes can provide. One of the programs the foundation supports is the annual Rogue Reads program, running every winter with the goal of building connections between community members (and encouraging reading, of course!).

Each year library staff choose two books, one for adults and one for children (and sometimes a Young Adult selection as well), building a series of activities around them and encouraging general reading by throwing down a Winter Reading Challenge, where citizens read and track their progress through the system’s website or app, earning digital badges as they go. This year’s selections are Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt, an instant New York Times bestseller, and The Octopus Escapes by Maile Meloy. Both books feature a giant Pacific octopus at their center, and so, many of the special talks and programs centered around aquatic themes and subjects. This past week I had the pleasure of taking part in and helping to facilitate two of those events revolving around Van Pelt’s adult fiction.

Last Thursday saw nearly 40 Remarkably Bright Creatures fans gathered at one of our valley’s local wineries, Naumes Suncrest Winery, to take part in the Foundation’s Well Re(a)d Book Club. Every two months we choose a title, and a winery serves as host for a gathering of book lovers. Participants sign up on our website, the host often features a special pairing of one of their wines with the book — and often offer a special on that wine with funds donated to the Foundation — and our board members serve as discussion leaders. Its a win-win-win for everyone: The wineries enjoy a boost in sales and recognition (often on a slower night of the week), readers get to discuss a good read with other bibliophiles in a congenial atmosphere with a nice glass of wine, and the Foundation increases awareness of its mission and work (and, hopefully, increases its donor base).

The crowd gathered at Naumes really enjoyed their discussion and time together. Most folks came in pairs or small groups, but individuals arrived, too, and were quickly enveloped into conversations. Most participants stepped up to the tasting room bar and ordered food as well as a glass (or bottle) to enjoy along with the book talk. The winery offered three cozy, inviting spaces   in which we held our small-group chats, and it wasn’t long before one could hear the buzz of conversation and frequent bursts of laughter coming from each room. The evening proved a rousing success on all sides, a testament to both the popularity of our book club model and, of course, to the book itself.

Last night saw an even larger gathering of Remarkably Bright Creatures fans as the Foundation co-sponsored an author talk with Shelby Van Pelt. Nearly 700 readers (!) gathered at the Craterian Theater, our performing arts center, in downtown Medford for this free event. They lined up early, many with their copies of the book in hand, hoping to get them signed after the talk. Those of us who are members of either the Foundation board or the library district board, as well as major donors and library district administrative staff, were fortunate to attend a pre-function reception with the author, getting the chance to chat with her (a delightful lady!) and have her sign our books.

Van Pelt spoke to a rapt and delighted audience for about an hour. A first-time author, she recounted how she came to develop the character of Marcellus, the germ of an idea that grew into a novel about loss and connection, growth and hope, all set in a small Pacific Northwest town. She shared how her main character, an older woman named Tova, was inspired by her own grandmother, and how her “by the seat of my pants” writing style left tens of thousands of words “on the cutting room floor.” In the Q & A she also provided some behind-the-scenes insight into the process of her novel being developed into a Netflix movie (due to be released May 8) starring Sally Field.

Overall, it was a most delightful evening, and both it and the earlier book club event succeeded in attaining the goal of building and strengthening community through a shared love of the written word.

— Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor