Mayors accept challenge to read

When they're not scanning council agenda packages or perusing civic documents, several Okanagan mayors have agreed to accept a challenge put forward by Okanagan Reads.

Photo: Wayne Moore - Castanet

Kelowna head librarian Fern Teleglow with a figurine of Seattle 'super librarian' Nancy Pearl

The Okanagan Regional Library initiative is designed to promote literacy by encouraging everyone in the Okanagan to read the same book.

Peachland Mayor Keith Fielding, West Kelowna Mayor Doug Findlater and Kelowna deputy mayor Luke Stack all accepted the challenge and, in turn, threw out challenges to council colleagues and constituents in their respective communities.

Okanagan Public Library Executive Director, Stephanie Hall, says Okanagan readers are invited to enter into the world George Bowering created in 'Shoot.'

"This is a raucous world - a world of trappers and traders, murderers and lawmen," says Hall.

"You are being invited to enter this world too and I hope you'll accept.Then I hope you'll tell me or your neighbour or your bus driver what you think."

Fern Teleglow, head librarian at the downtown Kelowna branch says the community read concept began in Seattle in the 90's.

"Nancy Pearl is the world's only super librarian and the only librarian to have her own action figurine. She is the librarian who came up with the concept of the community read back in the 90's when she got all of Seattle to read the same book," says Teleglow.

"Our goal is to get everyone to read the same book, discuss the same book, go to programming that celebrates the whole wild west of BC."

Once people are finished reading 'Shoot,' they are invited to make comments on the Okanagan Reads website or on Twitter.