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Waupaca to hold community read

Library encourages readers to share ‘Braiding Sweetgrass’ expereience

By Robert Cloud

The Waupaca Area Public Library encourages local readers to share in the community experience of reading a book together.

The book is “Braiding Sweetgrass” by Robin Wall Kimmerer, who brings together the scientific perspective of her botanist background with the indigenous insights of her Potawatomi heritage.

In her review in the Library Journal, Sue O’Brien wrote, “A trained scientist who never loses sight of her Native heritage, she (Kimmerer) speaks of approaching nature with gratitude and giving back in return for what we receive.”

Patsy Servey, Waupaca’s adult services librarian, described “Braiding Sweetgrass” as “beautifully written.”

“It helps us see the connections between us and nature, between us and our community,” she said.

Servey said the “interwoven relationship of plants serves as a beautiful metaphor of the connections we have with those in our community.”

Readers will learn about the author’s journey of self discovery as she learns about the science of plants, her heritage and roots, the science of botany and about Native American traditions, Servey said.

The library has 20 copies of each of two versions of “Braiding Sweetgrass.” One version is for adults and the other is for youth.

Readers may borrow the book from the library or obtain a copy through the honor system, whereby they share the book with a friend instead of immediately returning it.

Library staff have organized community discussions at four different locations and times in order to make it more convenient for people to participate,

Schedule of discussions

• 5:30 p.m. Thursday, June 15, Chain Bar & Grill;
• 10 a.m. Saturday, July 15, Waupaca library;
• 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 19, Upper South Park;
• 3 p.m. Monday, Aug. 14, teen meeting at library.

For those who are unable to attend any of the meetings, they may share their thoughts on the feedback card that the library will place within each book.

Library hosts community downtown hike

As part of the Waupaca Area Public Library’s “All Together Now” summer program, a Strawberry Full Moon Hike will take place beginning on the front lawn of the library on Main Street on Saturday, June 3.

A story time will kick off the event beginning at 10 a.m. The hike follows an 0.8-mile route, a mix of paved and unpaved trail. It will be marked with strawberry and moon facts.

Upon returning to the library lawn, hikers will be treated with a strawberry parfait The event is free and no registration is necessary.

For more information on this event or how to participate in other summer library programs go to www.waupacalibrary.org.

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