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“Where wise actions are the fruit of life, wise discourse is the pollination.”

“Bryant H. McGill”

Though it is always going on everywhere, it is easy to overlook the importance of conversation. The simple act of talking to someone is how ideas are formed, and built upon, and how they eventually become a reality. November is a wonderful season for conversation. The more the temperature drops, the more people want to sit beside the fire with a good book or stay inside with friends and family discussing a wide variety of topics over a feast.

One can find reading a book compelling by itself but coming together with other readers to discuss the book is fascinating. Different people can read the same material as another and interpret it in a vastly different way, which makes for interesting conversation. Everybody Reads aims to build a shared reading experience among members of the community and promote educational discussion based on the read. Come gather in Delany Room to discuss the book, “House of Broken Angels” by Luis Alberto Urrea on November 6. An uplifting and amusing story about a Mexican American family experience. The Dayton Memorial Library has multiple copies of this book, so check it out! Participants will have the opportunity to travel and meet the author at the locations listed in the available pamphlets.

One of the primary functions of the public library is to make information available to the community. This includes the latest of science, technology, sociology, medical, political and much more. It is a universal goal shared among every library to enable an informed patron base on how to make smart decisions that will affect their lives and the communities. Books can be used to influence the reader, such as ideas of one group of people will influence the ideas of another.

Sometimes the ideas of an individual do not coincide with that of another, and a debate arises. It is important to know why this “civil discourse” is crucial to the progress of today. the Big Ideas Talk in the Delany room will feature Civil Discourse as its primary topic on November 14. Presented by Walla Walla Community College’s American History professor, Jim Pietersen, it is an excellent opportunity to learn about the importance of healthy public debate.

Don’t forget that we will be closed on November 1 in observance of Veteran’s Day, and again on November 28–29 for Thanksgiving.

As always, happy reading!