Book club offers judgment-free zone for lit lovers

The Knit & Lit Book Club gives Cordovans a laid-back setting in which to discuss books and to work on knitting and other crafts. The club’s monthly meeting takes place around Cordova Public Library’s fireplace, seen here on Wednesday, July 17, 2019. Photo by Zachary Snowdon Smith/The Cordova Times

Many library reading programs focus on children, but the Cordova Public Library’s Knit & Lit Book Club is carving out space for adult book-lovers.

The Knit & Lit Book Club meets the last Tuesday of each month around the Cordova Library fireplace. The club’s next meeting, on Tuesday, July 30, will focus on William Goldman’s metafictional fantasy novel “The Princess Bride.”

Knit & Lit is geared toward adult readers, although sometimes the club votes to read classic children’s works. Previous club picks include everything from “Pride and Prejudice” to “The Copper Spike,” a history of the Trans-Alaska pipeline authored by former reporter for The Cordova Times, Lone E. Janson.

Youth services librarian Anna Hernandez founded the club in 2017 alongside retired English teacher Teri Stavig. The group’s relaxed atmosphere and shared focus on crafting activities like knitting, embroidery and painting helped set it apart from other book clubs.

“Sometimes you’ll go to book clubs and there’s a pressure not to come unless you’ve finished the book,” Hernandez said. “We didn’t want any of that. The vibe is very calm, and there’s no guilt if you haven’t finished the book.

The library offers free access to e-books and audiobooks via the Libby app, making it easier for club members to obtain copies of the month’s book.

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