Enjoying reading and nature? Florida book club hosts outdoor library experience

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – With winter approaching, many residents in Florida are looking forward to the cooler temperatures that will allow them to enjoy spending more time outdoors without dealing with the intense heat and humidity.

Well for those who love to read, there’s a Central Florida book club taking the library to local parks exploring nature and talking books.

The Southwest Branch of the Orange County Library System will be hosting their book club meeting at Bill Frederick Park in Orlando this December. The group will be delving into a discussion about ‘The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store’ by James McBride against the scenic backdrop of the park.

OCLS Librarian Sandy Mayer highlighted the themes of community connectedness, racism, and music found in the book. She pointed out that despite everyone reading the same material, each individual’s experience and perspective on the book can vary significantly.

Sandy moderates the Nature Walk Book Club each month. She said she got the idea from other libraries throughout the country taking their book club discussions outdoors.

“I love the outdoors, I love walking and I love reading and books so the combination was a win-win for me and I was hoping people in the community would also be interested,” said Sandy.

Sandy created the club in 2018, ending each meeting with a stroll around local parks with members like Carla Bitterling.

“After I finish a book I’m like ‘this was so good, who can I talk to about this?’ so I already know who I’m going to talk with because the book was selected by a librarian and I can look forward to meeting everyone and talking about it while also getting up and moving and exercising,” said Carla.

There’s no cost to join the book club, you just have to be a member of the Orange County Library System, which is free.

“Vitamin D is free. I mean, the fresh air and beautiful outdoors. It’s cheap medicine. The only thing I have to buy are a pair of good walking shoes,” said Carla.

Along with the love of reading and interacting with others, Carla said the book club highlights the importance of nature. Something everyone can get behind.

“The ecology, whether it’s the air we breath, the water we might swim in… It connects us to history. Our future is dependent upon what we learn,” said Carla.

“A joy for me is seeing them make connections with other people. Getting to know other people. That’s always nice to see,” said Sandy

If you’d like to check out the book club, there is a Pop-up StoryWalk hosted by OCLS Saturday, December 21 at Bill Frederick Park at 11 a.m. Click HERE to register.

The Nature Walk Book Club is one of many book clubs offered by OCLS. The options include in-person and virtual book clubs. Click HERE for a list of book clubs and meeting times.