Revelstoke Library home to a host of in-person clubs

Okanagan Regional Library’s Revelstoke location is home to a collection of clubs this winter season. Cosy crafters and book lovers have choices this year, including the long-standing Craft Club and the newly-formed Silent Reading Club.

Inge Anhorn, long-time member of Craft Connections told Revelstoke Mountaineer the clubs offered at the library become cornerstones for social connections.

“Many members, this is the only time I get to see them,” Anhorn said. “And sometimes we get people from other countries, or visitors here only a few days or a few weeks.”

Lucie Bergeron, community librarian at the Revelstoke location said Craft Connections, originally a knitting club, has become a popular space for all crafts and skill levels to join and enjoy similarly minded company.

“Some skill sharing takes place, but mostly it’s just about connecting to other people.”

Craft Connections is one of the various adult programs available at the Revelstoke library, often springing from community requests. Many of the clubs and programs have been providing indoor activities during snowy Revelstoke winters for decades.

“We have a book club that has been running for over 20 years,” Bergeron said. 

Covid-19 nearly put a damper on the club, but they now meet at other locations around town. The Revelstoke library assists them still by bringing in books for the club from other branches, and Bergeron noted the library is able to support another book club or two if community members are interested. 

For those looking to choose their own reading material but still meet up with fellow book lovers, the recently launched Silent Reading Club offers a chance for book lovers to come together and share space while reading their latest pick. 

The club springs from a model that’s been spreading internationally and was kickstarted by a community request in the Revelstoke Community Facebook group. 

“The idea is simple, get together and read in companionable silence,” Bergeron said.

For a more boisterous time, Bergeron recommended checking out the Spanish Conversations Club, a place where folks of all levels can practice conversational Spanish and get help from community members also learning the language.

“They laugh and laugh,” Bergeron said. “But not as much as the crafters.”

Another community-requested club is the weekly Chess Club, offering multiple boards so folks can drop in and play through a game or two. More club idea pitches are welcome as a way to keep providing financially-accessible activities for Revelstoke residents and visitors, Bergeron said.

“We are always willing to work with anyone who wants to start a program or do a presentation. Our mandate is to provide as much programming as we can for free.”

The clubs not only provide space for folks to explore their passions, but it also highlights the diverse nature of Revelstoke, with members from Sweden, Australia and other countries finding a place at Craft Connections.

“You’re not just connecting to the community,” Anhorn said. “You can also connect to the world.”