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Cariboo online book club ‘unique’

Kimberly Vance-Lundsbye shares secrets to success at provincial conference
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Kimberly Vance-Lundsbye presents her workshop on virtual book clubs at the Decoda Literacy Conference in Richmond May 6. (Submitted photo)

A local literacy facilitator shared her unique way of reaching families throughout the pandemic at a provincial conference in Richmond last week.

Kimberly Vance-Lundsbye, who has hosted several virtual parenting book clubs in the region through her work at Cariboo Chilcotin Partners for Literacy, presented a workshop at the Decoda Literacy Conference earlier this month.

“I wanted to share what we’ve done with our parenting-themed book clubs over the last two years because I think it’s a bit of a unique program,” Vance-Lundsbye said. “We’ve connected with so many families throughout the region. I’m always both amazed and happy that parents and grandparents want to read and learn alongside us.”

The workshop highlighted the various aspects of facilitating a book club online, including the technical requirements, how to attract participants, and ways to reduce barriers that may be preventing participation access.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Vance-Lundsbye has hosted eight online book clubs, covering topics including neurodivergence, digital safety and raising spirited children.

Her presentation last week was attended by more than 20 conference participants from across the country.

“It’s been almost three years since I presented at a conference,” Vance-Lundsbye said. “I’m proud of the work my co-workers and I have done these past few years and was thrilled to be asked to share what has worked well and what we’ve learned with people from all over the province and Canada. I think the group had fun and there was lots of discussion about what online parenting book clubs could look like in other communities.”

Vance-Lundsbye is now working on setting up her next virtual book club, which will take place this summer. She said with restrictions easing, there will be opportunities for the group to meet in person, but the bulk of the club activities will still take place online “because that’s what works best for busy parents.”

To find out more about CCPL’s programming, visit www.caribooliteracy.com


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