By By Ben Rayner • 09/29/2021 08:30 a.m. EST
Long before the dramatic and beautiful renovation to the E.C. Scranton Library, Clara Flath has been an integral part of the library’s dedication to the community. Though her title is inter-library loan librarian, she has become much more than that to staff and especially to residents via her work coordinating area book clubs.
Clara’s job is in overseeing the more than 50 book clubs that require not just ideas and suggestions, but the actual books themselves. There is already a system in place to coordinate loans between many local libraries, called LION (Libraries On Line Inc). LION is a consortium of libraries that have joined together to make their holdings more readily available to all of their patrons
Though LION is a vital component of the system, Clara’s efforts go well beyond that model as she assists book clubs in obtaining the tomes they need to actually conduct their discussions. Think about trying to get enough copies of a particular book for 6 to 12 members of a club and then duplicate that effort 50 times—not an easy prospect, and that is what makes Clara so special to the town and her clubs.
Her never-ending feat of logistics has endeared her to many who have come to rely on her skills to keep their book clubs functioning and relevant.
“I deal with a lot of spreadsheets,” Clara says with a laugh. “Its not like a central clearing house. We have to track down these copies one by one and make sure we get them to their club and get them there in time. There is a lot of tracking and searching for sure.”
Though it isn’t easy to quantify why books clubs have become so energized in recent years, Clara says it seemed to evolve out of the events of 9/11 and a need for residents to stay engaged with others.
“They really have become hugely popular. Clubs always thrived but it really seemed to grow after 9/11. People wanted ways to connect with each other,” says Clara. “What is so interesting is that we serve so many different people, other libraries, churches, private clubs, neighborhood clubs, historical societies-they all contact me wanting information on how to create a club and how to get books. There isn’t any space where we can store items, so it is a constantly rotating process.”
Scranton Library Director Sunnie Scarpa says Clara is a critical part of the library’s outreach to the community. Her efforts have made not only Clara and the clubs a crucial resource but the Scranton Library and its other programs as well.
“Clara is incredibly knowledgeable about what book clubs need to run smoothly. In addition to being knowledgeable, efficient, and tech-savvy, she’s also one of the nicest people you could ever hope to meet. Book club members rely on her because of what she does, but they consider her a friend because of who she is,” Scarpa says. “She is a huge part of supporting Madison’s literary endeavors and we’re all so fortunate to have her working at the Scranton Library.”
“I love to organize and I really enjoy it,” says Clara. “The groups I work with are always very appreciative and I always try and make things work out for them. Our work makes it so much easier for members to coordinate when they go through me. It is such a great way to get together and connect with friends and to socialize.
“And sometimes the best discussions are about books people don’t like,” she notes. “It’s such a great resource and opportunity for the members. Anyone interested can contact us anytime and we will help you get going.”
New books are especially difficult to get due to their popularity, but somehow Clara manages to gather and distribute dozens if not hundreds of books for the various clubs.
“Definitely the newer titles are more sought after, but we always seem to find a way to deliver. But that is what I do-the coordination and logistics are the service we provide,” Clara says.
Anyone interested in starting a book group or club or who wants more information can contact Clara directly via the Scranton Library’s website www.scrantonlibrary.org.
“Please do not hesitate to contact us if you are interested. That is what we are here for. Anyone interested should just call, these clubs really work well and are very interesting for a lot of people,” says Clara.
To contact Clara or the Scranton Library about starting a book club or for more information on library programs, visit www.scrantonlibrary.org or call 203-245-7365.
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