Learn about forthcoming books and more news for readers!

Our mid-month Books & Reading newsletter features forthcoming titles, LibraryReads picks from library staff across the country, book-related events, and reading resources you might not know about. Enjoy!

Do you love reading and talking about what you've read? Join one of our Book Discussion Groups! We have groups at multiple library locations in Chandler, reading books of all sorts including genre fiction. This month we have some changes to announce.

Monday Evening Virtual Book Discussion
July will be the last meeting of the virtual book discussion group. We were glad to have the opportunity to offer the virtual format at the height of the pandemic, and we appreciate the group members who continued with us as in-person events started up again. Join us for the final meeting on July 24 to discuss The Ingenue by Rachel Kapelke-Dale, and register to receive a Webex link for the meeting.

Books in Motion Walking Book Group
After a July hiatus, the Walking Book Group will return to the air-conditioning in the Chandler Nature Center for August and September. In October we'll be back outside at Veterans Oasis Park. Join us on August 3 to discuss Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt.

How Dewey do it? Like most public libraries in the U.S., Chandler Public Library uses Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) to organize nonfiction materials. Invented in the late 19th century by librarian Melvil Dewey, DDC organizes knowledge into 10 broad subject areas, with many subdivisions. Here's a quick look:

Photo via Printablee

Here's a useful tip: Once you know the Dewey number for your desired subject, you can find all nonfiction materials on that subject anywhere in the library - and in any library that uses DDC! For example, 641 is the number for cookbooks, and kids' cookbooks, and nonfiction DVDs about cooking, too!

How about fiction? This is such a large collection that we take it out of its Dewey numbers (the 800s) and file it by author's last name in its own section. We do the same thing with children's picture books and chapter books, as well as DVDs.

Need more help finding something? Ask at the Information Desk! Our library staff are here to help you!

Bonus fact! Melvil Dewey was also a proponent of spelling reform, which is why he spelled his name like that!