By LEE WARD / THE INDEPENDENT
ASHLAND — Anyone who has experience dating knows it’s tough to meet people.
Where to go?
What to say?
The Boyd County Public Library has answers: Try literary speed dating.
The library will host an evening of speed dating in which participants bring a book they love — or hate — and use discussion of the book as a conversation starter.
Library director Debbie Cosper and Community Relations Coordinator Amanda Gilmore learned online that Pazzo Books in Boston and several libraries throughout Europe, Australia and Canada offer literary speed dating and thought it would be a good program to try here.
“The state library of Victoria in Melbourne sold out its first event in 2006 and 13 couples linked up for future dates,” Gilmore said. “The places in Europe have had lots of fun with it, and have come up with some great phrases: ‘Do you have text appeal?’ ‘Are you a bookish bloke looking for a literate lady?’ ‘A novel approach to romance.’
She said they hope some people might find dates for Valentine’s Day through this event, which is a fundraiser for the Boyd County Public Library Friends organization.
Those who participate must be 18, but Gilmore said they’re expecting people between 25 and 60 to be the main crowd. If there’s lots of interest, she said there might be two groups divided by age.
“Participants need to be serious about wanting to meet someone who shares their interest in books and literature,” she said.
Gilmore explained how the event will work: “Everyone will have five to eight minutes to have a conversation with another person, and then decide whether they are interested in seeing that person again outside of the library.
“At the end of the evening, we will collect all the ‘score cards’ and contact the participants within two or three days with their ‘matches’ and contact information.”
She said library staff has no idea how many people to expect, but said they need at least six men and six women to make it work.
“We really think this could be a lot of fun,” Gilmore said. “There aren’t a lot of places for single people to meet others with similar interests. A love of reading is a great common denominator. Even if there are no matches made, it will be nice for people to get the chance to have conversations with other book lovers.”
The BCPL's literary speed dating is set for Feb. 7. Refreshments at 5:30 p.m. and dating begins at 6 p.m. Register by Feb. 2.
LEE WARD can be reached at lward@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2661.
