Iron rusts from disuse, stagnant water loses its purity . . .
even so does inaction sap the vigors of the mind.
—Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519),
The Notebooks
Long before there were free education and free lending libraries, reading was often a social activity. Factory workers often had books read to them to relieve the tedium of work, after which there were spontaneous discussions about the book.1 The tradition of reading aloud, which allowed everyone to enjoy the printed word, carried over to the worker’s household. Talking about what was read was an important part of their day, their life, and their culture.
The culture of the twentieth century was one that valued reading and the written word. It was, therefore, natural to see libraries hosting book discussion groups. Successful library-sponsored programs, including those targeted at the senior population, have a long history of centering around the “book.” Librarians wisely hypothesized that when there wasn’t a way to attend school, self-education through reading was a way out of the ghetto. During the Great Depression and the post– World War II years, reading groups flourished. In 1947 the Cleveland Public Library had more than fifty Great Books reading groups, with 2,000 members.2 It seems reasonable to believe that the youth of 1947 would still want to read and discuss books.
