BETHANY CLANCY
Staff Writer
This month the Chautauqua-Cattaraugus County Library System is teaming up with Fredonia’s Department of English capstone class to explore the topic of animals in literature. This features a variety of readings related to animals.
The capstone class is doing this to replace the NEA’s Big Read that usually happens every year. The local library reached out to Emily VanDette, associate professor of English, hoping to do something along the lines of a Big Read.
For those who are unfamiliar with what the Big Read is, it’s a national program that offers grants to support organizations in developing community-wide programs which encourage reading and participation by diverse audiences. The Big Read focuses on one book, but this year, VanDette wanted her program to revolve around a theme so more books could be incorporated. The theme being, “Animals in Literature.”
The class will be working with libraries ranging from the Silver Creek, Fredonia, Dunkirk, Jamestown and Ripley areas. According to the Campus Report, students will lead book discussions, debates, writing workshops and other events that explore animal and human agency, empathy, animal sentience, voice and consciousness. This series is for all ages, reading levels and interests. This is able to happen due to a grant from the Carnahan-Jackson Fund for the Humanities.
The capstone class gives the students experience in their English major, applying it and getting the community involved. There are several opportunities calling for community involvement, including a “Be Kind To Animals” panel which will be held in Reed Library on May 4 at 4:30 p.m. as well as many others.
This class also gives students a chance to work their other interests into the community work too, especially when making posters for the overall theme and with each individual program.
VanDette says her favorite part of this program is all of the room for safe debating, where everybody can freely get their opinion out. One of the ones mentioned was revolving around animal consciousness and whether or not dogs remember.
Revolving her capstone class around this has made her realize that libraries aren’t dead, they’re still the heart of reading. Every time the class meets, they discuss the events along with the turnout and so far have experienced a lot of success. The class is also taking an extra step and raffling off a laptop donated by the local company DFT, with proceeds going to two local humane societies. The drawing will be at the panel in Reed Library on May 4.