Book Clubs Launch on Tortola, Anegada and
The Government of the Virgin Islands has announced the launch of community book clubs on Tortola, Anegada and Virgin Gorda as part of Culture and Tourism Month activities under the theme "Rooted in Culture, Growing through Tourism." The Department of Culture, in collaboration with the Public Library Service, says the clubs will focus on local authors, with Virgin Gorda already relaunched and registering ten members (Government of the Virgin Islands; GIS; VINO).
The Government of the Virgin Islands has confirmed the introduction of community book clubs on Tortola, Anegada and Virgin Gorda as part of Culture and Tourism Month programming under the theme "Rooted in Culture, Growing through Tourism." The initiative is led by the Department of Culture in collaboration with the Public Library Service and was announced in a government press release and reported by the Government Information Service (GIS) and Virgin Islands News Online (VINO).
Lennard said each club will concentrate on the works of local authors and provide residents with an opportunity to network, share insights and enjoy a good book. According to the BVI Government release, Ms. Lennard listed four goals for the clubs: to deepen appreciation of local writers and their work; to enhance members' reading experiences; to build relationships among people who share an interest in reading; and to encourage exploration of the resources and collections of the Virgin Gorda Community Library (BVI Government/GIS).
Virgin Gorda is the first island to formally relaunch a book club under the programme and already has ten registered members, the Department said. The Virgin Gorda club will use the theme "Bringing Readers together, Supporting Authors, One Story at a Time," and its first selection will be the late Nurse Hildegarde Flax Shaw's memoir, "Sharing a Fly Wing (A Memoir of Growing Up on Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands)." Ms.
Lennard described the memoir as a vivid recollection of childhood on Virgin Gorda that invites readers to "walk unpaved, moonlit roads, sit in a one-room schoolhouse and witness the family and community bonds that shaped the author" (BVI Government/GIS). Chief Librarian Suzanne Greenaway welcomed the partnership between the Public Library Service and the Department of Culture. "The Public Library is happy to reintroduce a Book Club in Virgin Gorda in collaboration with the Department of Culture," Ms.
Greenaway said in the government release. She noted that the clubs support lifelong learning, cultural development, literacy and healthy discussion while highlighting the wide repertoire of local literature (BVI Government/GIS). Organisers say the book clubs will spotlight local literature, strengthen community ties and support local authors by creating spaces for conversation and critique.
VINO's coverage of the announcement also pointed to recent events such as the visit of the floating book fair Logos Hope in October as evidence of strong public interest in reading across the Territory (VINO). Residents interested in joining a book club or learning more are encouraged to contact their local Public Library branch or the Department of Culture.
For general government enquiries, call (284) 468-3701. The BVI Government release also listed media and public contacts, including Information Officer Angela U. Burns at the Premier's Office and general government channels on the official website (gov.vg), telephone and WhatsApp for those seeking further details (BVI Government).
The Department of Culture serves as the central agency for preserving, protecting and promoting the Territory's cultural heritage. As the government's focal point for cultural policy and coordination, it manages festivals, fairs, performing and creative arts and cultural-heritage initiatives that this book club programme complements (BVI Government).
Primary source: BVI Government