Library Program for Those With Special Needs Comes to Cherry Hill

The Camden County Library System has been selected as one of six in the state to offer the Next Chapter Book Club for adults and teens with special needs, the Camden County Freeholder Board announced on Wednesday.

“Now Camden County residents with special needs will have a book club to call their own,” Freeholder Ed McDonnell, liaison to the Camden County Division of Programming for People with Disabilities, said. “We are proud that the Camden County Library System was recognized to provide this important service to our residents.”

Next Chapter Book Clubs provides those with intellectual or development disabilities with a book club esigned to meet their needs, regardless of reading ability.

In each club, up to eight members will gather weekly to read and discuss books and make friends in a relaxed, community setting.

The Scotch Plains Public Library System has run two Next Chapter clubs since 2008. It then requested funding from LibraryLinkNJ, the New Jersey Library Cooperative, in an effort to expand the service statewide.

LibraryLinkNJ accepted the proposal and is funding six other clubs, including ones at the Voorhees branch library and the Cherry Hill Public Library in South Jersey. The program provides training for library staff members who will work with local volunteers.

“The Camden County Library System is always seeking ways it can serve the entire region,” Camden County Library Director Linda Devlin said. “We’ve long offered on-the-spectrum programming for those with autism at some of our branches, and now we welcome the chance to provide Next Chapter Book Clubs for another special-needs population.”

The Next Chapter Book Club will meet at the M. Allen Volgenson Regional Branch of the Camden County Library System, located at 203 Laurel Road in Voorhees Township.

The group is scheduled to begin in September with the first meetings on Thursdays, Sept. 18 and 25 at 7 p.m.

Registration is required and encouraged as space will be limited. Contact Rosemary Scalese at (856) 772-1636 x7350 or at rscalese@camdencountylibrary.org.