Reading Flash Mob at Norway Library

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Reading Flash Mob

NORWAY — On Wednesday, October 17, 94 teens sat, sprawled and stood on the front lawn of the Norway Memorial Library reading books.

The Teen Services Department of NML, working closely with the English Department of Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School (OHCHS), had extended an invitation to teens, teachers and community members to Flash Mob the Library front lawn.

Teens took over the front steps and lawn of the Library celebrating the right to read anything, anytime, anywhere. OHCHS teens were joined by home school teens, community members, library staff and high school faculty.

Arriving around 1 p.m., the lawn soon became covered with people and books. In typical Flash Mob fashion, they were gone by 1:30 p.m.

Brandan, a 10th grader at OHCHS, reading “The Chronicles of Narnia,” admitted that when he first heard about a Reading Flash Mob at the Library, he "thought it was lame.

"But, it's a nice day, I enjoyed the walk and it turned out to be a fun-filled adventure. When you think about it, we can read what we want. In some parts of the world teens have to sneak books or cannot even get a book at all. So, this is a good way to show our appreciation."

Norway Memorial Library’s Reading Flash Mob was set in the middle of Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) Teen Read Week, October 14-20. The theme this year was "It Came from the Library: Dare to Read for the fun of it!" During the Reading Flash Mob both teens and adults had fun.