This past Thursday, September 13, the Nardini Library held their second Scoop and Skype event but this time with author Paul Volponi.

22 students from both East and West came together to talk to author of the Abraham Lincoln Illinois High School Readers’ Choice nominee, Paul Volponi for Rikers High.

The Abe Lincoln Award is awarded annually to the author of the book voted as most outstanding by participating students in grades nine through twelve in Illinois.

The students of the iRead Book Club spend the year reading these books in order to vote. Book Club skyped with Volponi because it gains interest to the book and let’s students see what his book is about.

Students gathered into Classroom C, sitting together at tables enjoying ice cream while talking to Volponi on the projector and taking turns asking Volponi questions.

Although some of the students hadn’t read any of Volponi’s books, they say they enjoyed the event.

“He’s really funny! So it’s good to be in it,” sophomore Jovanie De La Cruz said.

The students that haven’t read Volponi’s books also said, “ I’ve been meaning to because I’ve heard a lot of good things about them,” senior Deja Cook said.

Even the librarians, Ms.Janine Asmus, Ms. Susan Peterson, and Ms. Judith Condren, enjoyed this event. “I love it, I think it’s fantastic! I like how [Volponi] asks our students questions,” Ms. Peterson said.

“It’s fun! He’s good with people. He’s holding his own,” Ms. Asmus added.

This was a great opportunity for students to see Volponi and know that there’s a real person behind the book.

“It’s a nice way to connect students with authors. You really get to see the process and the way that they work, and one of the best parts is that you see the author’s office,” Ms. Peterson said.

The students were able to talk to the author through Skype and connect.

“Skyping has made it affordable and dynamic and exciting,” Ms. Condren said.

The librarians say the idea of skyping with an author came about because it is such an affordable way to connect students with authors. This enables students to ask questions about what it is like to be an author and ask about the process of writing books.

This is the second year that Leyden libraries have been able to skype with an author and is something both the East and West Leyden libraries want to continue doing.

For more information on future events, you can contact Ms. Peterson, Ms. Condren, or Ms. Asmus in the East Campus library and Ms. Browne or Ms. Monegato in the West Campus library.