What We Do

Our Mission

Durham Book Club is a student-driven community-building program that operates year-round, leading to a concentrated celebration from April to July. Our mission is to empower middle school students in Durham, NC, fostering leadership and camaraderie through shared reading experiences.

In Durham Book Club, we believe that reading is a bridge to understanding, a catalyst for personal growth, and a cornerstone of community building. We are committed to nurturing a generation of young minds who are confident in their voices, compassionate in their interactions, and excited to explore the world through the bonds of shared stories.

What We're Working On Right Now

We are happy to announce the four titles that we will be reading together this summer with DBCreads:

• In April, we will read Dragon Pearl by Yoon Ha Lee.

• In May, we will read Children of Stardust by Edudzi Adodo and meet the author on May 11 via Zoom.

• In June, we will read Small Town Pride by Phil Stamper and meet the author on June 1 via Zoom.

• In July, we will read Spark by Sarah Beth Durst and meet the author on July 27 via Zoom.

Registration has ended, BUT there are extra copies at each regional branch of Durham County Library,  including Main Library. Meanwhile, we, the Student Leadership Team, are working on the book-related activities we'll challenge you with each month. We know at least one book will have a virtual scavenger hunt (a DBC favorite!), so stay tuned as we get closer to April.

In the meantime, feel free to read all about last year's AMAZING success in our 2022-2023 Impact Report. In our fourth year, we saw explosive growth, from the number of participants who joined us this summer to the responsibilities that we, the Student Leadership Team, took on. We're really proud of what we accomplished together. Thank you to all our students, partners, friends, and Reading Advocates. 

How It All Started

Durham Book Club, initiated by StrongHER TogetHER in the summer of 2020 during the COVID pandemic, was originally conceived to provide more engaging activities for the oldest girls in our program during Zoom sessions. The idea was inspired by a youth representative who suggested reading The Girl Who Drank the Moon. This sparked the girls' curiosity about book clubs. The initiative then expanded to involve the community, with support from the DPS Foundation and  Durham Housing Authority. Funding was secured through grassroots efforts, and virtual author engagements were leveraged. In those first two years, books were distributed through DPS food distribution car lines, and small libraries were established in residences managed by DHA.

In the winter of 2022, as the pandemic eased, we were able to partner with middle school staff and build stronger communication and distribution processes for students. These partnerships have proven to be integral for Durham Book Club. Throughout 2022, a dynamic Student Leadership Team emerged, a group of dedicated middle school students who work year-round to actively shape our reading season, which runs annually from April to July.

In 2023, our impact soared—800 books reached over 200 registered middle-grade students, representing a diverse array of Durham's schools. Our members talked with authors, met together in-person for the first time, and participated in engaging book-related activities that took them all over Durham.

What started as one student’s idea has grown into a student-led movement, with strong community backing. We are forever grateful for the support of the Bull City. Durham Book Club demonstrates the power of reading to unite and enrich young minds when the community works together.