The Regina book club provides readers and crafters with a safe and quiet space
A book club that started in 2024 continues to be a place of solace for readers and crafters today. Silent Book Club YQR is the Regina chapter of the club that originated in San Francisco. On Jan. 18, they hosted their first junk journaling event at O’Hanlon’s Irish Pub. The club’s team and event participants spoke to the Carillon about the community that grew from their meetings.
Organizer and face of the club, Mallory LaBine, says that she got the idea to start the book club from TikTok. “A couple years ago, I thought [it] would be a really cool thing to have in Regina,” said LaBine.
‘’I went on Regina Reddit and I just kind of put my feelers out there, and there was a lot of interest, so I thought I may as well just start a chapter here.” LaBine can recall their first silent reading event, which garnered about 13 participants; some of those original attendees have since turned out to be regulars and volunteer curators.
All of the club’s events are open to the public along with being low-commitment and cost-free. Thursdays and Sundays are usually when one can expect silent readings or “crafter-noons” to occur. They are frequently hosted at O’Hanlon’s Irish Pub, The Cure, Rebellion Brewing, Shannon’s Pub, and Central Regina Public Library.
LaBine says that they are grateful for the space that local businesses have given them over the past year. “It’s really nice to have a local business be so accommodating to us, especially [with] such a big group,” said LaBine. “We’re showing up with 20 or 25 people.”
Readers, come hither
The silent reading events allow for readers to meet other book lovers and even discover a new genre to explore. At the start of the hour, LaBine says that attendees can choose to take part in the introduction and discussion period.
Genres like romantasy, horror, and non-fiction are popular in the circle. Zachary Garvey who is a frequent attendee who has been coming to the club for almost a year says that the community has positively impacted his life. “I don’t need to leave my house for work, so I don’t really go anywhere other than [the] gym,” he said.
“It’s nice to talk to random people, get out of my comfort zone, and socialize.” Garvey also said that his interest in the Warhammer 40000 books isn’t often shared by other members, but making friends and meeting new people leaves him wanting to come back.
I feel like this is something you usually just do alone. It’s nice to go have a beer, hang out with your buddies, and make some art.” -Tori Fink
Where one man’s junk is another’s treasure
The club’s first junk journal event attracted over 30 participants, with new faces coming to join after their first silent book club event. The group was a mix of junk journal experts and beginners trying their hand at making journal spreads out of old magazines, books, stickers, markers, and various materials that the club provided.
Sydney Beaudin and Tori Fink were amongst the crowd that joined the Sunday crafter-noon. Beaudin said that she uses things she has collected over the years for her journal: tickets from concerts, movies, and museum trips make up her spread.“ [Junk journaling] is a really nice way for me to put it in a place where I would usually look at it, instead of it being in a box or a drawer,” she said.
Fink, who recently started her junk journaling journey, says that the event is a nice way to get out of the house. “I feel like this is something you usually just do alone. It’s nice to go have a beer, hang out with your buddies, and make some art,” said Fink.
Curator and artist Dominique Daschuk shares that the main goal for crafting afternoons is to put unused things to work. She ensured the success of the event by bringing in boxes of art supplies that came from her own collection, her sister’s, and her cousin’s grandmother, who recently passed. Daschuk says that she keeps an eye out for interesting things to take apart for junk journaling, and some can be found at library book sales for a dollar or two.
“Things like World Heritage catalogues or National Geographic [magazines] we found for a dollar a piece,” she said. “Old photo books at the United Way book sale at the University of Regina (U of R), just stuff that was going to be thrown away or that we found damaged in Little Free Libraries. It’s been really fun to go around and collect stuff.”
Holding space for the community
For curator Janelle Lubkiwski, there are many positives to volunteering with the club. Being part of the curators group has led to building a solid core of friends, and the position allows for Lubkiwski to witness many memorable moments while observing the attendees. “Noticing people who aren’t talking to each other […] and then watching the conversation spark up, it’s so much fun to be able to bring people together and maybe guide it a little bit,” she said.
Daschuk says that a lot of those who are out of university or in the workforce come back to the club for the community it provides. “Especially people who work rather lonely jobs, we don’t always have a very strong community anymore,” said Daschuk. “You don’t even have to participate, you can just show up, that offers people the chance to get back some of that community that we just don’t have otherwise.”
The club fosters a growing group of individuals with diverse interests, and the warmth from them extends past their in-person meetings. Discord is used as their primary channel for communication. Those interested in the events are encouraged to RSVP through it. It also serves as a hub for talking about books, crafts, pets, games, or local events.
“It’s good that we have our group chat, that way, it’s easier to let people know [that] something’s come up, so we’re not worried about you,” said LaBine.
To find updates about when and where their next event will take place, follow their Instagram (@silentbookclubyqr) or Facebook page (Regina-YQR-Silent Book Club). With the junk journal event’s overwhelming numbers of participants, the club has promised a part two in February.
