Out on the Town With Millennials and Gulp Fiction

Libraries serve as resources for all ages, but there is one demographic that sometimes slips under the radar. It is an age group for which teen rooms are too juvenile, but activities for parents and kids are usually not yet relevant. These are millennials, in their 20s and 30s, and the Gulp Fiction book group, which invites these Natick residents to participate in a unique way.
Reaching Readers
The Gulp Fiction Club was created by 20-something Caleigh Ross, the same month she started her position as a library assistant at Natick’s Bacon Free Library. Though the library’s typical patrons are families or older residents, Ross knows there are people like her who are living in Natick but are not regularly visiting her workplace.
“I was at the Natick train station one day, and all of these people in their 20s and 30s came pouring off the train,” Ross remembered. “I thought, ‘Okay, you exist, you’re here. Now how do I get to you?’”
In the case of Gulp Fiction, the club goes out to the community. It is different from other library book groups because it takes place in local restaurants or taverns, where deep discussions can be held over a hot meal and a cold beer. The atmosphere is casual, serving as a place where members can relax, get to know one another and engage in good literature.
The group serves as a bridge to the library, without stepping foot in one. “Offering this book club aimed specifically at this age group is our way of connecting and engaging with patrons that we know exist, but who don’t necessarily always engage with the library in traditional ways,” Ross explained.
Empowering Literature
February marked the one-year anniversary of Gulp Fiction. A core group of around seven people regularly attend, but they always welcome “new faces and new perspectives,” as Ross put it.
As the group grows, participants have been enjoying a selection of works, spanning fiction and nonfiction, and reading authors across the spectrum, Aziz Ansari, Jeffery Eugenides, Rainbow Rowell, David Sedaris.
The pick for January’s meeting was the new memoir “#GIRLBOSS” by Sophia Amoruso, founder of Nasty Gal Vintage. Amoruso’s company became highly successful and was named the Fastest Growing Retailer in 2012 by INC Magazine. The author imparts world-wise wisdom for young professionals, like those who attend Gulp Fiction.
During the meeting, one member explained, “Reading ‘#GIRLBOSS’ is really helpful in encouraging readers to advocate for themselves. I’ve been out of school a few years and in entry-level positions. Now I’m ready to move on and have honest conversations, saying, ‘I deserve a raise, and here’s why.’”
Calling All Natick
Restaurants
The next step for Gulp Fiction is finding a permanent home. They seek a local restaurant or bar to build a mutually beneficial relationship with, where they can patronize the location on a regular basis and have a reliable space to hold and grow their book discussions.
The core group has enjoyed their time experimenting with new establishments in Natick, meeting in places they might not have visited otherwise, but the traveling creates an instability that the group hopes to remedy.
“Ideally, we would love to have a permanent location,” Ross said. “We are searching for a venue with an atmosphere, menu and price point that is conducive to our monthly meetings.”
This is all part of the growth process, something both the library and 20- and 30-somethings know well. “It’s a testament to the magic of libraries that we are able to evolve to fit the needs of our community and engage with patrons on their own terms,” Ross said. “It’s about meeting patrons where they are—in this case, out on the town!”
For Gulp Fiction times and locations, visit www.baconfreelibrary.org/events.