by Wendy C.

As Howard County Library System (HCLS) celebrates its 85th birthday this year, I’ve found myself flipping through a mental scrapbook—page after page of memories and moments since I first started in 2010. It’s been a rich and satisfying journey, filled with more book recommendations than I could count and some of the most passionate readers and coworkers one could hope to know. When I became an Instructor and Research Specialist at the Central Branch, I landed in a dream team of literary champions affectionately known as the Fictionistas. These were (and still are!) some of the most brilliant book minds around. They mentored me, encouraged me, and perhaps most importantly, welcomed me into their bookish fold. 

One of the most meaningful invitations came early on when I was asked to help facilitate Noontime Book Club, lovingly known as Noontime Books. This wasn’t just any club. It was founded in 1993 as Noontime With Books by Marge Trautman, a true trailblazer and the OG Fictionista. Community members were encouraged to come on their lunch breaks, eat, and talk about books. Marge had retired by the time I came on the scene, but her influence lingered in every discussion circle and on every dog-eared reading list. 

Marge recently passed away at the age of 81. While we are saddened by her loss, we are comforted knowing that her spirit is alive and well in the very club she started. Month after month, rain or shine, in-person or virtual, some members have been showing up for over a decade, testament to the powerful sense of community and curiosity Marge helped spark. There’s something incredibly special about gathering midday to unpack a story together, be it mystery, memoir, or modern classic. Noontime Books isn’t just about reading. It’s about connecting, questioning, and sharing a slice of life over lunch and literature. 

So as we celebrate HCLS’s incredible 85-year journey, I tip my hat to the Fictionistas, to Marge, and to every reader who ever leaned in a little closer during book club to say, “Wait, did anyone else notice that part? 

Click for a listing of all the HCLS book clubs that have meetings soon, and many more return in September.

Wendy Camassar is an Instructor and Research Specialist at the HCLS Central Branch and facilitates Noontime Books discussion group. In her spare time, she enjoys reading fiction, thrifting, and volunteering for Success In Style at Savage Mill.