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Soldotna Library 'Pushing the Limits" in new disscussion series

Dave Eggers

  The Soldotna Public Library is starting a new series of community discussion about climate change, starting in September. Library clerk Reilly Selmser kicked off "Pushing the Limits" with an informational meeting recently.

"I'm hoping to get people together in the community to brainstorm things that we can do, specific steps we can take here in Soldotna to make our community better, to adapt to our changing environment. Just to get people together to discuss our role in all of this," she said. "I really want to bring this home; make people realize climate change is not just an abstract concept, it's affecting everybody, it's affecting everybody now. It's already happening, and there are things we can do to address it."

The series is akin to a book club, with discussion revolving around paperbacks the library bought with a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Science Foundation.

"So there's a pre-chosen book for each meeting. And the idea is people read the book ahead of time and then come to the meeting, discuss the book," Selmser said. "We're also going to watch a short documentary and then tie the discussion together to talk about ways to adapt to climate change."

And since the series is funded by NOAA and the NSF, Selmser says the discussions will be assisted by scientists.

"They're here to basically give their scientific perspective. And to also kind of help us make sense of the data, and sort of translate to layman's terms," she said. "Like I'm basically here to lead the book discussion and they're here to lead the science and climate change discussion."

One of those scientists is Kris Holderied of NOAA's Kasitsna Bay Laboratory on the south side of Kachemak Bay.

"We don't do that many programs in Soldotna, and so it was the ability to have a conversation with maybe a different group of folks," Holderied said. "And also see what the different perspectives are, because we're very interested in what are the concerns and issues that people have, and how can the science that we do at the laboratory help answer those questions."

The first discussion, entitled "Pushing the Limits of Community," will be on September 26, focusing on the book"Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers. Zeitoun is a true story of a family in New Orleans caught between the "war on terror" and Hurricane Katrina. Copies of the book are available at the Soldotna Public Library.