Comedy Club in the School Library
by Joyce Babbitt, Browns River Middle School Library, Jericho, VT
Originally appeared in the December 2008 edition of VSLA News, newsletter of the Vermont School Library Association
Have you ever laughed at yourself...at your stressful day...at your library job? 
I love to laugh! The pure joy of watching and listening to funny people has always made me smile. I also love reading humorous stories.
During the spring 2008 Vermont Library Conference, I laughed hysterically at Bill Barnes & Gene Ambaum when they shared their Unshelved Comics (http://www.unshelved.com/) with us. I knew at that moment I wanted humor to exist in my library, not just in book form, but LIVE. So when the idea of forming a comedy club for my library came to me, I turned to Josie Leavitt at the Flying Pig Bookstore in Charlotte. She was not only willing to help me get the laughs rolling, but also gave me the starting point to comedy...write every day and write about your struggles.
Over forty middle school students signed up to be a part of our club and wrote about their everyday challenges. We met every Friday at lunch to learn the world of comedy. We watched Bill Cosby and other comedians. We wrote laughed, ate lunch, and wrote some more.
Seventeen members decided to go forward in performing their stand-up for the school on October 12. Their debut performance was outstanding! They made us laugh and think of everyday incidents in a different way. They shared a variety of funny stories such as posing for school photos, losing a flash drive in a vending machine, and talking with parents who have short-term memory. These students earned the kudos of teachers, staff, and fellow classmates. You can find their voices on our webpage: http://www.brownsriver.k12.vt.us/library/index.htm
For me, I not only got a great laugh, but I also got a chance to see middle school students who typically don't come to the library for reading materials. I got a rare opportunity to support them and watch them work hard to write, edit, perform, and shine. What a fun way to start the school year with laughter!
A recommendation from Joyce: A good read that makes kids laugh is the Captain Underpants series. One of my favorite authors with a great sense of humor is James Marshall.
