Conversation is part of the collection at Johnson County Library. Gather at the Table brings people together to share food and talk about the issues shaping their lives. The goal is to help neighbors understand each other a little better.
“The Library is one of the only places where everyone is welcome and you don’t have to buy anything,” Program Services Specialist Mary Shortino said. “No matter your age, your gender, your race, your sexual orientation or any other thing that sometimes divides us, you are welcome and you are invited. It is the ideal place for people to come together to talk about what is important to them and their community.”
The program creates a public space where curiosity and respect come first. It grew out of earlier discussion programs, including more structured Deliberative Dialogues. Staff saw value in those events but wanted something more relaxed.
The need for open conversation became clear when a teen asked a librarian if they felt sad about something that had been in the news. The question revealed a gap. Young people were carrying the weight of current events but did not always have a place to talk about them. Gather at the Table brought teens and adults into the same room, and the mix changed the conversation.
“It turned out that it was really cool to have the perspective of people of a variety of ages,” Shortino said.
An hour at the table stays low pressure. Participants arrive, grab refreshments and ease into conversation. Librarians offer prompts, but the tone stays casual. Sometimes people switch tables to meet someone new. Topics often reflect the news, which keeps the discussion rooted in the moment.
The impact can be immediate. After a past dialogue on a difficult national event, the room moved from quiet tension to open exchange. People lingered. They talked. They shared food. The experience revealed a basic truth. “Human beings crave communication, the chance to be heard and to hear others, and a sense of community,” Shortino said.
Library users have asked for more chances to connect, and Gather at the Table answers that call while encouraging civil discourse. Because sharing food helps ease introductions, the program invites participants to gather and break bread, hear different viewpoints and discuss the topics shaping our community.
That openness is essential. “It is so easy to live in a bubble, to never hear the other side of the story,” Shortino said. The program offers a place where disagreement can be honest without turning hostile. Listening is part of participation.
Organizers hope people leave with new understanding. Even small shifts matter. When people talk face to face, it becomes harder to dismiss one another. The invitation is open to anyone willing to join.
“Every voice and viewpoint is important. It’s a program that is truly most successful when a variety of people and perspectives are present,” Shortino said.
Gather at the Table meets next on Wednesday March 25 and Wednesday April 29 from 6 to 7 p.m. at Merriam Plaza Library. The program is open to curious minds ages 14 and up. Snacks are provided. For accessibility questions, contact ask@jocolibrary.org or 913-826-4600.
