Embracing Community Book Read to Focus on Author Peter Block's Book, "Community: The Structure of Belonging"

NAPERVILLE, Ill. — The City of Naperville and the Naperville Public Library invite the community to read along this summer and fall with the Embracing Community Book Read. In the selected book, “Community: The Structure of Belonging” (2018 edition; Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc.), author Peter Block describes how in a true community every person is a citizen, relationships are key, and focusing on what is possible is transformative, writing “possibility is a declaration of what we create in the world each time we show up.” Block, who lives in Cincinnati, is the author of several books.

The Embracing Community Book Read begins with a book talk with Peter Block participating via Zoom at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 31. Participants may attend in person at Council Chambers in the Naperville Municipal Center, 400 S. Eagle St., or remotely via Zoom. The Book Read is free and open to all, but registration is required; please visit naperville.il.us/embrace-community for registration information. For those attending online, the Zoom link will be shared via email with registrants before the event.

Participants are invited to read the book during the Aug. 1 to Oct. 5 reading window. The book is available through book retailers and the Naperville Public Library system, including in audio and e-book formats. During the month of October, two sessions of volunteer-led small group discussions will be held at various times and locations, culminating with a final Inclusive Community Conversation on Nov. 7, during which readers will discuss various aspects of the book with the community at large. More specific information, including times and locations, for the small-group discussions and the Nov. 7 event will be shared with registrants later in the summer, as well as on the City’s website and through other channels. 

“The Embracing Community Book Read furthers our efforts to create an ‘inclusive community that values diversity’ and to bring our mission to those who live and work in Naperville,” says Geneace Williams, the City of Naperville’s Manager of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. “All are welcomed and encouraged to participate in this community-building activity.”

The Book Read is part of several inclusive community conversations hosted by the City, in partnership with other organizations, in 2024 as part of its “Embracing Community: Expanding Our Dialogue, Deepening Our Understanding” series. The conversations include storytelling and opportunities for the community to participate in intentional, respectful, and ongoing dialogue to deepen understanding while fostering inclusion among generations, cultures, and those with different experiences.

About Naperville: Located 28 miles west of Chicago, Naperville, Ill., is home to approximately 150,000 people. This vibrant, thriving city consistently ranks as a top community in the nation in which to live, raise children and retire. The city is home to acclaimed public and parochial schools, the best public library system in the country, an array of healthcare options and an exceptionally low crime rate. Naperville has ready access to a variety of public transportation, housing and employment options. The city’s diversified employer base features high technology firms, retailers and factories, as well as small and home-based businesses. Residents also enjoy world-class parks, diverse worship options, the opportunity to serve on several City boards and commissions, a thriving downtown shopping and dining area, a renowned outdoor history museum known as Naper Settlement and an active civic community. For more information, please visit our website at www.naperville.il.us.