L-i-b-r-a-r-i-e-s Hosting Adult Spelling Bee

Three public libraries are inviting patrons to promulgate their orthographic adroitness in an insouciant spelling bee that pits the atheneums against each other.

In other words, the Cuyahoga Falls Library is hosting concurrent spelling bees for both adults and young adults from 7 to 8:30 p.m. July 13. The competition is open to patrons of the Cuyahoga Falls Library, and Kent Free Library.

Participants need not spend the coming days poring over their dictionaries in hopes of winning the prize in each age group, according to event planners.

“We call it a competition, but really it’s just a fun, very light-hearted event,” Chris Caccamo, a Stow-Munroe Falls reference associate, said. She serves as spelling bee co-coordinator with Rex Clarke, a Cuyahoga Falls reference librarian.

Clarke started the bee about seven years ago after watching the documentary “Spellbound,” which follows eight teens on their quest to win the 1999 Scripps National Spelling Bee.

That first year, Clarke ran a bee for sixth-graders he was giving a talk to about the movie. The following year, he opened the event up to all ages. In its third year, adults and young adults competed in separate categories. Four years ago, the bee expanded to include Stow-Munroe Falls Library patrons.

Since then, the two libraries have taken turns hosting the bee.

“My long-term vision was to have a library spelling bee with a lot of the libraries in the area,” Clarke said. Thus the addition of Kent Free Library patrons this year and, most likely, Hudson Library users in 2012.

“We’ve had people call and ask very specific questions about rules and regulations or what they should study,” Caccamo said. “It’s not a very structured spelling bee, so we try to emphasize the fun aspect of it.”

The contest will be in a meeting room at the Cuyahoga Falls Library, at 2015 3rd St. Participants will be divided into the adult group, for those over age 18, and the young adult group, for students going into sixth- through 12th-grades in the fall. Each will be given a name tag showing which library they represent.

The two age groups will be situated on opposite sides of the meeting room, in front of a common audience.

Caccamo will serve as proctor, offering words to individuals in one group, then the other. A dictionary will be on hand to provide definitions for those who request them.

“The words will get progressively harder as we go along, and the last one standing in each (age) group will win a prize,” Clarke said. “It’s called a competition between the libraries, but really it’s an individual competition.”

Caccamo has heard varying reasons for why people choose to participate in the bee.

“A lot of the adults tell me they did it when they were a child, didn’t do very well and want to try again. Or that it was the most fun they had as a kid. For teens, they have done spelling bees at school and enjoyed it,” she said.

Clarke believes the bee is an educational opportunity that’s fun for young adults.

“It’s just good practice, being in front of people and spelling words,” he said.

Stow-Munroe Falls Library patrons who want to participate may either sign up at the Adult Reference Desk or call 330-688-3295 by July 13.

Cuyahoga Falls Library patrons may visit the office to sign up or call 330-928-2117. Clarke said sign-ups will be accepted up until one hour before the program begins.

Kent Free Library patrons can call 330-673-4414 for information about participating.

G-o-o-d L-u-c-k!