YWCA Jamestown and Chautauqua Institution are pleased to announce the fifth annual Chautauqua County Book Read, a countywide initiative inviting all Chautauqua County residents to participate in a shared reading experience. This year’s book selection is Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle’s (CLSC) “LatinoLand: A Portrait of America’s Largest and Least Understood Minority” by Marie Arana. 

The Chautauqua County Book Read engages county residents, businesses, nonprofits, and organizations in meaningful dialogue. It is designed to help heal our divides and propel participants to become engaged citizens working toward a more inclusive and just society. 

Participants are invited to take part in online and in‑person book discussion groups hosted across Chautauqua County during the following dates: 

• May 26–30, 2026 
• June 22–26, 2026 

Discussion formats, times, and locations will vary by host organization, offering multiple opportunities for participation throughout the county. Information on the times and locations of the book discussions is available via the registration link and at https://www.ywcajamestown.com/chqbookread 

Chautauqua County Day at Chautauqua Institution 

As part of this year’s Book Read, participants and community members are invited to join us on Chautauqua County Day, Friday, July 17, 2026, at Chautauqua Institution for a special talk by acclaimed CLSC author Marie Arana at 2 p.m. in the Hall of Philosophy. 

Chautauqua County Day is a celebration of local residents and communities. All Chautauqua County residents are eligible for free gate admission and free parking from 7 a.m. through 7:30 p.m. It is recommended to reserve passes prior to arriving via the Chautauqua Institution Ticket Office. To stay up-to date as we confirm programming, more information and how to reserve your ticket can be found at chqcounty.chq.org. 

The YWCA of Jamestown and Chautauqua Institution are serving as lead organizations for this initiative. We are pleased to announce that this program is part of a community-wide effort. Please look for more information about participating in one of our partner organizations:  

• AAUW Jamestown Branch 
• Ashville Free Library 
• Audubon Community Nature Center 
• Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Library System 
• Chautauqua Region Community Foundation 
• Christ First United Methodist Church 
• Darwin R. Barker Library Association 
• Dunkirk Public Library 
• Evergreen Health Services (Sponsor) 
• Hazeltine Public Library 
• IDEA Coalition (Sponsor) 
• James Prendergast Library Association 
• Jamestown Community Learning Council 
• Lakewood Memorial Library 
• New Neighbors Coalition 
• Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation 
• Patterson Library 
• Robert H. Jackson Center (Sponsor) 
• Smith Memorial Library 
• The Cassadaga Branch Library 
• The Resource Center (Sponsor) 
• Zonta Club of Jamestown 

We encourage participants to purchase their own copy of the book if possible. Please note that many of the Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Library System libraries already have a limited supply of this book. If you represent an organization that would like to support this effort, please reach out to the contacts listed below.   

For more information, please contact:  

Amanda Gesing, Executive Director, YWCA of Jamestown (agesing@ywcajamestown.com)  

Makayla Santiago Froebel, Associate Director of Belonging and Community Relations, Chautauqua Institution (msantiagof@chq.org)  

Danica Olson, Project Coordinator, CHQ Book Read (chqbookread@ywcajamestown.com)