XENIA, OHIO — The familiar click and clack of typewriter keys will have a new home in Greene County beginning Saturday, Aug. 22, from 2 to 4 p.m., when the 21st Century Typewriters Club holds its first monthly gathering at the Xenia Community Library, 76 E. Market Street. The event is free and open to the public, but registration is encouraged.

Anyone interested in typewriters will enjoy this program. Whether they are longtime collectors, writers who still use the machines regularly, people who have recently rediscovered an old family typewriter, or those who simply want to learn more about them.

The idea behind the 21st Century Typewriters Club is not simply to look backward at typewriters as antiques, but to explore why people continue to use, collect and enjoy them well into the digital age.

Participants are encouraged to bring a typewriter if they have one, along with questions, stories and an interest in exploring the history, continued use and future of the machines in an increasingly digital world. Owning a typewriter is not required to attend.

The new club is being organized by local writer, journalist and longtime typewriter enthusiast Gery L. Deer, who has presented several typewriter-related programs through the Greene County Public Library.

“Typewriters have certainly become collectible, but they’re not just museum pieces,” Deer said. “People, like me, are still writing with them, restoring them, learning about them and, in many cases, discovering them for the first time. This club will provide somewhere local to get together and share that interest.”

“Faster isn’t always better,” Deer is fond of saying, and he’s not alone. The so-called “typewriter revolution” inspired a dedicated subculture of typewriter enthusiasts numbering in the tens of thousands worldwide, including prominent celebrities such as actor Tom Hanks.

The first hour of Saturday’s inaugural meeting will be devoted to an informal discussion about the club itself, including what participants would like to see from future gatherings and how the organization might develop over time. Each monthly meeting is also expected to include discussion of a topic related to typewriter history, use, collecting, writing or preservation.

During the second hour, participants will turn from talking about typewriters to actually using them with a mini “type-in.” Type-ins are informal gatherings where people bring manual and electric typewriters, set them up together and spend time writing, trying different machines and comparing the sometimes dramatically different feel and personality of various models.

Unlike a computer or smartphone, a typewriter offers no notifications, automatic corrections or electronic distractions. For many modern users, that limitation is part of the appeal.

The club is intended to provide a place for experienced collectors and complete newcomers alike. Participants can compare machines, ask questions about operation and maintenance, share information about typewriter history, and learn from others in the group.

Future meetings will continue to combine conversation and hands-on activities, with the club’s direction shaped in part by those who participate. The inaugural meeting of the 21st Century Typewriters Club will be held Saturday, Aug. 22, from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Xenia Community Library. Attendance is free.

Those attending are welcome to bring their own typewriters, but a machine is not necessary to participate. Anyone with an interest in the history, mechanics, writing experience or future of typewriters is welcome.

Additional information about the program is available through the Greene County Public Library event calendar. The official library listing is here: 21st Century Typewriters Club with Gery Deer.

The event is sponsored by GLD Communications.