In the library system that I work for, there are many different book clubs run by the librarians. Each one is tailored to that specific branch because different branches serve different audiences. What might be successful at one location may completely fail at another.
I ended up shadowing a book club that was located at one of the city branches. The name of this book club is "Book Talkers" with attendance averaging roughly five to twelve participants each meeting. There is no formal attendance taken but the number of participants is recorded for statistical purposes. However, there is the option to give your email address to the librarian at the end of the meeting to receive a copy of the notes that were taken and get a reminder when the next meeting was coming.
What makes this book club, and the majority of the book clubs that the library system hosts, unconventional from others is that members are not asked to read a specific book or certain genre. Members are only asked about what they have read since the last time they met and to give their thoughts about it.
Everyone in the book club sits in chairs arranged in a circle. The librarian who is leading the group goes first to share what books she has read, along with a short summary of what she did or did not enjoy. From there, members take turns going around the circle to share the same. If a member has not read anything noteworthy or anything at all in the past month, there is no shame for them to admit it to the group. The group seems kind to one another and offer no judgment during the discussion. It appears to be a safe place for people in the group.
Because there is no set book for the group to read, a member’s share time depends on how much they read since the last meeting. No one member seemed to hog the spotlight because everyone had an opportunity to speak. If the librarian found the book a member was discussing to be interesting, she would ask more probing questions. Some examples of the questions would be “Is this the first book you read by that author? Who would you recommend this book to?”. Mostly, the librarian would play the part of a facilitator in order for all members to have the opportunity to participate.
The book club does not offer snacks but the members do not seem to mind that. The members seem to look forward to coming back month after month. It is actually one of the libraries few events that do not offer refreshments. However, sometimes the librarian is able to give away advanced copies of books for the group to choose from.
I spoke with the librarian after the meeting and she stated that members would come up to her to talk about books and ask for more book recommendations. Before this group started, the members would not stay in the library long at all. But now they seemed to have formed a small community amongst themselves.
I ended up shadowing a book club that was located at one of the city branches. The name of this book club is "Book Talkers" with attendance averaging roughly five to twelve participants each meeting. There is no formal attendance taken but the number of participants is recorded for statistical purposes. However, there is the option to give your email address to the librarian at the end of the meeting to receive a copy of the notes that were taken and get a reminder when the next meeting was coming.
What makes this book club, and the majority of the book clubs that the library system hosts, unconventional from others is that members are not asked to read a specific book or certain genre. Members are only asked about what they have read since the last time they met and to give their thoughts about it.
Everyone in the book club sits in chairs arranged in a circle. The librarian who is leading the group goes first to share what books she has read, along with a short summary of what she did or did not enjoy. From there, members take turns going around the circle to share the same. If a member has not read anything noteworthy or anything at all in the past month, there is no shame for them to admit it to the group. The group seems kind to one another and offer no judgment during the discussion. It appears to be a safe place for people in the group.
Because there is no set book for the group to read, a member’s share time depends on how much they read since the last meeting. No one member seemed to hog the spotlight because everyone had an opportunity to speak. If the librarian found the book a member was discussing to be interesting, she would ask more probing questions. Some examples of the questions would be “Is this the first book you read by that author? Who would you recommend this book to?”. Mostly, the librarian would play the part of a facilitator in order for all members to have the opportunity to participate.
The book club does not offer snacks but the members do not seem to mind that. The members seem to look forward to coming back month after month. It is actually one of the libraries few events that do not offer refreshments. However, sometimes the librarian is able to give away advanced copies of books for the group to choose from.
I spoke with the librarian after the meeting and she stated that members would come up to her to talk about books and ask for more book recommendations. Before this group started, the members would not stay in the library long at all. But now they seemed to have formed a small community amongst themselves.
This is a very interesting and as you say "unconventional" book club. I think it is great to just have people discuss what they have read recently rather than have one set book for everyone to read. While that kind of book club is also great, this one could be a nice reprieve so that people would have an option to choose what they read themselves. I know I sometimes read books that I have no one to discuss them with. A book club like this could fill that need and desire to share and discuss.
ReplyDeleteI am intrigued by these book discussions that have no designated book! I think this is the third one I've come across in this class. I do like the idea of asking what are you currently reading. I wonder is it any more challenging to keep the discussion on track than a discussion group where a book is pre-selected that everyone reads?
ReplyDeletecomments noted - see canvas for grade
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