Setting up a Book Group

So, you want to start a book group. Set out your library’s objectives.

• Why do you want a book group?
• Have you talked with your community?
• Who do you want to come along?
• Are you trying to address a need within the community?
• What resources can your library offer?
• Have you had people ask about book groups?

The objectives answer why you want, or need a book group at your library. You have to choose what you want, depending on what your community needs and what your library service can deliver. You have to think about how the reading groups will be sustainable in the library in terms of budget and staffing. There are a lot of different types of book groups. Which type is right for your library? Each book group is unique, and library staff need to determine what works best for their situation.

• What type of book group does your library run, or hope to run?
• Who are you trying to reach? What do people want to read?
• Do members want to read just one book a month? Or one book every two months?
• Can the Library afford to offer multiple copies of the same book?
• Do you want to charge?
• Would it be better to read on a theme? Or read titles which are related?
• Do you want to combine it with other activities - like an art/craft and book club?
• Read books of a particular author, with the author changing each time?
• Read from a particular genre e.g. Science Fiction, poetry?
• Fiction versus non-fiction?

Find a list of resources here.