Table of Contents

Types of Book Groups

Library run

Book groups run by a staff member from the Library. Library staff assist in choosing the reading material and in leading the discussion. These may be a single title or open or themed. Hosted in the library Book groups run by the members of the group. Their meetings are held within a library, and the library is responsible for promoting the group and supplying the reading material. Library staff do not run the meetings, or choose the reading material. Specialist book groups These groups focus on a specific genre or section of the community.

Self managed book groups

Some libraries run a service that provides sets of books for existing groups and groups that form specifically to use the service.

Private book group services

CAE

CAE is a private service that book groups can use to borrow sets of books and discussion notes.CAE Book Groups meet together once a month for discussion. Our groups must have between 8 and 15 members. They meet in their homes, or in public libraries, or neighbourhood houses, or cafes… There are no tutors, there is no written work – the groups are self-directed. A set of books, carefully boxed, is sent to each group once a month on loan. Groups nominate a Secretary responsible for organising the receipt and return of boxes to CAE. Groups choose their books from the catalogue which lists over 1,000 briefly annotated titles, ranging from the latest prize winners and contemporary fiction to the classics, biography and autobiography, history, politics, social issues, philosophy, and a large collection of art titles complete with slides. New titles are added every year. It covers topics such as reading critically, focusing discussion and the all important matter of group dynamics.

Private book groups may use some library resources, while sourcing their own reading material.