Tina Ward is a media specialist for Evergreen Park Community High School #231 in Evergreen Park, IL. She facilitates the school's student book club, which focuses on titles that have won the Abraham Lincoln Book Award. Tina shares advice with ReadingGroupGuides.com on how to draw students to the meetings, and suggests that participation from other teachers makes for more interesting discussions. She also urges readers and book club members to take advantage of librarians and book-related websites for advice and suggestions.

Q: Does your library host any book clubs? If so, are they based on a certain theme or genre (i.e., mystery)? How often do the groups meet?

A: Yes --- I host a student book club. We chose to read books from the Abraham Lincoln book award list. This is an award where students nominate and vote on the winners. Any information on the Abraham Lincoln book award can be found on the ISLMA website. Our group meets once a month.

Q: How many members are in each group? How many men, how many women? What ages are most of the members? Are the groups open to accepting new members?

A: There are about 15 members in my group --- just one man, and the rest are women. Most of my members range from 14 to 18 years old. We always accept new members.

Q: Who leads the book discussions? Are reading group discussion guides used?

A: I usually lead the book discussion, and I will provide a discussion guide if I can find one.

Q: How are books selected? Is a new one chosen at each meeting, or are they chosen for a number of meetings ahead of time?

A: The students decide what to read next. The books are chosen from the Abraham Lincoln list. I usually set the next meeting date about a week ahead of time.

Q: What were some of the best discussions or favorite books the groups have read?

A: Some of our best discussions are from books that a few of the teachers have read also, and then joined in the discussion. Our favorite books that we have discussed were The Gospel According to Larry, My Sister’s Keeper, Stuck in Neutral, and The Breakable Vow.

Q: How are book club meetings kept interesting and fun?

A: We try to open each meeting with a get-to-know-you exercise revolving around something in the book. For example, when we read Katie.com the students said their names, what their AOL screen names would be, and why. Also, at the end of each meeting I have a giveaway. I just draw a number out of a hat and whoever has that number gets to choose a prize from my bag of tricks (freebees from publishers).

Q: What advice would you give to other libraries that would like to start hosting book clubs, or provide resources for ones in the community? What are the benefits to hosting book clubs at a library?

A: I would definitely recommend checking out websites like Bookreporter.com or ReadingGroupGuides.com. These are excellent sites to get started on forming a book club. If they are doing a teen book club, I would start with Teenreads.com and Novellist. These are excellent sites for teen readers. The benefits about hosting at your library are that you draw them in. We utilize interlibrary loan with our public library, and in the summer had a book discussion held there.

Q: What general advice would you give to book club members? Any specific ideas for making reading selections?

A: Have fun with it, especially if you are dealing with teens or young readers. They have enough required reading to do, so you need to make it attractive for them to want to join your group.

Q: How can book clubs better utilize resources at their local libraries?

A: I feel that librarians are your biggest asset. They are usually your biggest readers, therefore they know the most about what to read.

Q: Does your library offer anything special for book clubs?

A: I work for a school library, so I just offer good food and freebies.

Q: Do you have any horror stories, amusing anecdotes, or other tales to tell that you have heard from book clubs?

A: I have heard of a lot of older women’s groups getting off track from discussing the book and discussing their children and husbands instead.

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