ReadingGroupGuides.com

Island Park Public Library in Island Park, NY

September 2009

Marie Nannarone is a librarian at the Island Park Public Library in Island Park, NY, and chairs the library’s book club, “The Island Park Book Club.” In this interview, Marie discusses the important role a librarian has to generate his or her patrons’ interest in starting or joining a book club. She talks about some of the group’s most memorable meetings --- including a special visit from author Carol Goodman --- and shares how her book club discussions help shape how she interacts with readers in her community.

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

A: My library does host a book club. We have no particular genre. The book club has been very eclectic in choosing its titles. Titles are nominated by the participants. The group meets once a month on a Monday night in the Library's community room at 7 PM.

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: “The Island Park Book Club” has been in existence for nine years. It was originally suggested by two of the members of the club. The group is composed of 10 women and two men for a total of 12. Most of the members are retired professional people. We have one young man who is an attorney and is not retired. The group is always open to new members.

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

A: A librarian leads the book discussion, and reading group guides are used if there is a guide for the book.

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: Books are selected by nomination. Any book club member may nominate a book. Books are chosen a number of meetings ahead, as the librarian in charge of the group must get the required number of books and there is one member who needs large type. However, if large type is not available, the group will read a book in regular type. The one member who needs large type will sit out the meeting.

Also, the book club members always read a banned book in September to celebrate the ALA's Banned Book Week. In March, the club members always read a book that is linked to Women's History Month. Past selections have included Kate Chopin's The Awakening and Maureen Dowd's Are Men Necessary?: When Sexes Collide. The library also participates in “Long Island Reads: One Island, One Book” in April, so we read whatever selection the Long Island Reads Committee chooses. (I am a Long Island Reads committee member.)

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

A: Some of the best books discussed include:

The House of Sand and Fog
How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents
All the King’s Men
The House of the Spirits
Emma
Ragtime
The Gold Coast
Mrs. Dalloway
The Plot Against America
The Namesake
People of the Book
The Grapes of Wrath
The Kite Runner
A Thousand Splendid Suns

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

A: Good books take care of the discussion. We serve coffee and cake, which makes it more informal. Members often share private things like photos of grandchildren, trips, etc.

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: The best advice I can give librarians is to talk up the idea of a book club with patrons. Librarians know who the readers are because they often see them in the library. It is best if a librarian has a background in English or in literature. If a librarian does not have a background in literature, I would tell him or her to stick with books that are available with reading guides. The major benefit to hosting a library book club is that it increases book circulation for the library.

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

A: If patrons want a book club but their library doesn't have one, they should bring it to the attention of the library director. Library directors are frequently very sensitive to the wants and needs of their patrons.

I would tell book club members to enjoy what they are reading. If they cannot get into a book, I would tell them to follow Nancy Pearl's Rule of 50. (Read 50 pages, if you can't get into it, read something else. If you are over 50 years old, subtract the number of years from 50 and read that amount of pages. For example, if you are 60 years old, subtract 10 years from 50 and read 40 pages.)

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

A: Even if the library doesn't have a book club, they may have a community room that is available for book clubs to meet. Book clubs should also use the library's interlibrary loan service to obtain books for its members. Libraries will be happy to accommodate book clubs with this service.

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

A: “The Island Park Book Club” is special because the librarian in charge of the book club has a background in language and literature. The librarian also tries to enrich the book club experience with other resources such as a movie of the book and/or interviews with the author. Often, a library may be able to get an author or a speaker to come in to do a special program around a book. Last October, we were lucky enough to have Carol Goodman come in to discuss her book, The Sonnet Lover. We also did a special program this past June. I was able to get a person who did a special program on Geraldine Brooks's People of the Book and the Sarajevo Haggadah. The program was open to anyone in the community. There were many Jewish people in the community who were also interested. We got a turnout of 42 people for the program.

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

A: The only bad thing that has happened is that I was unable to get enough books for all the members.

The members come from several different towns here on Long Island that do not have library book clubs.

The book club has been a pleasure. I have the best members in the world. They often make a night of it by going to dinner before the club meeting, then coming to the club to have dessert and discuss the book. I have no horror stories.

Q: Are you a member of a book club? If so, what do you enjoy most about the experience from a reader's perspective? Does being in a book club enable you to better suggest both titles and discussion ideas to reading groups?

A: Yes, I chair “The Island Park Book Club.” I enjoy being able to bring pleasure to my patrons and enrich their reading experience. Being a book club member affords me the opportunity to make recommendations to other patrons who are in their own book clubs. I can tell them what my club has read and if the members enjoyed it.

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