June 2006

Dain Frisby-Dart is an Assistant Librarian at the Shirley M. Wright Memorial Library in Trempealeau, WI. In this interview, Dain shares details about the club to which she belongs and facilitates, and discusses the benefits of having a library staff member involved in the group. She also encourages members of book clubs to utilize their local library resources to the fullest extent and to actively participate in discussion and in choosing reading selections because a "club is only as good as its members."

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: Our library currently hosts one book club with no special theme/genre, but we are in the process of starting up a new "Chick-Lit" book club. We meet one evening 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: In our established group, we have a core of 7 people, 1 being male. We are open to new members and struggle with how to get new members in a small community.

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

A:We don't really have a chosen "leader" per se, but I bring in the reading group guides and try to keep things on track if they get off. (I am Assistant Librarian.)

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: We choose books diplomatically by just listening to each other's suggestions and coming to a consensus. We like to pick out at least 4 months of books in advance.

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

A: I would have to say that the best discussions tend to be on books that we have split opinions on. Gabriel Garcia Marquez's book One Hundred Years of Solitude was a great discussion, as was Elie Wiesel's Night and Corrie ten Boom's The Hiding Place.

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

A:The group discussion does that all on its own.

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 say to pick one meeting time and stick with it. You can't please everyone, so pick what works for you. I also recommend that if at all possible, a library staff person should be involved if the club is to be library-based. It helps with marketing, attaining books, and just being plugged in to what books are out there. The biggest benefit to hosting a club in the library is that patrons have almost immediate access to the books, and it really helps in looking up future selections and making that decision. Many times, we run to the catalog or the shelf to look things up.

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

A: I think that not every book club is for every person. Also, the club is only as good as its members, so if the group doesn't seem to be reading anything that interests you, don't wait to join until they pick something you like! Go to the club meeting, voice your opinion and book picks. Unless the club is for a specific genre, chances are the selections are picked randomly by the current members' suggestions, so in order to pick something you like, you must be present! Mix it up, make sure all members are being satisfied. Most people like to be in book clubs because they get to read things that they otherwise would probably never have considered.

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

A: Communicate with and enlist the help of the library staff! We have amazing ways to get multiple copies from within and without our library systems!

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

A: No.

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

A: Not really.

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: I am a member and the "facilitator" of our book club. I love being in a book club because there's just a real sense of camaraderie when you are all reading the same thing. The social aspect of the book discussion is wonderful for me personally, and I really enjoy reading things that I otherwise wouldn't. Being on library staff and in the book club does enable me to gather many, many suggestions for our reads. Almost too many, though!