July 2009

Carolyn Rector is the Adult Services Librarian at the Tipp City Public Library in Tipp City, OH. As a book club leader, she describes her facilitating duties as her favorite task at the library. In this interview, Carolyn suggests beginning a dialogue with other book clubs and librarians to learn about the titles they find worthy of discussion. She also shares some of the resources that have helped her find great book club selections.

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: We have two book groups; one is more literary fiction and nonfiction, and one is a mystery book group. Each meet 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: Booklovers: we average about 10 patrons per discussion, all women Mystery: About seven, all women

Men have come periodically but never permanently in the group.

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

A: The librarians have led the discussions in the past. We use the discussion guides when the discussion seems to falter.

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: Usually the librarian picks the books, although we have been known to present some and let the group pick. We try to have two lists out per year: September thru May and the Summer list.

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

A: The Secret Life of Bees, The Egyptologist (so confusing and not well-liked, but a good discussion) and Jane Austen books (we did all six in six months with some experts in the field to help the discussion).

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

A: Sometimes we have food, but not always. We have shown videos to introduce a book, for example.

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: It has been suggested that libraries keep the books together that are recommended for discussions. We are in a consortium and we order the number we need a week before the next discussion, so that when the patron leaves the book discussion she is given the next book.

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

A: Be open to different types of books. We use suggestions from other book discussion groups, and librarians make suggestions of books they have read. We also ask the members to recommend books they have already read that they know the group would like.

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

A: There are many books like The Reading Group Handbook by Rachel W. Jacobsohn that can be used to make suggestions. Novelist is also a good place to find discussion questions. Picking the books is the most important task. Looking at what others have read is a good idea.

Books that have worked for the “One Book, One Community” on this Library of Congress site are also good suggestions: http://www.loc.gov/loc/cfbook/onebook/.

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

A: We offer the books free of charge to check out, and I always make sure the fines are taken off if they are late.

Q: Is there anything else unique or noteworthy about book clubs (either ones that meet in your library or ones that you know of) that you would like to share?

A: Our group has grown to include women of many different ages, young mothers, middle age and retirees. I like the mix of the ages for the best discussions.

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: The book discussion group is by far my favorite task at the library, and I like thinking about the group as I read, wondering what they will think.

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