book discussion club

A book discussion club is a group of people who meet to discuss a book or books that they have read and express their opinions, likes, dislikes, etc. It is more often called simply a book club, a term that is also used to describe a book sales club, which can cause confusion. Other frequently used terms to describe a book discussion club include reading group, book group, and book discussion group. Book discussion clubs may meet in private homes, libraries, bookstores, online forums, pubs, and in cafes or restaurants over meals or drinks.

Single-title clubs

A single-title club is one in which people discuss a particular title that every person in the group has read at the same time. Clearly, the club must somehow decide ahead of time what that title will be. Most often, that title will be a new release, and it is expected that each member buy a personal copy. If it is a book discussion club that meets at a library, the title may be a new release or an older title. If they choose, each member may borrow a copy of the book from the library.

Multi-title clubs

The characteristics of a multi-title club are such that each member may be reading different titles from each other at any given time. What distinguishes this from any group of unrelated people reading different things from each other is that each title is expected to be read by the next member in a serial fashion.

Open loans

Open loans imply that the books in question are free to be loaned among the population with the expectation of getting them back eventually. Instead of one member deciding what everyone will read, with all the cost implications of acquiring that title, these clubs usually involve circulating books they already own. Each book is introduced with a short precis. This offers members the advantage of previewing a work before committing to read. It has the effect of narrowing the focus of the dialogue so that book and reader are more quickly and more accurately matched up. The sequential nature of the process implies that within a short time, three to five people may have read the same title, which is the perfect amount for a worthy conversation. Examples of this methodology include the Houston SF Book Network [1]

Catch and release

Catch and release imply that actual ownership of the book transfers each iteration with no expectation of the book returning to the original owner. The mechanism of transfer may include a personal face to face hand off, sending the items though the mail, or most remarkably, leaving the book in a public place with the expectation that unknown future readers will find it there. All three methods are utilized with BookCrossing.[2] Book Crossers use a website and a system of unique identifcation numbers to track released items as they migrate through a world-wide community. The interaction is largely web-centric, but it does not exclude face-to-face gatherings, each of which can take on the traits of other book groups.

Online clubs

With the challenge that not all members of a club can regularly meet at an appointed place and time, and the rise of the Internet, a new form of book discussion club has emerged online. Online clubs exist in the form of Internet forums, Yahoo Groups, e-mail mailing lists, and dedicated websites. Also in the category of social networks, these online clubs are made up of members of a variety of reading interests and often approach book discussion in different ways, e.g. academic discussion, pleasure-reading discussion, personal connection and reaction to books members read. Examples of these online clubs include ZBookClub, LitMinds, and Readerville.

Broadcast clubs

A broadcast club is one in which a television, radio, or podcast show features a regular segment that presents a discussion of a book. The segment is announced in advance so that viewers or listeners may read the book prior to the broadcast discussion. Examples of this type of book discussion club include:

"Oprah's Book Club", a segment of the American television show The Oprah Winfrey Show hosted by Oprah Winfrey
"Book Club of the Air", a segment of NPR's American radio show Talk of the Nation hosted by Ray Suarez
"Good Morning America Book Club", a segment of ABC's American television show Good Morning America
"Despierta Leyendo (Wake Up Reading)", a segment of Univision's American Spanish-language television show ¡Despierta América! (Wake Up America) hosted by Jorge Ramos
"Richard & Judy Book Club", a segment of Channel 4's British television show Richard & Judy hosted by Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan
Bookclub, a British radio show on the BBC Radio 4 station hosted by James Naughtie
First Tuesday Book Club, an Australian television show on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation network hosted by Jennifer Byrne
"Jonny's Book Club", a segment of the weekly podcast Gay Pimpin' with Jonny McGovern hosted by Jonny McGovern

Organizations

Association of Book Group Readers and Leaders (AGBRL), also known as the Association of Professional Book Club Facilitators, is a cooperative information clearinghouse for avid readers, both individuals and those in book discussion clubs. Its founder and director is Rachel W. Jacobsohn, author of The Reading Group Handbook. The organization can be reached at P.O. Box 885 Highland Park, IL 60035.
Great Books Foundation is a nonprofit educational organization established in 1947 that publishes collections of classic and modern literature for use in book discussion clubs. It also offers workshops in conducting book discussions.
Library of Congress Center for the Book is a program of the Library of Congress' Library Services division that promotes community-wide book discussion groups through its "One Book" project.