What is a Book Group?

What is a book group? A gathering of people who meet once a month or so for one of the following reasons:

• The possibility of meeting kindred spirits
• Social interaction – breaking into a new area/location
• An escape from the negative parts of the daily reality they face, be that overwhelming work demands, cranky toddlers, or boredom
• Tuition-free intellectual stimulation
• Intellectual stimulation without the formality & process of an educational institution

Have I mentioned books yet? Perhaps I should say a Book Group is two or more people gathered to discuss a book they’ve read hoping that collectively they’ll discover things about it they may have missed on their own.

Types of Book Groups

Broadly, these could be grouped into

1. Leadered groups, who have a paid professional at the helm, who run the group for others
2. Library or book store groups – these may be run by a leader, but typically are free of charge and open to anyone who happens by
3. Living room groups – usually more select groups, meeting in members homes on a fairly regular basis.

Taken from "Book groups: Library Promotion or Social Inclusion" a paper delivered by Fran Inkster at the Readers Advisors’ Seminar, State Library of NSW, 6th March 2007.