The ultimate guide to starting a book club at work. Learn about some basic bookclub ground rules including. Think outside the book liven up the discussion by reading plays or literary magazines that feature essays, art and short stories. Does your book club need a little help in creating conversation. Oct 21, 20 and as much as the other book club members enjoyed her hospitality, they too wanted a chance to contribute their personalities to the table. In general, books with unique choices in character, plot, and style make for the heartiest discussions. Its amazing how differently folks can interpret the exact same thing, and having. Sometimes you might find enough people to start a book club right away. Documentation is then prepared for the club members to adopt at a special meeting of the membership in accordance with the procedure set out in the clubs rulebook. Here are a few top book club selections and coordinating menus that are sure to add a new depth of flavor to your discussions.
However, if you have set ideas of what you want, then set the rules with your core group and announce them at this first meeting. Decide what will be best for your group and try it for 34 months, and if it doesnt work try something different. If there is a need, refresh peoples memories on your groups ground rules not all of them, just any where there have been issues. As the story goes, robert had to lead a church meeting in 1863 and he felt inadequately prepared for such a responsibility. When book club members join you in a lunch bunch meeting, you can rely on kidwatching to note how students are developing as readers. Also, consider varying the content delivery method. First, the rules of your standard book club still apply. When youre starting a digital book club, all the standard book club rules apply. The greenbrook elementary breakfast book club is a wonderful way to encourage reading and improve reading comprehension for students in grades 1 through 5. Most book clubs socialize first and then get down to book club discussion. Literary book decor, a surprising theme, cocktails of course, and even a book swap or a donation bin celebrate the true spirit of the month. Book club meeting agenda sample bring to the meeting. Maintain a list of the books read by the club make copy of club rules available to all members. Set a regular meeting time an ideal size for a book club is eight to 11 people.
Use everything you know about an awesome grand conversation. Book club basics getting started before you start recruiting folks, take a moment to think about what you want out of a book group. Book club meeting agenda for meeting alycia zimmerman. Rotate members take turns, each choosing a book for a given month. Encourage, but do not require people do the reading. How to make a book club for kids coauthored by wikihow staff references. Stick to your regular meeting schedule as much as possible and impress upon all members the importance of making the reading group meetings. Sammyreadsbooks what happens in book club art print. Err on the side of caution when organizing a meeting schedule. Of course, you will also discuss the latest book you are reading, but if that is all you do your meetings will soon become boring. There are two common ways this type of club can function. Often youll at least recruit some help in completing the rest of the steps. Some people also love a blended book club, with meetings online one month and. In a book club for kids, all the kids should be of about the same age and reading level.
Create a reading list you need structure to make meetings work, but want to stop short of being the book club police. Whether the group is large or small, encourage all book club members to read the book and attend the meetings regularly. For a workbased book club in which free time is rare, keep the selections short, concise, and easy to understand. This draft is then sent to the club for approval by its managing committee. Its up to you to keep the ball rollingconversation going. Roberts rules of order is a book that was first published in 1876, by us army brigadier general henry martyn robert that provides a suggested structure of how to run meetings effectively. Combine the book reading with a regularly scheduled discussion meeting to double the impact of the book. Meeting and webinar best practices and resources follow are you hosting an online event using zoom webinars or zoom meetings. Get started 2 min sit in a circle, facetoface, where you can talk quietly and still hear each other. Documentation is then prepared for the club members to adopt at a special meeting of the membership in accordance with. When youre starting a book club it helps to set some ground rules to help ensure that all of your attendees feel welcome and want to return.
If you are interested in reading books deeply or want to focus on a particular type of book such as. The host for that month a rotating position spends the money to buy books for the club to enjoy. Not giving others a chance to host the book club meeting is kind of like being a bully. During book club meetings there is a fair amount of socializing and having a good time. Select a volunteer to lead the relevance discussion, too. If you want to be the twinsetrocking, universally beloved taylor swift of your book club, it seems pretty simple. Keep to a schedule, stick to your proposed theme, and prepare questions to help stimulate conversation. This is particularly important with small groups as it is very discouraging to find barely enough people turn up to form a conversation, or too many have not read the book making it difficult for those few who have to discuss it. Respectful of peoples busy schedules, i took responsibility for all aspects of the club, which the children named the page flippers. Book club kit this kit is designed to assist in the establishment and running of book clubs.
Book clubs are a voluntary, studentcentered activity. Jan 16, 2017 starting a book club sounds like a simple endeavor. Book club basics getting started leader norms san rafael. Life often gets in the way of a good read, and its hard enough to suffer through a month or even a week without reading anything at all. Meeting and webinar best practices and resources zoom. Scroll on to find genius ideas thatll make sure your book club party is a story for the ages. If youre meeting an public area like a library community room it might have its rules about things like bringing food or putting chairs away after the. Vote all members make suggestions, followed by an open discussion, and vote. Controversial topics, unclear endings, and unreliable narrators may turn some.
Like a good engineer, robert set out to build a standardized structure for organized meetings. Starting a book club sounds like a simple endeavor. Looking for an easy way to share information and develop employees at work. The rules of engagement for workplace book clubs stickyminds. If there is any business to discuss, such as picking books for future meetings, you may want to cover these points before the discussion starts in case people need to leave quickly at the end. Alternatively, each member donates a certain amount of money each meeting. Liven up your book club meetings by playing a quick game or two when your members first arrive. The four rules for a good book club electric literature. Its especially helpful for those who travel or miss a meeting or two. Do you allow any member to veto a pick, or does simple majority rule. The reading is not evaluated in the traditional way. Starting a book club at work can be a great way to enrich your workplace experience, but it can be tricky to get past your first meeting. Every book page contains useful information for your book group including book club questions.
Meet kindred book lovers in a local meetup book club. Even if your members are used to being part of group discussions and are good at listening to each other, it can still be a good idea to have somebody lead the meeting, in part to make sure that everyones voices get heard but also to come prepared with thoughts on what topics would be good to discuss, so if the conversation starts to run dry in one. Roberts rules of order sets out the order of conducting a meeting and standardized procedures for voting and debating. Rules for meetings if you plant to start a book club, youll need to agree a few rules upfront so that your meeting runs smoothly. Share the busywork leaving one person in charge for too long will lead to her burning out. Hold a quick organizational meeting to determine the number of chapters the group wants to read each week and to pass out the books. Ask around the office, playgroups, your church, or civic organizations. Ive started three book clubs over the years, but i chaired this post longest while working at a family foundation that supported. If a complete amendment is to be adopted, a draft set of rules is prepared. How to conduct a meeting using roberts rules of order. For instance, meet the second tuesday of the month at 6.
If you are invited to join a book club, pretend you like everyone. Its one, im happy to report, the ladies of the film book club are willing to follow. After a photoshop nightmare of an opening montage, in which we learn these four friends have been finding time in between marriages and divorces, law school and childrearing to talk about books for several decades now, we see them settle in for a. There is never any one way to experience or interpret a book. Even so, someone needs to decide what books will be read, and in what order. Starting a book club is more complicated than you might think. If youve been thinking about starting a book club, you probably already have a book in mind. But if youre planning to manage an office book club, there are a few more considerations like looping in human resources. Lunch bunch meetings should be voluntary, not required. If time remains, the leader should pick a member to share hisher excerpt and to lead a discussion about why that part is important. The role of club coordinator in a book club as the book club evolves, the role of the group coordinator will change.
How to start a christian book club pen and the pad. To keep our customers and booksellers safe and healthy, this. These tasks may be delegated to other club members. Having established rules can be especially important if you are starting a book club thats open to the general public.
Select a volunteer to lead the book discussion at this meeting. Having great book discussion questions is essential to leading a successful book club, and now that i run an online moms book club i use this lesson to avoid awkward silences yes they can happen online and create a lively, engaging book club meeting each month. Sep 05, 2016 having great book discussion questions is essential to leading a successful book club, and now that i run an online moms book club i use this lesson to avoid awkward silences yes they can happen online and create a lively, engaging book club meeting each month. The book club meets the second wednesday of the month october through may from 7. The committee, or any officers authorised by them, shall have the power to give orders for goods to be supplied and work to be done as may be necessary for carrying out the purposes of the club. Here are our tips to get you started rules for meetings an important consideration when starting your book club. Form an employee book club see success stories in which a group of employees voluntarily read the same book.
Not everyone can finish every book, but nonreaders may still have valuable insights. Remember to support your opinions with evidence from the text. Establish ground rules get together with your potential book club members and set the groups ground rules. Rules to make your book club run smoothly thoughtco. Important questions to ask at your first book discussion. This meeting will provide space for the children to get to know each other before the club begins reading. Heres how to be the best book club member you know huffpost.
An organizational meeting is an initial meeting between the kids in the book club and their parents or guardians. Invite members to the first meeting at least two weeks before the date youve selected. Go ahead and set a regular meeting time and date for your book club with your core group. Aim to discuss the book for about half an hour to start with and see how it goes. Book, reading journal, bookmarks, and pencils meeting 1 leader. Instead, every few months, rotate the responsibility of hosting and setting the date for the meeting. If the book is long, consider covering only a chapter per meeting. Whether you contact them by phone, email or the web, let them know when and where the first meeting will be held. Atonement, ian mcewan serve high tea and transport your book group to prewwii england and the large country estate of the tallis family. How to do book club virtually during covid distancing. Your christian book club is likely to evolve as time goes by, but in starting, its best to keep it organized.
Many book clubs turn more into a social hour than an intelligent conversation on books. How to create rules for a book club organizing a discussion club set book selection rules. The committee shall be responsible for the management of the club having regard to these rules and to any resolution of a general meeting called. You may think your friends boyfriends sister spends too much time sharing pictures of her dog or. She was all too keen on handing out her pick for their following meeting. In a discussion book club, the whole group reads the same book between each meeting, usually one per month. And as much as the other book club members enjoyed her hospitality, they too wanted a chance to contribute their personalities to the table. As you can imagine, it is often difficult to coordinate that many peoples schedules.
Use our ideas to help you organize your book club activities, hold good discussions, and settle tough issues. If youre a teacher or leader of a youth organization, you might have to make multiple book clubs one for second and thirdgraders, one for fourth and fifthgraders, and so on. Book club discussion questions this page gives you a full list of all the books featured on this site, split between fiction and non fiction. Nothing rubs salt in your readingdeprived wounds like attending a book club meeting and feeling terribly left out. Other groups choose their next book at the end of each meeting, or go for a middle. Jul 12, 2018 your christian book club is likely to evolve as time goes by, but in starting, its best to keep it organized. In fact, differing opinions make the best discussions. Below are some tasks that should be addressed by the club coordinator.
At the bottom of the page you will also find useful links, all in one place. How to start a book club that doesnt suck book riot. One of the best pairings with our wine is a good book club. Why not consider setting aside 30 minutes for social conversation, and then 60 or 90 minutes for book discussion. Some of the rules may seem like common sense but making sure everyone is on the same page helps avoid unnecessary conflict. Fiction or nonfiction, paperback or hardcover, you. Alternately, you might make two clubs at each grade level, one for advanced students and one. Getting book club discussions started are often the hardest part of the book club meeting. Running an effective book club meeting the structure of a meeting is very much the choice of the group.
748 548 106 1032 1126 829 416 1231 257 703 26 603 447 762 1083 1527 1271 891 1525 718 813 660 408 1332 144 1161 559 1317 728 545 204 490 960 935 1064 1241 1332 16 361 632