Attention all book clubs! The Women’s National Book Association (WNBA) has declared October National Reading Group Month – to “promote reading groups and celebrate the joy of shared reading.” The WNBA is a group of men and women who work with books and their role is to promote literacy, reading and the role of women in the book community. Many publishers, booksellers and writers are members of this organization. To celebrate Reading Group Month there are events taking place all around the country. In addition to the events listed on its web site, there is going to be a Book Group Expo in San Jose, California on October 25th-26th. Book lovers and authors get together for two days to discuss books and their love of reading. It sounds like a great way to spend a weekend.
The National Reading Group Month web site is a great resource for book clubs. In addition to the planned events you will find lots of information on how to start a discussion group, including a very informative and useful manual that was provided by the New Jersey Library Association. There are also suggestions for some great discussion books. Book Group Buzz, the blog sponsored by Booklist, a publication of the American Library Association, is one of the partners for Reading Group Month. This blog is another great resource for book lovers.
Westport is truly a book community. We have over 50 book clubs that have registered with the Westport Public Library. Our book clubs are a varied group and represent a real cross section of the community. We provide many services to our clubs, including fulfilling multiple copy requests, and providing discussion guides and book suggestions. Last year we also held a Title Swap, where book clubs came together to exchange their own suggestions for good discussion books. And if you want to participate in a book club, the library has two groups open to all for you to consider: the Pageturners and the Usual Suspects.
If you are a member of a book club, this is the month to celebrate yourself and be proud of the role you play in promoting reading, literacy and the value of shared reading. Thinking about joining or starting a book club? What better time than now to do it! If you need more information to get started, please contact me.
