Reviving Literary Discussion

Abstract

Over the past decade, participation in book discussion groups has blossomed. Libraries have experienced a similar growth in expectations from book club members about the services and resources that can be supplied. Working with book groups gives the library the opportunity to engage a large community of active and passionate readers. But there are challenges to providing these services. One of the great challenges faced in supporting book discussion groups is supplying enough copies of the book being discussed for each group member. In addition to the books, groups often are seeking author information, book reviews, discussion questions, and ancillary material to enhance their encounter with the book. The development of Johnson County's Book Club to Go Kits are part of a strategic direction to offer support to local reading groups and to build the community of readers. Here, members of the Johnson (Kans.) Library discuss their response to readers' needs for book club titles and discussion resources. Virginia Hermes, who retired in 2007, served as readers' advisory specialist at Johnson County's Central Resource Library. Mary Anne Hile serves as collection development manager for the Johnson Library, and earned her MLS at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Johnetta L. Frisbie is Johnson Library's fiction development librarian, and holds an MLS from Emporia (Kans.) State University.--Editor The woman consulting her list of Book Club to Go Kits (BCTGK) has been here before. She stands in front of the shelves of bags, reviewing the titles her book club wants to read next and skipping over the ones already marked off. Planning ahead is easy because of the library's check-out period of two months with one renewal. Plenty of time! She can choose from among many types of books--biographies, chick lit, ethnic, literary, mystery, nonfiction, classic, young adult crossover, and men's interests. All readers can be accommodated. The large print copy required by one of her club's members is not a concern. Most of the kits have corresponding large print and audio formats for each title available in the library's collections. Will the kits provide good fodder for discussion.) This also is a guarantee. All of the titles chosen for kits not only contain themes and issues that lend themselves to good discussion but also have discussion guides included either in the book itself or available on the library's website. Actually, she learned how to conduct a book club in this very library. The library offers sessions on how to facilitate a book club, in addition to the How to Start a Book Club link on its website and book discussion groups, led by library staff, to join and from which to learn modeling. Is this book club heaven, or what? WHY BOOK CLUB KITS? WHY NOW? Oprah Winfrey re-energized interest in literature and book clubs when she started her book club in 1996. As a result, public libraries all over America have needed to respond to renewed popular demand for books appropriate for book club discussion and for how-to information about forming and conducting book clubs. In this context, the Johnson Library staff reviewed its reader services for meeting the goals of its own strategic plan and addressing the Reading at Risk report from the National Endowment for the Arts (www.nea.gov/pub/ReadingAtRisk.pdf). The library's strategic plan charges staff with providing convenient and personalized materials for patrons and had already itemized book club discussion kits as an objective. From this review emanated a literary plan, Cultivating Readers and Writers: Building a Literary Tradition. This plan has several tangible goals including more--and more innovative--literary programming, developing a Find a Good Book page on the library's website, and promoting book clubs. The BCTGK collection is one product of this plan. How does one start? The outcomes identified in the plan were for abstract ideas such as Creation of a richer literary culture in Johnson County and Literature is a means to discussing more serious issues facing our community and our culture. …