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wikiHow to Create Rules for a Book Club

Two Methods:Organizing a Discussion ClubArranging a Borrowing ClubCommunity Q&A

You've lured people into your living room and fed them cookies until they've agreed to join your book club. But how do you keep enthusiasm high and discussions lively? You're not drafting a constitution, but it's still worth a little effort to keep everyone on the same page and minimize later issues.

1
Organizing a Discussion Club

  1. 1
    Set book selection rules. In a discussion book club, the whole group reads the same book between each meeting, usually one per month. There are a couple ways to decide which books to read:
    • Let anyone propose a book, then have the club vote on the options. Try this if the members have a similar taste in books and don't want to explore new genres.
    • Let one member choose each book, rotating through the list. This is a good way to explore a variety of works.
    • Work your way through a list of books that have received a particular reward for quality (Pulitzer Prize, National Book Award), excellence within a genre (Nebula, Walter Scott Prize), or for qualities that lead to good discussion (Firecracker Alternate Book Award, banned book lists, or various book club lists).
  2. 2
    Decide on a meeting location. One common solution is to rotate hosting duties. If not everyone has the ability to host, rotate between those that can, or find a meeting space in a church, library, or community center.
    • Cafes are a fun option, but they need to have plenty of space and a carefree policy toward noise.
  3. 3
    Set the atmosphere. For many people, socializing is just as important as the discussion. This isn't a problem if everyone's on the same page. If you'd like a more serious discussion instead, set a couple rules to make that clear:
    • If your group tends to derail the discussion with unrelated conversation, divide the meetings into two parts. Start with casual chats, then move on to focused discussion at a certain time.
    • If you really want good debate, ask members not to show up unless they've read at least part of the book. This could go over poorly among close friends.
  4. 4
    Prep for the discussion. People attend book clubs in their spare time, and most will not want to put in extra time between meetings. If you'd like to improve the quality of discussion, appoint a facilitator (yourself, or rotating among dedicated readers) to lead the meeting. This facilitator should prepare as follows:
    • Read a couple reviews and brief author bios.
    • Come up with a few discussion prompts.
    • Print out handouts with key passages or extra info (optional).
  5. 5
    Choose rules on new members. If you want an intimate meeting for close friends, ask members to keep it that way. If you're interested in broader debates or meeting new people, ask members to invite friends. If you have a large meeting space, you could even advertise in your local community.

2
Arranging a Borrowing Club

  1. 1
    Come up with a member list. This type of book club gathers a collection of books for its members to borrow. The more people you invite, the larger and more interesting your library. That said, for logistics reasons you may want to start with ten people or fewer.
  2. 2
    Set rules for book acquisition. There are two common ways this type of club can function:
    • Each member loans the club 1-3 books each meeting.
    • Alternatively, each member donates a certain amount of money each meeting. The host for that month (a rotating position) spends the money to buy books for the club to enjoy.
  3. 3
    Decide where and when to meet. Unless you have a communal space to store the books, the book club usually only borrows or returns books once every month or two. This is also a good chance to trade recommendations and socialize.
    • It's usually easiest to have one person store the book collection and host the meetings, so you don't have to transport the books. Consider putting out a donation box to reimburse this host for his time.
  4. 4
    Write down the loan policy. Here are a few suggested rules to keep the club running smoothly:
    • Each member can borrow one book at a time.
    • Each book is due back after a certain amount of time (such as two months).
    • Set a small fine for late books, to be put in a communal fund for snacks or similar expenses.
    • Set a larger fine for lost or damaged books, to be given to the original owner of the book.
  5. 5
    Set a return schedule. For space reasons, most clubs won't want to keep their collection growing endlessly. After a book has been around for a certain period of time (say 6 to 12 months), return it to its original owner or purchaser.
  6. 6
    Assign a member to track the loans. One person should be responsible for a document that lists every book in the collection, with the following information:
    • Who currently has the book (if anyone).
    • When the book is due back in the collection.
    • The original owner/purchaser.
    • When the book is due to return to the original owner/purchaser.

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    Tips

    • You could set a theme for your book club, such as contemporary fiction or historical novels. This can lead to more in-depth discussions over time, but may drive away members who aren't enthusiastic about the theme.

    Article Info

    Categories: Book Clubs and Book Groups

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