Elementary School - How to Start a Book Club

It’s more enjoyable to share a book with someone then it is to read alone.  Starting a book club is a great way to meet new people and share your thoughts on various types of literature.  Online book clubs are convenient, but there are readers who agree that nothing can take the place of the face-to-face traditional book club experience. 

Prior to starting your own book club, I suggest you attend a few clubs in your area and take note of their structure and activities they offer.  Patience is the number one characteristic you must adopt.  A good book club takes time to get off of the ground and develop into a successful activity. 

The following steps are to create a well-developed book club that will develop life long relationships with your neighbors and community.

1. Increasing your numbers – If you know many people in the area, finding people to join your club may only take a short time.  If you don’t, you might want to display flyers at local establishments and other locations you may frequent.  Local organizations in your area may be a good place to start to increase your member numbers.  School organizations such as the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) and other community gatherings are a good place to find other literature lovers.  If you are fairly new to the area, you may want to take a more aggressive approach and spend a few dollars to place an advertisement in a local paper or two. 
2. Marketing help – Have your book club members help you with finding more members.  Ask them to post or hand out flyers.  Have them ask their friends and family.  Have them ask their church congregation if they have any interest in joining.
3. Selecting locations for meetings – Ask your members if they have any ideas for meeting locations.  Each month the meeting could take place at each of the member’s houses.  A local church or non-profit organization may have a location for your meetings.  Another possibility may be to make a reservation at a restaurant in advance and hold the meeting over lunch or dinner.
4. Meeting times – Create a schedule in advance so all of your members can make the proper arrangements to make it to each meeting.  We all have responsibilities and busy life schedules to maintain.  The further in the future your club’s schedule can be created the better.  For example, scheduling your club meetings for every first Thursday of each month will give all members ample time to make arrangements. 
5. Meeting structure – Establish the events that will take place in every meeting.  Have an agenda to follow every month so there are minimal dead spots during meetings.  Establish how books will be chosen to discuss and who will run each meeting and organize each book discussion.  For example, chose a different member each month to chose and discuss a book of their choice.

Above all remember to have fun.  Don’t think of it as work.  Think of it as a vacation from reality.  On that one day a month you can escape into the world that is created by literature.  It gives you the opportunity to loose yourself and find yourself.  Reading keeps the brain active.  Physical exercise is good for your body as reading is good exercise for your brain.  Reading keeps your brain alert and sharp.  Now saddle up children, it’s time for adventure and exploration.