Last night, our monthly book club met, and
once again, it was full of fun, energy, discussion and lots of laughter. Each month I come away with such a sense of gratitude for being a part of this group, and I wish everyone could have this experience. You see, our book club is completely made up of individuals that live in our neighborhood, and that unique element takes the connection between us to a whole different level. Before our meeting begins, women can be seen walking through the neighborhood on their way to the home of whomever is hosting the current month’s discussion, with their dish to share. As we arrive, there is fun discussion of neighborhood happenings, family news and updates on remodeling projects. (And yes, we even discuss the book.) I like to think this is what neighborhoods used to be like, before the onslaught of technology, transience and shifting school boundaries. Or maybe what it was like when women got together to work on a quilt or to do the canning for the winter. It is more than a book club; it provides a sense of community that was certainly missing for me.
I know there are many people in our area that would like to be a part of a book club, or on a deeper level, a community. If you are not a regular member of a church, or if you do not have extensive family or history in the area, it is often difficult to develop a sense of community. On a regular basis, I have patrons that come to the reference desk, asking if we keep a list of active book clubs in the area. And these individuals are not just newcomers to Columbia — they are just people who want to share their love of reading with other people and enjoy hearty discussions about books in a communal setting. While we do not keep such a list (it would be impossible to maintain with the ever-changing information), we do have some excellent resources to inspire and get you going:
- Book Discussion Kits are bags that contain 20 books and a set of questions to help facilitate hearty dialogue. These can be checked out for an 8 week period. “Book Club in a bag” … how easy is that? All you need to provide is the food.
- Thursday Book Discussions are held at the Columbia Public Library on a monthly basis, and the Callaway County Public Library in Fulton hosts the First Wednesday Book Discussion; both are held from noon- 1 p.m. Anyone is welcome to join these discussions. You can attend one or as many as you like, and you are encouraged to bring lunch. Check out the Events page for details about the discussions each month.
- Author Talks are scheduled throughout the year featuring local, regional and national authors. These events are advertised on our website and in our “Cover to Cover” program guide, which is published on a quarterly basis. Ibtisam Barakat, award-winning author, poet and human rights advocate will be at the Columbia Public Library December 8, from 7-8:30 p.m. for one of these talks.
- Looking for a book to discuss? The Library provides many online resources that are useful in locating books for your group: you’re in the right place! The Adults Blog has book reviews by staff and patron reviewers, as well as book lists on a variety of topics. The Books & Author Lists are complied by library staff, and from there you can also access some of the library’s book databases.
If all else fails, go for a walk in your neighborhood, and talk to your neighbors. Great meals, love of reading and close proximity to other members are all winning contributors to a successful book club. Neighborhood book clubs provide something others don’t — you don’t have to drive across town, you already share a connection and you get the “skinny” on neighborhood happenings.
Photo credit: quattrostagioni, Light Reading via Flickr (license)
