Book Club Experience -Any Book Club

 

Book Club Experience- The Any Book Club

 

            There are few book clubs around me, so I attended the Any Book Club at the Michigan City Public Library in February.  We don’t have any other book clubs at our library. It has been like that for a long time (since I started working here 15 years ago).  I’m unsure why that happened, but staff members are always asked about a book club in the Reference Department. It doesn’t matter what kind. Librarian staff time would be one reason I could think off the top of my head. I know we are not entirely fully staffed in the Reference Department, and that could factor in because we are spread so thin that a regular book club is out of reach.  So, the Any Book Club is the only book club at my library. I never attended a book club before, so this was my first experience. I want to try a regular book club if a nearby library would do one. I do not have much spare time in library school to read a set read, so the Any Book Club is perfect for someone who doesn’t have a lot of time or can’t travel to the next town to do a book club.     

            Since I worked there, they already knew my identity as someone who works for the library. I participated in the Any Book Club. There isn’t a set reading; people share their books, what they want to read in the future, and whether they like or dislike the book. The idea behind Any Book Club participants talked about the book they read for about five minutes and mentioned what they liked or disliked about the book. There is no pressure to pick one book and have the participants discuss it.  The book club doesn’t have a set genre of books; it can be anything patrons read, whether non-fiction or fiction.   

            The book club's atmosphere is inviting. It is at the library in one of our larger meeting rooms. The chairs are organized in a circle so everyone can see everyone and hear the discussion. The participants had snacks, primarily chips, cookies, and drinks like water or soda pop. It was a relaxing atmosphere as we got ready for the book club.  Eleven people attended the book club besides the person running the show.  The head person who runs the program isn’t a librarian, but I don't think that mattered because we weren’t discussing the ins and outs of one book. The people who attended were of multiple ages, primarily women, but one male attended.

            The Any Book Club is organized by people taking turns talking about the books that they read. There is no leader in traditional book clubs, but a staff member organizes the event and keeps time if patrons go over time. All attendees participate in the book discussion. The participants go around a circle, sharing their reading experiences.  If people have questions about the book, they ask during the speaker’s time. I am not much of a public speaker, so mine was quick, and I talked about how I disliked my last mystery read, Thursday Murder Club. But people talked about graphic novels, vampires, and Vietnam.  So, the books were eclectic, but it worked.        

 I wondered if any of the participants monopolized the conversation, and yes, they had a problem with one patron at the beginning of the program. The patron took over the conversation and began discussing conspiracy theories instead of a book.   They had to have a conversation with her about time limits, especially when the book club was going to end; she was still talking. They haven’t had the problem since, and it didn’t occur when I attended.  Mostly, patrons were happy to share what they were reading, and they shared laughs. There was quite a variation in books, so it was an excellent experience, and I would attend again.