Book Club Experience

I observed at a book club at my local library. I did not read the book for the book club. They were discussing The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn. The librarian introduced me to the group, told them why I was there, and I sat in the corner taking notes for the duration of the book club.


Who is asking the questions, is there a leader or do people take turns?


The librarian was the main one asking questions. He was the leader of the group. This book club works off of book club kits that can be checked out at the library, and part of those kits are prewritten questions to ask during a discussion. The participants also asked questions, but they were usually related to the first question posed by the librarian.


If there is a leader, does the leader answer the questions as well or let the attendees respond first?


From what I saw it was a mixture of both the librarian and the attendees answering first. For the most part it was the attendees answering. The librarian did not give much of his opinion on the book and acted more as the facilitator rather than a participant.


What type of questions are asked? Any involving just yes or no answers?

The questions that were asked were the questions that come with each of the book club kits that the club uses. I talked to the librarian afterwards and he told me that each of the book club kits contains around 10 to 13 questions per kit. From what I observed none of the questions were simply yes or no questions. It seems to me that the questions in the kit are designed to be open ended questions that can start a conversation rather than questions that can be answered with a simple yes or no response.



Do all attendees actively participate?


From what I saw the majority of the people present participated. This book club consisted of 15 people, 16 including the librarian. There were two people who just sat and listened for the majority of the book club, but other than them everyone was actively participating.


Do any attendees swoop in and steal all the spotlight?


I did not notice anyone in particular. There were two people who talked a little bit longer than normal. I could notice by the looks on people’s faces that they were annoyed by this, but it was not to the point of disruption. From talking to the librarian afterwards this seems to be how it normally is for this book club.


What is the atmosphere of the discussion, where is it taking place at?


The discussion takes place in the library meeting room. The layout is a semi-circle of chairs so that everyone can look at each other throughout the discussion. They seemed like a welcoming group to me. They welcomed me in and, after an explanation, did not look at me funny or question why I was there.


Are snacks or drinks provided?


There were snacks and drinks provided at this book club. They had coffee, tea bags (with hot water), and cookies.


What types of books does this book club normally discuss?


I asked the librarian after the club ended and he told me that the group usually reads works of fiction. The picks are based on a survey that the members fill out to see what titles that they find interesting. He also noted that the picks also have to be based on what book club kits the library has available, and that the kits he chooses have to have some large print copies because some of the members prefer large print.