Read a good book and

1. Read a good book and Let’s Talk About It! A start up guide for library book discussion groups Janice Denney

2. Before Oprah… The roots of literary discussion groups in America reaches all the way back to the Puritan, Anne Hutchinson. It quite possibly started before she stepped foot on shore. While sailing from England to Massachusetts, she supposedly gathered her fellow female passengers each week to talk about that Sunday’s sermon.

3. Anne was ultimately banished from the colony for “maintaining a meeting and an assembly in your house that hath been condemned by the general assembly as a thing not tolerable nor comely in the sight of God nor fitting for your sex…” Literary discussionscontinued, however, and even flourished over the years.

4. The format has changed somewhat, but the focus remains the same: Share ideas Learn from others Think critically Develop discussion skills in a supportive environment

5. How does the library benefit fromLet’s Talk About It! book discussions? • Raises awareness of library services and resources • Reaches segments of the population who do not ordinarily patronize the library through PSA’s, flyers, and word of mouth

6. Benefits, cont. • Identifies and addresses specific community interests • Gains visibility within the community

7. Library use increases in… Patronage Circulation Use of reference resources

8. Plan for Success…

9. Identify the target audience… • Age? • Gender? • Cross-generations? • Library users or the unserved population?

10. Identify the intended outcomes… • Attendance by the target audience • Library visibility in the community • Awareness of library resources, programs, and services • Changed behaviors, attitudes, knowledge or skills as a result of the Let’s Talk About It! experience

11. Identify the necessary resources… • Available staff • Money • Facilities • Books and materials

12. Identify the ways to measure outcomes… • Number of participants • Circulation records • New library cards issued • Changed attitudes, behaviors, knowledge, and skills

13. Before you start… • Decide on an overall coordinator • Decide how books will be checked out and collected • Decide on publicity tactics • Decide on the program agenda

14. Involve the community… • Speak to community groups and invite their participation • Recruit local scholars to serve as facilitators • Provide an open, welcoming atmosphere by having a host and by serving refreshments

15. Make it affordable… • Request loans from other libraries • Encourage book sharing • Ask for help from the Friends of the Library • Use only titles available in paperback • Use Bibliomania for free titles www.bibliomania.com

16. Meet the needs… From Anne Hutchinson to Oprah, sharing ideas and engaging in critical dialogue continues to touch the needs of the community. When the library meets the needs of the community, the opportunities for new programs and services are unlimited.

17. Measure the outcomes… LTAI planning worksheet.doc Plan for the future…

19. Closing thought to ponder: “It is not about the book…It is always about the feelings we have while reading it: wounding, exhilarating, transporting, bewildering, infuriating feelings.” David Carr “Reading Group Therapy”

20. References Idaho State Library. Let’s Talk About It! Literacy programs. http://www.lili.org/read/letstalk/index.htm Jacobsohn, Rachel W. The Reading Group Handbook. Hyperion,1998. Moore, Ellen and Stevens, Kira. good books lately. St. Martin’s Griffin, 2004. Oster, Colette. Book Clubs in Your Library. Northern Lights Library System