This past weekend I visited a small branch library near where I work to help (along with staff and the public) bid a fond adieu (here's a story from the local paper). Carmel branch library was a nice, little aging library loved by the locals for its convenience and staff. It has closed and I'll direct you to the library system's home page to read why and about the funding shortfall for the area public library system (it is quite a story...).
Carmel is also a library I visited years ago when I began planning to develop a mystery book club at my library and I took some time to visit the mystery book club there. I had not hosted a book club before and I was eager for ideas and a closer look at the dynamics of hosting a book club. Well, you have to get people involved--keep the ideas flowing (for titles and topics) and energy going for chatting.
It was a fun sesson from what I remember as the group was led by library patrons with a theme for each book club (i.e. settings in cold places, etc--you select your own title to read). That certainly was a way to open the the session to range of titles and personal favorites for each to discuss in a round-the-table manner. I liked that approach but wanted to have a book list to present to those coming (or considering attending).
I do not know how long the book club kept meeting after my visits (two, I guess), but I would said my long-time work with my book club certainly spring-boarded from their efforts.
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