Have you ever thought about starting a book club but didn’t know where to begin? I love talking about books with anyone who will listen, but the thought of pulling together a group of people to discuss together felt daunting. Who would I invite? What would we talk about? Would the discussion die out if I can’t find something to ask? If you’re like me and these questions have held you back for too long, you’ve opened the right blog post. Here, I’ve put together a step-by-step guide to make your first book club a huge success.
Step 1: Invite Your Chapter Members
They’re your friends, they’re your peers, and they’re in the same boat! Who better to invite than a room full of people who love discussing books? Now, I know what you’re thinking. This might sound an awful lot like an English class. You do the assigned reading and show up to discuss. But it does not have to be. Plan a fun chapter night! See if you can get drinks or cookies. Maybe you can even host it at a coffee shop for a change. If all else fails, get creative! Members could come costumed or all in one color or in pajamas if it suits the mood.
Step 2: Obtain the Goods
The library is a great place to start! Whether on campus or at a local library, chances are there are a few free copies of a great read floating around. If you’re looking for suggestions, you could use one of our Society created Book Club Kits to help you pick your next read! Double up if you have to! Share the free book love with a friend by taking turns with a loan before the book club date arrives. Or look into second-hand bookstores. Thrift Books has a lot of titles for $5-8, and the more you buy, the more free book credits you can collect. You may also notice that some libraries will let you borrow a full bag of the same book to lend out to all your book club members.
Step 3: Discuss
If you’re suddenly finding that your mouth has gone dry and your mind has gone blank at this stage, have no fear! We’ve got this step covered for you. You can pull questions and discussion points from one of our Book Club Kits. These also come with interdisciplinary activities for the whole group, which we encourage you to explore. Sit down and make a playlist together or draw a picture or try your hand at a poem of your own. Incorporate some sort of activity to break the ice and get the juices flowing.
Step 4: Act!
Don’t let your discussions end when book club does. Follow through with it. Take your points of discussion and generate them into action. Brainstorm service projects or group activities that you can all do together based on the book’s themes. Another great way to serve is by donating your books. Help someone else fall in love with their next favorite read. Maybe they’re the next person you can draw into the book club fold.
Kelly Taylor
Student Advisor, 2024-2026
Alpha Zeta Iota Chapter, President
Chapman University, Orange, CA
Book Club Kits
Sigma Tau Delta is now creating Book Club Kits! These kits are designed to bring chapters closer together by creating activities for them to participate in together. They also provide opportunities for chapters to feel more connected to the international Society through the feeling of unity reading the same book can provide.
Contents
- Themes: Every kit contains four pages that focus on one theme or element each. Chapters can discuss all four or pick which ones they would like to use.
- Engagement Prompts: Each of these theme sheets includes discussion questions, interactive activities, and sparks to inspire service-related conversations.
- Community Resources: At the back of the kit, there is a list of community resources for chapters interested in pursuing service projects related to the collection’s themes.
Existing Book Club Kits include One of Ours, When My Brother Was an Aztec, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, and Sing, Unburied, Sing. Keep an eye on the Book Club Kits page of English.org for more kits to be released over the coming year.
Service Projects
We encourage chapters to consider service projects related to book club conversations. Each kit will provide valuable resources for how to better understand many of the issues addressed in contemporary literature. Chapter members should consider the many ways that these resources may inspire individual or chapter actions. Remember: no project and no action is too small! Volunteering time and skills is also a valuable resource. Hosting open discussions about issues raised in Book Club is a way of serving individuals, groups, and communities. Service through words is an important part of raising awareness.
Book Club Service Award
Any chapter that completes a service project is eligible for a Book Club Service Award of $200. These awards will be distributed after service projects have been completed by chapters. Chapters can be funded for one project within the award period.
Visit the Book Club Kits page of English.org for more information on our existing kits and supplemental material, including application guidelines for the Book Club Service Award.
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