Starting a book club at work can be a great way to enrich your. Developing a consistent set of book club discussion questions enables employees to apply the concepts on the job. If youre struggling to make inspired choices, definitely dont stick with those ya books or motivational best sellers that everyone is reading. Browse the following list as a team and vote on a favorite to get started. Literary book decor, a surprising theme, cocktails of course, and even a book swap or a donation bin celebrate the true spirit of the month. It builds camaraderie, comfort, and teamwork in the group of employees who attend. Pages 101116 bring your computer and whatever tools e.
Instead choose a unique theme for your bookworm gang. This can be as simple as going around the group taking it in turns to introduce yourself and saying what you like to read and what youre looking forward to about the book club if youre new or what you like about the club if youre an established. Below are some tasks that should be addressed by the club coordinator. A virtual space could be created using a shared group website. Starting a book club is more complicated than you might think. This is a literary analysis technique called close reading. Even if your members are used to being part of group discussions and are good at listening to each other, it can still be a good idea to have somebody lead the meeting, in part to make sure that everyones voices get heard but also to come prepared with thoughts on what topics would be good to discuss, so if the conversation starts to run dry in one. Why you should start a book club with your coworkers. At your first book club meeting, or whenever new people join your reading group, its good to spend a bit of time getting to know each other. Ask around the office, playgroups, your church, or civic organizations. Running an effective book club meeting the structure of a meeting is very much the choice of the group. Refer to the discussion ideas section of this document if your group would like some direction. Use everything you know about an awesome grand conversation.
Im always on the lookout for reasonably priced bud vases and vessels, says lindsay. Lindsay gibson shares her winning formula for a colorful conversation starter gather. Take notes or mark passages that strike youpassages you find significant, funny, or insightful. Jun 28, 2001 crazy ideas for breaking up dull meetings by loraine lawson in cxo on june 28, 2001, 12. Ive only had experience with mine, so ill share how ours is organized and why i believe weve had such endurance. Thanks to emma watson, book clubs are super cool again. Implementing a workplace book club is a lowcost way to boost. Italianamerican cookbook author lidia bastianich, whos accustomed to cooking for a crowd, says a bubbling casserole of shellshaped pasta stuffed with ricotta is something everyone. Nonprofit, personal development, and business book club ideas.
Choose one question at a time and toss it out to the group. Whether the group is large or small, encourage all book club members to read the book and attend the meetings regularly. Our latest prize book is ask again, yes by mary beth keane, an extraordinary novel that is now available in paperback. Pull together a variety of containers, both glass and metal, in different heights. Apr 12, 20 when i entertain, i almost always devise a menu of food and drinks that can be prepared hours, days or even weeks before.
Crazy ideas for breaking up dull meetings techrepublic. Select a number of questions, write each on an index card, and distribute. But it can be overwhelming to find great book club ideas. Menu for a bookclub meeting dont slave over the stove. After the umpteenth book on the same subject or with the same feel, your members will long for a palate cleanser and may eventhe book club kiss of deathtake a break from reading the books. Sample rotary meeting agendas to get your club organized. Apr 02, 2014 book club aka read between the wines were coming up on the last meeting of the year and i wanted to share some ideas that have kept our book club thriving. Often youll at least recruit some help in completing the rest of the steps. Each member or a team of 23 takes a card and answers the question. Ive found that the best book club discussion questions are ones that are openended and that get people to share their personal opinions. See more ideas about book club books, book club parties and book worms. How to discuss books litlovers book club recommendations. Make it a potluck and have everyone bring something simple to eat. Demonstration of drop cast silver into water, wet beans, and wet long pine needle bundle to produce neat pendants.
Ive been in a lot of book clubs, and i know its not always easy to get a conversation going on a book. Why you should start a book club with your coworkers cnbc. I served on the social committee, welcome committee and created our quarterly newsletter the fun stuff. Scroll on to find genius ideas thatll make sure your book club party is a story for the ages. Of course, you will also discuss the latest book you are reading, but if that is all you do your meetings will soon become boring. Remember to support your opinions with evidence from the text. Peruse them for ideas of what you can do each month to liven up your meetings. Liven up your book club meetings by playing a quick game or two when your members first arrive. Take great notes at meetings and professional development. Here are 14 book club ideas to ensure you and your team continue to.
Here are some neat ideas for your next meeting see more ideas about book club, starting a. Members can share ideas without having to be in the same room. About four years ago i was a member of our hoa board. How to implement a work book club determine if employees are interested in a book club. Sometimes you might find enough people to start a book club right away. Ive also learned some important dos and donts for running a childrens book club, which id like to share with you. At classy, several of our departments participate in quarterly book clubs in order to.
Tips on leading meetings your group probably has a fixed day and time to meet but the location might change. Looking for a fun way to enjoy books and meet new people. Choose a book that is long enough to encourage a good discussion, but short enough for people to finish on time. If you are a member of a book club, share your ideas. This bets on pick is a gorgeous and generous portrait of the daily intimacies of marriage and the power of forgiveness, as two families try to stay afloat amid a resounding tragedy.
Here are some neat ideas for your next meeting see more ideas about book club, starting a book, book club books. Sep 14, 2017 a book club will motivate you to become a better listener, too. But your book club can still fall into a rut once in a while. Over the plain houses by julia franks npr best books 2016. With their busy schedules, not every member will have the time to read a lengthy book. Or, check out more club and group gathering invitations. Book club meeting agenda for meeting alycia zimmerman. Its important to have flowers and foliage in an assortment of sizes and shapes, she says. The role of club coordinator in a book club as the book club evolves, the role of the group coordinator will change. Book, reading journal, bookmarks, and pencils meeting 1 leader.
This can be something like vowing to read new authors or explore a new genre. Combine the book reading with a regularly scheduled discussion meeting to double the. How to start a successful book club in 6 simple steps. The following represent monthly tips that we have shared with book groups over the years. Pick something delicious but easy so you can enjoy the discussion as per the advice i have given already on this website, its preferable not to cook for book club it turns into a competition between book clubbers as to who can cook the best meal. This is particularly important with small groups as it is very discouraging to find barely enough people turn up to form a conversation, or too many have not read the book making it difficult for those few who have to discuss it. During book club meetings there is a fair amount of socializing and having a good time. It is a team building activity that works as well as these more formal activities. Vote all members make suggestions, followed by an open discussion, and vote. Book club parties are a good way to get friends together and have great discussion over appetizers, drinks, or brunch.
Employee development through reading start a book club. Set a regular meeting time an ideal size for a book club is eight to 11 people. Get started 2 min sit in a circle, facetoface, where you can talk quietly and still hear each other. If youre ready to start a book club, heres 40 of the best book club questions, for fiction. Keep your book club interesting by switching up the themes, genres, and time periods. Successful groups select good books, have interesting discussions, and foster community.
If there are new members, make sure they are introduced. In a book club, your employees learn new concepts and new ways of doing activities that they can apply in their workplace. Important questions to ask at your first book discussion. If you choose the right books and nudge the discussion along, you can arm your. Use specific passages from the book as evidence for your ideas. Other members, however, may have a completely different idea about what tickles their muse. Suggestions for super fast and easy book club snacks chowhound. My favorite way to troubleshoot this fatigue is to rotate through every member picking a book he or she wants to read. If time remains, the leader should pick a member to share hisher excerpt and to lead a discussion about why that part is important. Elementary school book clubs are a great way to engage children while developing their critical thinking skills and keeping them interested in reading.
Have each member of the group make a yearlong reading resolution. If you are starting a book club yourself, you may need some ideas for creating a fun group that people will come back to time after time. Demonstration of drop cast silver into water, wet beans, and wet long pine needle bundle to. Tips for running a successful, sustainable book club. When deciding on a book, make sure it offers topics for discussion.
Its especially helpful for those who travel or miss a meeting or two. As joseph addison said, reading is to the mind what exercise is to the brain. Mar 17, 2016 read the suggestions for super fast and easy book club snacks discussion from the chowhound home cooking, appetizer food community. Planning meetings for kids and parentchild book clubs holds special challenges. Sometimes, the focus is professional development in a particular area.
Sharing and exchanging ideas can foster outofthebox thinking and. While its tempting to stick with your cliche, a book club is a great way to extend your circle and get to know new people. Lobash, for their expert advice on finding and creating your own social literary hub, even if its online. A book club can be a great way for your staff to push themselves to continue to learn. Rotate members take turns, each choosing a book for a given month. Oklahoma city events designer lindsay gibson shares her ideas for a book club table setting. Menu for a bookclub meeting fab book club recommendations.
I recommend you set up meetings twice a week and stick to the schedule. After 18 months of fabulous meetings, i can in all confidence declare the book club a resounding success, and im having even more fun than i anticipated. At the time, it was just an idea spawned from observing another company and how they operate. How to start a book club that doesnt suck book riot. Sometimes organization leaders and other employees may have a book in mind to suggest. There are lots of book clubs out there now, and theres more than one way to run a successful one. Broaden your network depending on your organizations style, a book club can an opportunity for employees at different levels or in. Serve the group a simple and delicious meal, let the wine flowand theyll want to have every meeting at your house. The deadline for your entries is wednesday, june 3rd at noon et. Here are some neat ideas for your next meeting see more ideas. Games to break the ice at book discussion groups and other. Not only does this mean less stress for me on the day of the party, it also fits better into my busy work and school schedule. If you always wanted to run a book club at your workplace but didnt know. Book clubs are about community, so sharing and receiving ideas and recommendations is a great way to make your group flourish.
Nonprofit, personal development, and business book club ideas 1. Book club meeting agenda sample bring to the meeting. Book club kit this kit is designed to assist in the establishment and running of book clubs. My favorite way to troubleshoot this fatigue is to rotate through every member picking a. Host a book club party for the books with our planning tips, from creating the club to keeping the conversation flowing. Pick out a specific passage from the book description, an idea, a line of dialogueand ask. Remind the group when its time for the discussion to start. Litcourse 3 has a good discussion of close reading. It may be a good idea to decide what kind of book club you want to develop in terms of social level. If you are in a book club and have some ideas to share, id love to hear from. A family, 20292047 by lionel shriver npr best books 2016. In a previous blog post titled hire for attitude, train for everything else, i wrote about the importance of considering a required reading program for your employees takes it a step further than the corporate library, right. Whether your book club is a few close friends or a larger group, hosting a book club party still takes some amount of planning.
Here are 14 book club ideas to encourage your team to continue to professionally and personally develop. Send out an email to gauge employee interest in reading a book on. More than 101 program ideas for your clubs consideration 1. These tasks may be delegated to other club members.
794 1064 1017 1107 732 353 179 622 1481 534 1216 1095 323 881 64 779 651 1453 455 1162 933 648 185 526 199 201 1320 706 1343 231