Five people sit around a table with books & hot drinks.

Why Book Clubs? 

Joining a book club is a great way to read up on the latest bestsellers and make new friends. Book clubs also help their members to improve their communication skills and get new perspectives. Plus you’ll get all of the usual benefits of reading, such as reducing stress, improved brain health, better sleep, and more. Join a Book Club today! 

 

Want to register a new Book Club?

If you already have a group of people to start a book club with, register with us to access Book Club Kits.

The library provides kits to book clubs with a free Wyndham City Libraries Book Club membership. Book clubs generally have eight members and are free to join. Each club is self-run and has a Coordinator (nominated by the club) who organises borrowing and returns. Staff can assist you in creating a membership for your club, as well as taking you through how to borrow and use the kits. 

To register, please contact our Adult Programs and Services Team on 8734 8999 or email BookClubs@wyndham.vic.gov.au.

 

Want to join an existing Book Club?

If you’re interested in joining a book club, fill out the Expression of Interest form below. We will aim to join you to an existing Book Club or help you create a new book club, if we can match you with other interested people! We are only able to match people based on their availability and location. Please read through the Frequently Asked Questions below for more information about this process.

Expression of Interest

Book club kits

The library has a collection of over 100 book club kits that are available to clubs with a Wyndham City Libraries Book Club membership. Each kit contains eight copies of the same book, along with a folder that includes reviews and discussion questions. To borrow a book club kit please place a request via the library catalogue or call your local branch. Our kits are available to existing book clubs and new groups.

These titles must be requested via the library catalogue or by calling your local branch.

View the catalogue

PDF fileBook Club Kit List - May 2024(PDF, 460.09 KB)

Frequently Asked Questions

I’m starting a new book club, how does this work?

A Book Club Library membership card is issued to the Book Club Coordinator in the Book Club’s name.  

Wyndham City Libraries have over 100 Book Club Kits available to borrow, containing 8 copies of selected titles. Each kit contains eight copies of the same book, along with a folder that includes reviews and discussion questions. Kits are available for loan for a period of 6 weeks.  

Each club is self-run and has a Coordinator (nominated by the club) who organises borrowing, returns and running of the club. 

Book Clubs may meet at any venue as often as they like, but it is recommended they meet monthly. 

Book clubs should be run for the enjoyment of their members. To facilitate this, members should agree on a clear set of rules and responsibilities. 

 

I’ve submitted my expression of interest, what happens next?

Once we have been able to match your EOI you will be invited to a meet and greet with other people who have expressed interest in a book club and whose availability and location overlaps with yours. At that stage the people present can decide whether they would like to form a new Book Club.

 

I’m only interested in reading a certain genre. Can you find me a book club that reads the same genre?

In general book club members choose what they would like to read, generally from our book club kit collection. You can find more information about the Book Club Kit titles above. These book tend to be fiction titles which are suitable for book club discussion. At this stage we are unable to match expressions based on preferences for a certain genre.

 

I’d like to be with people of the same age. Is this possible?

We do not collect information about age and we welcome expressions of interest from all adults. As such we are not able to match expressions based on age.

 

I’ve submitted an expression of interest to join an existing Book Club, but I haven’t heard anything?

We will aim to match you to an existing Book Club, if there is one which matches your preferences and availability. If we cannot match you within 180 days, you will receive an email to let you know and you can re-submit your EOI if you wish.

 

I’m a new Book Club coordinator what are my responsibilities?

Apply for a Wyndham City Libraries Book Club membership.

Meet with a member of the Adult Programs and Services Team before commencing the Book Club. It is the role of the Book Club Coordinator to maintain a record of book club members.  

Check the availability of, reserve and collect Book Club Kits for your meetings.  

Return the complete Book Club Kit and folder in good condition, by the agreed due date. Partial sets will not be accepted for return. Report if an item is damaged.

Abide by the membership rules of the Wyndham City Libraries.  

Advise us when you have a change in membership. This can be done by contacting our Adult Programs and Services Team on 8734 8999 or email BookClubs@wyndham.vic.gov.au 

 

Does the library run any book club groups?

Currently the library does not run any book clubs. We do have a program called Book Chat.  Book Chat is a monthly program where you can discuss what you have been reading with others. More information can be found here: Adult Events & Activities

 

Looking to read a Classic with your Book Group?  

Did you know that you can access digital editions of a range of classics simultaneously on Hoopla?  Discover Hoopla today. For more information visit eBooks, Audio and Video

 

How do I suspend a kit that I have on hold?

If you have placed a kit on hold and require it for a certain month, you can suspend the hold to match the time that you require it. To do so, log into your account on the catalogue, choose the Holds tab, and select the kit that needs to be suspended until later.

A screen cap of the holds screen in My Account

Click the Suspend hold button, and in the dialog that appears you will need to enter an End Date - this is that date that you would like the book club kit to be ready for your club.

A dialogue box asks, when do you want the selected holds to be suspended? The start date is prefilled and the end date is blank.

Discussion guides

Find some suggested conversation prompts to get discussion started.

Online sources

  • Publisher websites – if you look up the title you are reading, sometimes the publisher’s website will include discussion notes, and author biographies
  • LitLovers.com – this website has over 3,500 sets of book club questions, as well as generic questions to choose from
  • Search for the title and book club questions/discussion in your favourite search engine. E.g. A Tale of Two Cities Charles Dickens book club questions

Questions for download

If you can’t find questions for your chosen book, these generic starter questions may help:

DOC fileCrime and thriller questions(DOC, 15.6 KB)

DOC fileNon-fiction questions(DOC, 19.87 KB)

 

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