Starting a Book Club:
We offer a 15% discount for book clubs on books ordered
through the store. Read on for more information.
At Square Books we are happy to stock books for your book
club and provide your members with a discount. Here’s how:
Write up the selection of books you’ll be reading each
month, as far in advance as possible. Email your list to cody@squarebooks.com.
We’ll order in the books approximately one to two months ahead of time, based
on when we receive your information, and place them on our Book Club section
for your club members to purchase.
Book Club Tips
-How big should a group be? Try to keep it around 10-12 to
ensure that there will be at least 6 at each meeting. The room should be small
enough to be comfy.
-Keep selections diverse. Read works that one might not
normally read.
-Try to get a variety of participants (age, experience,
etc). Avoid groups that are too uniform in background and make-up. Invite
members to bring their friends.
-Encourage interaction! Share contact information with each
member of the group to enhance communication.
-Listening is as important as talking. A group leader can
assist in allowing everyone to participate in a discussion.
-Everyone’s opinion is important. Try beginning with a ‘whip
around’ question, to which everyone must respond quickly and spontaneously
before settling into a more detailed discussion. Or, hand out paper and pencils
and give a minute for participants to think about their answer before speaking.
-Ask participants to avoid using “I like” or “I hate” – a
discussion should be an exchange of ideas, rather than emotional responses.
-Read only books readily available from the library or
bookstore and try to stick with paperback editions.
-Utilize the library! Libraries are a great way to find
information and recommendations, and librarians have ways of finding groups for
individuals to join.
-Do you need a facilitator? A facilitator is not necessarily
a part of the group, but exists to keep the discussion going smoothly and to
bring in materials, which add to the discussion.
-Food is not necessary, but water is! If food is going to be
a part of the meeting, set aside half an hour before or after eating and
socializing. Socialization can be just as important to a group as discussion!
*Thanks to our friends at King’s English in Salt Lake City
for sharing these tips with us.