We are proud to announce that BookBrowse has won Platinum in the 2024 Modern Library Awards.

The Many Benefits of Library Book Clubs

I used to think that participation in public library book groups would be somewhat transient--people would drop in for a few months while they decided if they liked the concept, at which point they'd go off and join a private group, or start their own.

How wrong I was!

One of the core findings of our recently released report on the dynamics of book groups: The Inner Lives of Book Clubs, is how much people love their library book groups and how loyal they are to them.

  • Statistically speaking, there is barely a difference between happiness in public groups compared to private ones: 95% of those in public book clubs (most of which meet in libraries) say they are happy in their group: 71% are very happy, 24% somewhat happy.
  • 69% of those in public groups say their book club is "very important" to them--the exact same percentage as in private groups.
  • 57% of respondents in public book clubs (most of which meet in libraries) have been with their group at least five years!

The research also shows that public library book clubs are a great fit for many who are looking to join a book group. For example:

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Distinguished Debuts: Introduce Your Book Club to Their New Favorite Author

Who doesn't love being on the cutting edge and discovering the next big thing? This month, we recommend debut novels by authors who are rising stars in the literary world and are already creating quite a buzz, snagging coveted literary awards and nominations, and spots on "best of" lists. All six books have recently been released in paperback and are recommended for book club discussion--and come with discussion guides.

Tommy Orange's There There (a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize) and Caleb Johnson's Treeborne both explore the intersections of place, history and personal identity. Zeyn Joukhadar's The Map of Salt and Stars offers an emotionally resonant look at the Syrian refugee crisis, while Fatima Farheen Mirza's A Place for Us (a New York Times bestseller) is centered around an Indian family navigating cultural and religious differences. Shobha Rao's Girls Burn Brighter presents an inspiring and defiant narrator who summons the courage to flout familial and societal expectations. Similarly, Leah Franqui's America for Beginners narrates an Indian mother's transformation as she visits the United States in search of her son.

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BookBrowse on the BBC!

I was recently invited to speak with Winifred Robinson on BBC Radio's leading consumer affairs program "You and Yours" about men in book clubs. More specifically, on how men's book clubs can provide connection and companionship in ways that other social settings often do not, and why men's book clubs aren't as common as women's book clubs.

You can listen to the 7-minute segment here (starts at 10' 15"). And if you like what you hear, please do share with others!

-- Davina