KPL Book Club in a Bag

One of the most common challenges faced by a book club is finding enough copies for all their members. KPL has just made it easier for book club members to “get on the same page” by offering book club sets of 10 titles in a bag that can be checked out for an extended loan period of six weeks. All of the titles are sure to generate great discussion for your book group.

In each set, we've also included, when available, a reading guide for each title in the collection and a few discussion leader tips. Book Club in a Bag sets are signed out to one KPL library cardholder from each book club who will assume responsibility for returning the Book Club Set to the library. The sets may be placed "on hold" and picked up at the library location nearest you.

Frequently Asked Questions
Discussion Leader Tips
Resources to Help Book Clubs
Book Club Set Titles
Who to contact?

Frequently Asked Questions

How to borrow a set?
The set will be checked out on the library card of the person picking up the set for a six week loan with one renewal allowed. Each set consists of 10 copies of the book and will circulate as an entire set. The set comes in a KPL cloth bag along with the reading guide for ease of handling its pick up and return. There is no advanced booking available for these sets. At this time, book club sets are housed at the Main Library, but can be sent to any KPL location for pick up.

How to find a set?
Once your book club has decided on a title, that title can be placed "on hold" through the catalogue. Select a Call Number search and type in the words, book club set. This will retrieve a complete list of book club set titles. You can then limit your search to available items which will sort the list for you to show only the sets currently "in the library" for immediate borrowing.

How to return a set?
The complete set (all 10 copies) should be returned in the cloth bag with the reading guide to the Circulation Desk of your nearest library branch. DO NOT place the set in the book return chute because the set will come apart in the book return chute and delay the turnaround period for the next borrower.

Lost book? Returned late? Set renewal?
It's very important to return all items together in the cloth bag (books plus reading guide) and on time since other book clubs are waiting. The set is not considered returned unless complete. If material is returned late the fine is $2.00/day. If your group happens to lose a book(s) you will be charged the replacement cost for each book lost. One renewal for an additional six weeks will be permitted unless there is another request for the set.

Discussion Leader Tips

1. Prepare ahead of time, read the book, biographical information about the author and book reviews. Prepare questions ahead of time or use the questions included with your Book Club in a Bag.

2. Think of yourself as a facilitator. Try to begin with a provocative question and step back. Avoid closed-ended questions like " Did you like the book?"

3. Your job as a leader is to maintain the focus and keep the discussion moving.

4. Be a good listener and observer. Listen for quiet members and try to draw them into the discussion. Watch for someone anxious to get into the conversation and help them to find a gap in the conversation.

5. Respect everyone's opinion. Not everyone will like the book. When there are differing views encourage discussion about the reasons for liking or disliking a book. Let it be known that the group is non-judgmental and everyone's opinion is valued. Often the best discussions happen when there is less agreement.

6. Don't use the discussion questions as if it were an exam. Rather use them as conversation starters.

7. Choose a favourite passage or two from the book. Reading aloud can bring a new perspective to the passage.

8. Don't worry too much about short silent periods, but be prepared with your own notes to get the discussion started again.

9. Be sure to end on time and summarize points made during the session.

Resources to Help Book Clubs

Books
• The Book Group Book, edited by Ellen Slezak (with a foreword by Margaret Atwood), Chicago Review Press, 1995.
• The Complete Idiot's Guide to Starting a Reading Group, by Patrick Sauer Indianaplis, IN: Alpha Books, 2000.
• The New York Public Library Guide To Reading Groups, by Rollene Saal. Crown Publishers, 1995.
• Good Books Lately: the One-stop Resource for Book Groups and Other Greedy Readers / Ellen Moore and Kira Stevens. New York: St. Martin's Griffin, 2004.
• The Reading Group Handbook, by Rachel W. Jacobsohn, Hyperion, 1998.

Web Sites
• Biographies and literary criticism in Literature Resource Centre (available to KPL cardholders through www.kpl.org - Your Library Online
• Reading Group Guides www.readinggroupguides.com
• The Bookreporter www.bookreporter.com
• Reading Group Choices www.readinggroupchoices.com
• www.bookclubs.ca

Book Club Set Titles

Gail Anderson-Dargatz  The Cure For Death By Lightning
Margaret Atwood The Handmaid’s Tale
Margaret Atwood Lady Oracle
Jane Austen Pride And Prejudice                                                          Dennis Bock The Ash Garden
Joseph Boyden Three Day Road (OBOC 2006)
Tracy Chevalier  Girl With A Pearl Earring
Paulo Coelho The Alchemist
J.M. Coetzee Elizabeth Costello
Don Coles Doctor Bloom's Story
Bryce Courtenay The Power Of One
Michael Cunningham The Hours
Anita Diamant The Red Tent
Margaret Drabble The Red Queen
Kim Edwards The Memory Keeper's Daughter
Marian Engel Bear
Karen Joy Fowler The Jane Austen Book Club
Julia Glass Three Junes
Mark Haddon The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time
Alice Hoffman Blackbird House
Khaled Hosseini The Kite Runner
Sue Monk Kidd The Secret Life Of Bees
Lori Lansens Rush Home Road
Mary Lawson Crow Lake
Margaret Laurence The Stone Angel
Stephen Leacock Sunshine Sketches Of A Little Town
Harper Lee To Kill A Mockingbird
Ann Michaels Fugitive Pieces
Rohinton Mistry Such A Long Journey
W. O. Mitchell Who Has Seen The Wind
Audrey Niffeneger The Time Traveler’s Wife
Jodi Picoult The Pact
Nino Ricci Lives Of The Saints
Mordecai Richler The Apprenticeship Of Duddy Kravitz
Gabrielle Roy The Tin Flute
Robert J. Sawyer Hominids (OBOC 2005)
Alice Sebold The Lovely Bones
Diane Setterfield The Thirteenth Tale
Carol Shields The Celibate Season
Russell Smith Muriella Pent
Anne Tyler Back When We Were Grownups

Who to contact?

Please contact Sharron Smith, Readers’ Advisory Librarian.
Phone: 519-743-0271 ext. 259 Email: Sharron.smith@kpl.org