Book Clubs

There are Book Clubs that meet monthly at all CCPL locations. The listings below will help you find the dates and times of upcoming meetings and the books that will be discussed. For more information concerning these Book Clubs, please contact us at 410.386.4488.

Click on the locations below to view upcoming CCPL Book Club dates and titles.

• All Locations

Carroll County Public Library Supports Community Book Clubs

The library’s function regarding book clubs, both library sponsored and community sponsored, is to offer resources and expertise for reading and discussing literature. While CCPL offers a variety of book clubs at our branches, you may also be interested in starting your own! Here are some tips to get you started so that you can be successful. Book clubs can be great fun for all ages!

How can Carroll County Public Library assist your book club?

Need some suggestions for a good title? Librarians are available to assist in selecting book titles, determining availability of titles, and scheduling a library meeting room. Librarians will make every effort to acquire copies of the group's first choice of titles. However, titles with limited availability including books published within the last year may not be possible. Book clubs are encouraged to be flexible with titles and dates, and are asked to provide multiple choices. Carroll County Public Library has additional resources available, including Novelist, which may offer discussion questions/topics and insights about the book's themes. 

What is a suggested book club size?

Very small groups can make for short discussions, while large groups can make for tricky organization. We recommend seven or eight participants to start and no more than 20.

Where should you hold meetings?

This depends on the size of your group and the atmosphere you want (i.e., a house can be more relaxed, a community or religious center can encourage more participation, and a restaurant can be fun but less focused). There are even book clubs that "meet" online. Most clubs are held in members' homes on a rotating basis. If you would like to hold your book club in a library meeting room you can reserve one from our meeting rooms.

How can you recruit members?

Friends and neighbors are a good place to start, particularly if you are trying to create an informal group. If you want a group that is more formal or specialized, you may consider posting advertisements in local papers, Carroll County Public Library branches (community posting policy), or bookstores, or contacting groups that specialize in your area of interest.

When should you meet?

Consider if you want a fixed or flexible schedule, whether you will skip summers or heavy holiday months, and keep in mind the distance people will need to travel to meet. Most clubs pick one day or night a month, but another time frame might be more suitable to your group.

How should you organize and facilitate the discussion?

To help meetings run more smoothly, it is important to choose a discussion leader. Establish the responsibilities of the discussion leader, including whether this role might be shared or rotated. Will there be a single record keeper? Decide how books will be chosen. Will each member be responsible for acquiring their own copies of chosen titles? It is helpful to agree on group interactions. For example, disagreements in views or opinions should be expressed and listened to respectfully. Remember that no one should be criticized.

Are you looking for some discussion questions for your book club?

Consider using these suggested universal book discussion questions created for CCPL's Battle of the Books program participants. These can be found at: https://library.carr.org/programs/docs/BoB_UniversalBook.pdf

What should the club consider when choosing books?

• Characters: Exploring the depth and complexity of characters and their relationships and interactions can make for interesting discussions.
• Substance: Books that have thought-provoking issues and themes often lead to engaging conversations that may even go "beyond the book."
• Conflict: Controversy makes for great discussions or debates. Books focusing on moral dilemmas or with some sort of controversy or crisis at their core can really make for spirited discussions.
• Fun: Favorites from childhood, classics you've always intended to read, or choosing a book because you like the cover might lead to unexpected reading adventures!