Des Plaines Library Offers Virtual Book Club Tips

Press release from the Des Plaines Public Library:

May 8, 2020

We know many of you take part in home book clubs because we help you find the books. We can still do that.

I imagine many of you are reading more now that we are all home more. Perhaps you have thought: I wish I could talk to someone about what I am reading. Well you can and we are here to help. How do we come together to book talk?

You can discuss face to face virtually using videoconferencing software like Zoom or Google Hangouts.

Or try a discussion through text using message boards or chat apps.

1. Videoconferencing.

The library uses Zoom for our virtual book discussions. Zoom works great for us. There are free and paid versions.

The free version limits groups of more than two to 40 minutes (but there is no rule that someone couldn’t set up a second zoom meeting).

Google Hangouts is free and simple to use even if It does not have all the features of zoom. The only drawback is everyone must have a google account.

2. Message Board and Chat Bookclubs.

There are numerous places to create a private book group message board.

Two of the most popular sites are Goodreads and Facebook Groups.

One benefit of this is not everyone needs to be available at the same time.

If you want to try this out, I recommend the BookBrowse discussion boards. Many groups create a group chat through their phones messaging app.

3. Where do I get books when libraries are closed?

Ebooks are your best choice right now.

The library offers ebooks and eaudiobooks from Overdrive through the Libby app and through the Digital Library of Illinois website and also from Hoopla.

Hoopla books are all always available making them the best choice if multiple copies are needed. Hoopla even has a book club recommendations section.

Overdrive offers multiple copies of classics and certain books they are promoting.

Another option is to pick a theme rather than a title, something like political biography or WWII fiction and have each member pick a book from their shelf or download an ebook of their choosing.

4. Looking for a book club? Join ours!

We have several groups that meet at different times. I’m sure one will match with your schedule and taste. We have the following discussions coming up:

• Thursday May 14 at 7:30pm we will discuss They Will Drown in Their Mothers' Tears by Johannes Anyuru
• Tuesday May 19 at 10am we will discuss Olive, Again by Elizabeth Strout
• Wednesday May 20 we (with the Des Plaines History Center) will discuss The Accident of Color by Daniel Brook
• Tuesday June 2 at 10am we will discuss Little Gods by Meng Jin

Let us know how you are adapting your book clubs in the comments.

Here are a few fantastic discussable books for your book club that are available now:

The Alice Network

by Kate Quinn

An American Marriage

by Tayari Jones

The Book Woman Of Troublesome Creek

by Kim Michele Richardson

Little Fires Everywhere

by Celeste Ng

The Lost Book Of Adana Moreau

by Michael Zapata

The Mountains Sing

by Quế Mai Phan Nguyễn

The 7 1/2 Deaths Of Evelyn Hardcastle

by Stuart Turton

This press release was produced by the Des Plaines Public Library. The views expressed here are the author’s own.