Book Qlubbs Made Easy

We’ve gotten a lot of feedback from book lovers starting book clubs on Qlubb. Book clubs are a fantastic way to escape everyday concerns and connect with similarly minded people who enjoy reading, conversation, food and drink! Here are some practical and useful tips to get your BOOK QLUBB running.

1. Decide what kind of book club you want to start – non-fiction, classic, biographies, poetry, Oprah books, or a mix. Picking a book club with a focus will help recruit and retain members.
2. Recruit friends and co-workers who are avid readers and would be interested in the type of club you have chosen. Though you will attract new members over time, 4-5 initial members will help work out the club's kinks.
   
3. Organize the book club online. Online group sites like Qlubb allow you to post important information, such as meeting dates and places, the booklist and schedule, member contact information, and links to book discussion guides.
4. Decide on the first 3-4 books to be read and discussed. The first set of books should be agreed upon by the founding members. When it is time to select the next set of books, ask each member to bring at least 3 selections that everyone can choose from. Members may also want to bring blurbs and reviews of the books to inform everyone's decision. Also be aware of your member’s budgetary constraints when selecting books. Some clubs will limit book options to those available at local libraries, WalMart, or Costco.
5. Determine the book club's dates and meeting locations. If possible rotate the book club meetings amongst your members. Also, picking a specific day, such as the first Tuesday of each month, can make it easier to arrange child care and remember the meeting time. Record these meetings onto the Qlubb's online site. We all have busy schedules. Give members at least one month to finish a book.
6. Rotate drink and snack responsibilities. As much as a book club is for discussing books, it is also an opportunity for socializing. Discussion about the book can become a bit slow, and the availability of drinks and food can create a more social and relaxed atmosphere. You can use Qlubb’s online sign-up sheets to track who will bring the food and the drinks to the events.
Take turns being discussion leader – for each meeting, allow members to sign-up to be discussion leaders. Or you can simply assign members to that task.
7. Track member RSVPs. Use Qlubb to automatically send out online RSVP for each meeting. This will provide an accurate head count for people bringing food and drinks.
8. Recruit new members CAREFULLY. A few odd individuals in the book club can quickly mess up the club's dynamic and cause the club's dissolution. New members are essential, but ideally should be recommended or referred by existing members.

Happy Reading, and let us what you are reading in your Book Qlubbs!