Book club members being sought

Spencer Public Library representatives have heard the request.

In response, they're hoping to establish a new book club at the library.

"We've had some people call us and say that they would like to join a book club," Kay Larson, the library's director, said. "I know some of the book clubs that are up and running right now are either very specific to what is read, when participants meet or who is a member; and it's hard for a new person to break into an old club that's already established. So, we thought we would like to start a book club here at the library for people who are interested."

She noted the books potential book club leaders and participants alike would use would come from interlibrary loans.

"We have a service throughout the libraries here in Iowa where different libraries will find multiple copies of a single book title for book clubs to use. So, if a book club is looking for a specific title it wants to read and get multiple copies of at once, without having to necessarily have every member buy their own copy, the library can provide them with those multiple copies," Larson said. " ... They could have them for a month at a time, or whatever it is that they're reading from."

The current list of materials available is online at www.ilsa.lib.ia.us/Bkdisc_title.htm. This site has thousands of book titles cataloged, along with the libraries that own multiple copies of each. Selections range from fiction and nonfiction to mystery and romance to literary novels and classical pieces.

"Sometimes they come in large print, as well as regular print. Sometimes there is a copy on audio. So, if you want to join a book club but you only listen to books in your car as you're traveling back and forth, you can do that. We can provide these. And, we are willing here at the Spencer Public Library to also, if a book club would come forward and say, 'We want this specific title, but it's not on your list,' we would buy multiple copies and then keep them here at the library once the group is done with them, so that we can loan them to other libraries and other book groups that need a copy," Larson said. "We're willing to do that for a book club that we start up here or for any other book club in town that is interested."

Spencer Public Library's director also noted that many of the books available through this service come with discussion questions already set up, which takes the burden of preparing for leading a book club group off an individual's shoulders.

Larson, meanwhile, is requesting current book club members to call her with a potential contact person from their respective group. The names on this contact list would be sent information about book clubs in general, as well as about specific books. Individuals on this list would also agree to make themselves available to others interested in joining a group.

"We're just beginning to get the information out about a book club starting here," Larson said. "So, I would say if they got back to us sometime during the month of March, it probably won't start up until spring -- maybe the first of April. What we will do is have a meeting here at the library, an exploratory or introductory meeting, to get people together so they can decide on a time and frequency to meet, the kind of book they want to read and perhaps pick the title at that first meeting so that we can get the copies to them, all those sorts of little details that you need to run a book club."

* To have your name placed on the book club contact list at Spencer Public Library, or to receive more information about the newly-forming group, contact Larson at 580-7290.