- Traditionally book clubs involved scheduled meetings at specified locations. They were often restricted to relatively small groups, usually four to eight members. This allowed all of the members to talk openly within the group and have adequate opportunity to contribute to the discussion. The popularity of the Internet increased the quantity of online book clubs. Although these may take away from the intimacy of the in person meetings, they add much more convenience because a tangible location and juggling schedules is much less of an issue. The web also offers many more book club genres so people can choose a club according to their specific area of interest.
- Clubs focus on a variety of different topics when discussing books. Some groups may simply discuss what they each like and disliked about the books. Others may debate its literary value or consider some form of literary criticism, such as psychoanalytic or feminist. Usually the discussions are not restricted to specific topics, but range depending on the tangents of the group.
- Book club information is often posted at certain locations. Some libraries have weekly reading groups or book clubs that are open to new members. Even if the library does not host a book club it may offer a bulletin board where this type of information is posted. Additionally people may post information about their book clubs at bookstores, grocery stores and college campuses. Prior to joining a book club certain information should be obtained such as the types of books read, the location of meetings and the number of group members.
- Although creating a book club can be a gratifying experience it does take work. Generally the first step is to recruit members. However, if you have a specific reading group plan in mind it may be advisable to create this prior to finding members. This plan should include the following information: number of group members, quantity of monthly meetings, book genre and meeting location. These decisions can also be made after the group is established. Finding members can be as easy as recruiting interested friends and family. Other options include posting fliers at libraries and bookstores or asking co-workers. Meeting locations can be in members' homes, at coffee shops, libraries or any other venue appropriate for group discussions. As for book choices and meeting schedule, these should be chosen amongst the group. However, it is important to establish that meeting times are scheduled in advance and should not be missed casually.
- Another type of book club is Oprah's Winfrey's book club. This club is an aspect of the "Oprah Winfrey Show" that includes her recommendations to viewers for various books. Books that are suggested by Oprah receive a sort of "seal of approval" printed on their covers. The club experienced some controversy in 2005 when she chose James Frey's memoir "A Million Little Pieces," which later was found to be largely inaccurate.
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