Editors’ preface

The reader is the ultimate consumer: without readers what would be the point of publishing books? Book groups can stimulate, educate and entertain the individuals who belong to them. What can be done to ensure that they will continue to exist and thrive, and what can library and information professionals learn from the groups?

Introduction

I am a teacher, a mother, a wife and an ordinary member of the public. As an individual who has experienced some of the many facets of what it is like to belong to a book group, I'd like to share with you an overview of the main aspects of the experience. As well as describing the actual book group processes, I will also discuss some of the more personal details which are particular to me in the context of the events I relate.

Background

There is no denying that the number of book groups has been increasing in recent years. It could be argued that these groups are formed by people who seek a new form of self-improvement at a time when evening classes have seen numbers dwindle dramatically. A book group usually meets informally about once a month, and therefore offers more flexibility than a series of weekly classes, where an examination often looms at the end of term. We should not underestimate the significance of the fact that membership of a book group requires far less commitment than more formal classes or meetings, not least since there is virtually no cost involved, as opposed to hefty night-school fees, and also because each session is independent from the others. Whereas you may not dare show your face again if you have missed two or three lessons of ‘Spanish for Beginners’, you know that you will be welcome again at the book group. This, in turn, makes the bond more informal due to the absence of the risk of failure: you can walk out of a book group without feeling that you are in any way deficient or inadequate, as you might have done if you dropped out of a structured class. Moreover, there is no qualification prerequisite – other than the ability to read – and neither is there any membership signing-in procedure.