Reading groups are a great way of discovering new books and authors and a fun way of socialising and meeting people. We support over 600 groups, offer a great choice of reads and are continually working to improve the service we provide.
All groups are different. Some prefer an informal chat, others a heated discussion and some take a more formal approach. You might choose to all read the same book, or you could select a theme, genre or author. Each group is given a library card and you can borrow as many copies as you need in the format you prefer, so long as it is available.
We regularly produce lists of titles we think reading groups will enjoy. They tend to lend themselves to group discussion, are available in larger quantities and are often in a variety of formats.
You can use the links below to reserve copies of titles your reading group may like to try:
A blank form is also provided so that groups can reserve titles of their choice.
Although many titles have their own discussion guides, groups will find these general questions useful to kick start all book discussions.
Virtual reading group
Our virtual reading group discusses a new title bi-monthly on the Essex Libraries' Facebook page. Following the initial discussion, you can add further comments at any point during the following two months.
Our next title is We Are All Made of Glue by Marina Lewycka - a humorous story featuring an apocalypse-obsessed teenager, truly inept romantic novel writing, an eccentric but lonely old woman, lots of cats and a happy ending.
The discussion starts on Facebook at 7pm on Wednesday 7 March, so order your copy now. Marina will be appearing at Chelmsford Library as part of this year's Essex Book Festival.
You can keep up to date with other reading groups in Essex and share reading ideas by subscribing to our bi-monthly e-newsletter for reading groups.
If you are interested in setting up or joining a reading group, contact your local library or our central enquiry service for more information.
For more information about reading groups, visit www.readinggroups.org.