With regular video conference meetings and pandemic-related anxiety, not everyone has the interest or "head space" required for a virtual yet traditional-model book club these days, or even before the arrival of COVID-19.
That’s where Guelph Public Library’s Introverts Book Club comes into play, with no cameras, no microphones and no dedicated titles for everyone to read.
“It works a lot like a chat room,” explained librarian Laura Baker, who heads the club. “You’re not on a camera in a Zoom model where you’re speaking to one another, you’re texting one another and typing.
“I think that for a lot of people, still having that opportunity to connect but having that different format … tapped into what some people needed.”
The club launched about a year ago, at the onset of the pandemic. Members meet monthly and spend about an hour corresponding about what they’re reading, their favourite podcasts, their adventures with new activities and the like.
“It was actually one of the first programs that we got up and running (after the pandemic began), said Baker. “We found ... that people were really responding to the collective anxiety in different ways, particularly in those early days.
“I think a lot of people are finding it challenging to sit down and really read.”
That difficulty is the main inspiration for ditching dedicated titles, she added, describing it as BYOB – Bring Your Own Book.
“Rather than having the stress of having to read a book each month, people just come and talk very casually about what they’ve been reading. They just kind of share and they leave with some recommendations.”
The library continues to run a variety of more traditional book clubs, albeit in a virtual format for the time being. Even when it’s safe to return to in-person gatherings, Baker would like to see the Introverts Book Club remain online.
“Book clubs are about more than the book itself and what’s being discussed. They’re really about community and this opportunity to explore new things, new ideas and connect with people,” she said.
“That means of connection, at a time when we have to stay apart, I think book clubs are a really great way to kind of bring us together.”
For more information about the club, including its meeting schedule, visit www.guelphpl.ca.
