Let your potential participants know what kind of a discussion they are getting into when you publicize the group. If you select and stick with a particular type, you can create an identity for the group which will help to maintain participation -- and even appeal to new members.

Select books which you feel comfortable with and can be enthusiastic about. You may have to defend your choice to a member of the discussion group and it helps if you can point to aspects of the work which you think make it especially distinctive and/or worthwhile. Another approach, once your group is established, is to involve the members in choosing the books to be discussed. Or you may wish to solicit their suggestions, but reserve the right of final choice for yourself.

Consider alternating a serious book with a lighter one, or a popular title with one of higher literary stature. This provides a change of pace for the group, and gives everyone an opportunity to get involved, regardless of their individual tastes or levels of intellect. In the same cause, you probably will not want to repeat an author unless that is the intent of your discussion series.

Limit the size of the group by calling for advance registration. Eight to ten is an ideal size, allowing all participants an opportunity to talk; a group of 15 would be the absolute maximum.

Ask registrants to provide their phone numbers in case you have to cancel the discussion. Have registration begin a month before the discussion will take place -- once the series gets underway, you can pass out the next book at the present discussion. (Warning: If you start registration too far in advance, people may become confused about which discussion they signed up for -- or simply forget and not come. You will find that everyone who signs up does not appear.)

Provide copies of the book for the participants -- either paperbacks purchased by the library or multiple copies obtained through interlibrary loan. Your potential for real participation will increase if you make it easier for people to acquire the book. If you buy paperbacks, you will want to order them several months in advance, so that you will be sure to have them in time for your pre-discussion distribution -- and once you have the book, you will be able to promote the discussion with assurance that you can provide the material to read.

Choose a regular time for the group to meet -- say, once a month on the second Thursday evening. This helps participants to build the discussion into their schedules and it is easier for the library staff to remember when answering questions about the group. An evening time slot allows both employed and unemployed individuals to attend -- and encourages both men and women. A mix of sexes, ages, and backgrounds will help to make the group more stimulating.

Determine the length of the discussion -- an hour, and a half works very well, say from 7:30 to 9 p.m. It's not so long that people grow bored and restless -- and yet, it's long enough so that the group can really get into the book. Starting at 7:30 p.m. allows people to arrive in a somewhat leisurely fashion, without having to rush away from the dinner table.

Promote your discussion group by means of posters, bookmarks, publicity releases and notes in the library's program bulletin or newsletter. If you use a bookmark, put one in each discussion book you hand out for the next session -- it will serve as a reminder of when the group will be meeting again.

Specify that participants must read the book in advance and be ready and willing to discuss it -- no silent observers allowed! (Well, you may want to make an occasional exception, just to maintain good public relations -- but if you accept too many non-readers, you won't be able to get much of a discussion going.)

Ted Balcom
Villa Park Public Library