Bookclubs
Whether you join ours or start your own, bookclubs are a great way to meet and chat about your love of reading and all things book related.
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Library Run Bookclubs
Want to join an existing club or start one at your local library? Talk to our friendly staff to see what can be done.
Calliope Library Bookclub
Once a month, bookworms from around the region gather to discuss bookish things and the month’s read in our cosy little library. The monthly reads have been provided so you can come prepared if you are new to the group. Book club runs from 5.30-7pm on the last Tuesday of the month. All welcome from ages 18+.
Contact us or call Calliope Library on 4975 8105 if you wish to be added to their group mailing list.
February – Growing up and self-discovery
E.g. “Growing up and self-discovery” explores the journey from innocence to maturity. Characters confront challenges, question beliefs, and shape their identities through experience, relationships, and choices, ultimately understanding who they are and where they belong in the world.
March – Exploration and travel
E.g. “Exploration and travel” focuses on journeys—both physical and emotional—where characters venture into new lands or experiences, facing challenges, discovering diverse cultures, and gaining self-awareness, courage, and wisdom through the thrill and transformation that come with discovering the unknown.
April – Artificial intelligence and humanity
E.g. “Artificial intelligence and humanity” examines the relationship between humans and machines, exploring how technology shape’s identity, ethics, and emotion. It questions consciousness, morality, and what truly defines being human in a world where creation rivals its creator.
May – Biography
E.g. A ”biography” tells the true story of a person’s life, exploring their experiences, achievements, struggles, and growth. It provides insight into character, decisions, and historical context, inspiring readers through real-life challenges, triumphs, and the human journey.
June – Myths and folklore
E.g. “Myths and folklore” explore traditional stories that explain nature, culture, and human behaviour. Passed through generations, they reveal moral lessons, cultural values, and universal fears and hopes, connecting people to their history, beliefs, and the mysteries of the world.
July – The unreliable narrator
E.g. “The unreliable narrator” explores storytelling through a deceptive or mistaken voice, challenging readers to question truth and perception. This technique reveals hidden motives, distorted memories, and subjective reality, exposing how bias and perspective shape understanding of events and characters.
August – Poverty and survival
E.g. “Poverty and survival” examine the struggles of individuals or communities facing scarcity, hardship, and inequality. Stories explore resilience, resourcefulness, and moral choices, highlighting the human capacity to endure, adapt, and find hope amidst deprivation and social injustice.
September – Lost civilizations
E.g. “Lost civilizations” explores societies that vanished due to war, nature, or decay. Stories uncover their culture, achievements, and mysteries, reflecting on human ambition, fragility, and the lessons history leaves behind about rise, fall, and the impermanence of human endeavours.
October – Book to screen: something that has been adapted into a film or TV show.
November – Alternate worlds and universes
E.g. “Alternate worlds and universes” explore realities beyond our own, imagining different laws, societies, or histories. These stories examine identity, choice, and morality, offering imaginative landscapes where characters confront challenges, discover possibilities, and reflect on what makes their original world unique.
Starting Your Own Bookclub
Already have a group of friends but don’t have enough copies of the book? Members of Gladstone Regional Libraries have access to the 300+ bookclub sets available from State Library of Queensland.
Accessing State Library of Queensland Bookclub Kits
These free kits have 10 copies of the same book in them and are able to be ordered through our Inter Library Loan service.
- Click here to see the range of titles available
- We recommend you make a list of 2-3 sets that are marked as having “Items Available” to ensure you get a kit in time for your meeting
- Write down the Author, Title and kit number to be included in your request e.g. Bookclub set 256 : The eye of the sheep / Sofie Laguna
- Submit an Inter Library Loan request via our catalogue, online contact form or just give us a call Note: you will need an active membership
- You’ll receive notification of the kits arrival and the kit is then borrowed like a normal item. Kits are available for a minimum of a six week loan.
- The borrower is responsible for collecting all of the books in the kit prior to returning the kit.
Questions & Tips
Discussion Questions:
Not sure how to get the discussion going? Try some of these, either as an open floor discussion or going around the group in turn.
- Did you like the book? What was good/bad about it?
- Were the characters likeable/believable/relatable?
- For the person that chose the book, why did you choose it/suggest it? Did it meet your expectations?
- Would you change the ending? How?
- How was the writing style? Did it transport you? Make you feel?
- Did it remind you of a time/place/personal experience/different author?
- Would you read another by this author?
Tips:
- Tip for time poor facilitators. Don’t have time to read the whole book? Check out the reviews on https://www.goodreads.com/ and base some questions on both the 5 star and the 1-2 star reviews.
- Bookclub set didn’t turn up in time? Try choosing a genre that isn’t normally read by your group and everyone reads a random book.
- Want to spice up your meetings? Try a cookbook club where you choose a style/theme of cooking and everyone prepares a dish (Great for endo of year breakup).
- Need more questions? Just Google “Bookclub discussion questions” and the title of the book and see what comes up.
Ben’s Online Bookclub
Ben’s Book Club is a digital book club available exclusively to Australian and New Zealand libraries, hosted by best-selling author Ben Hobson.
As more and more Australian’s read and listen to books on their smartphone or tablet, Library card holders can now borrow the book chosen for Ben’s Book Club each month with no waiting or holds on the Libby reading app. Libby is the leading digital reading platform for libraries worldwide, created by OverDrive,
