YA CHICK-LIT BOOK CLUB

Teen Book Club plan

MOLLY MOORE

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YA Chick-Lit Book Club

Description:
A thematic book club and discussion for teens 11-18 at the Oconee County
Library. Books will be based on the realistic chick-lit genre, and each month will
be a different theme: first love, friendship, heartbreak, etc. A reading list based
on themes will be provided, and teens can choose their book. Each months
meeting will include discussion on the theme and teens may share thoughts
from their respective books.
Though this is considered a book club, discussion will take place regarding the
months theme and books. The book club is designed to meet once a month for
5 months, and if the club is successful, the club may continue or choose to
change genres.

Goals of the YA Chick-Lit Book Club:

Provide a structured social setting in which teens from different ages,

schools, and backgrounds can unite and form community.
To encourage teens to read books for pleasure.
To be a safe space where teens can discuss and ask questions about
personal topics and social issues such as love, relationships, identity, and
feminism.
To encourage young readers to try a new genre or theme.

Plan:
The YA Chick-Lit Book Club will meet the first Monday of every month (for 5
months from 6-7pm in the Glass Meeting Room at Oconee County Library. While
the genre is focused on chick-lit, the club is open to all genders.
The first meeting will be an introductory meeting with no book discussion, but
introductions and discussion about the themes, books, and structure. The theme
will be picked for the next month, which will be announced online, in outreach,
and around the library. The themes for the book club meeting have been
chosen, though the teens get to vote which one they do for the next month.
The five themes are: first love, friendship, self-esteem, bullying, and family. After
the themes have all been discussed, the YA librarian can consult the teens in
making the decision to continue the chick-lit genre or move to a new genre.

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The meetings will abide by this schedule:

6:00-6:15- Welcome, refreshments, and socializing. This allows teens to
socialize with other teens and get settled with their refreshments. There will be a
sign-in sheet for the librarians to gather contact information from each teen.
6:15-6:25- Librarian leads discussion on theme. For ten minutes, the
librarian will discuss some elements of the theme in various settings. This allows
the themes to be applied in real life, as well as seen in the books.
6:25-6:55- Discuss books and thoughts. Teens will take turns introducing
the books they read, which includes showing the rest of the group the book
cover, saying the book name and author and a one or two sentence synopsis.
After they introduce their book, each teen will have a couple of minutes
(depending on the number of participants) to discuss where they saw the
theme play out in the book and any thoughts, critiques or questions about the
book. Though the discussion is meant to feel like a conversation, rather than a
question and answer session, the librarian can ask questions to the teens about
their book or theme to get the discussion flowing.*
6:55-7:00- Choose next months theme and farewell. In the last five
minutes of the meeting, the group will vote on next months theme, and be
given the coordinating themed bookmark with the booklist from which they can
choose.
*Example questions to facilitate discussion:
First love:
1. Describe the scene in your book where the two main characters first
meet.
2. Would their love story make it in the real world?
Friendship:
1. If your book was being made into a movie, who could you see playing
the main characters?
2. Would you be friends with your main character in real life?
Self-esteem:
1. How do you identify with your main character?
2. Do you see your main character as someone who is confident?
Bullying:

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1. What part of your book made you feel the saddest or maddest?
2. Describe the villain of your book in three words.
Family:
1. How is your family or family member similar/different to the one in your
book?
2. Without spoiling the ending, what was the most moving part of your
book?

Book Log:
For each book read, teens can get a stamp on their reading log at the
corresponding book club meeting. When the teen reaches 3 stamps, they get
to choose a prize book at the YA desk. Prize books are pulled from the book
donation room according to the YA librarians discretion and stored in a box
under the YA desk. Book logs will be given out at every meeting, in case of new
members, and can also be picked up at the YA desk or printed off the library
website.
Bookmarks:
Each theme has its own bookmark. When the club members pick which theme
will be discussed next, the librarians will give out the corresponding bookmarks
with that themed booklist. (For example, say the teens vote at the initial
meeting for the first theme to be friendship. The librarian will give out the
friendship bookmark, which has a booklist on it with suggested titles that for
the teens to read. The librarian will then display the friendship bookmarks for
the month and put it online.) The booklists are all YA books with the title and
author shown. The bookmark for the upcoming month will be put in various
places in the library and put online for teens to browse and pick up.

Marketing:
Online:
By using social media (Instagram, Facebook, Tumblr, blog, etc.), the YA librarian
can connect with the teens (and parents of teens) involved. This includes
posting pictures of the book club, reminding them of meeting times, and
announcing the upcoming theme.

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In the email blast newsletter sent to teens and parents, a separate section just
for the book club will be created and maintained. This will include logistics of the
club as well as the current months bookmark with the theme and suggested
books. Suggested books will be hyperlinked to the librarys e-book where teens
can immediately borrow the e-book onto their phone, computer or e-reader.
The book log will also be put on the library website so teens can download
anytime.
Physical:
In the library, posters will be displayed in the YA department, on the doors, and
any other bulletin boards. The publicity monitors around the library will display
an image with necessary information in the slideshow. At the circulation desk,
calendar brochures are given out with meeting times and dates.
The months theme bookmarks will be given out at meetings and will also be
available in the YA section, at the YA desk, and at the circulation desk.
During outreach with schools, bookmarks with candy will be handed out to
teens interested in the book club.
Budget:
Initial meeting: $17
4 pizzas= donated from Foxs Pizza
5 sodas= $8 from Publix
3 packages of cookies= $9 from Publix
plates, cups, napkins= donated from Friends group
Regular meetings: $18 each
4 sodas= $6 from Publix
2 packages of cookies= $6 from Publix
2 bags of chips= $6 from Publix
Outreach: $10 for candy (bought on an as-needed basis) from Publix
Considerations:
No registration will be required. If the book club grows to more than 15
participants, the librarian can cap the attendance or start requiring registration,
to their discretion.

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Evaluation tool:
At the end of their first meeting, a quick survey will be sent to the participants via
surveymonkey for them to fill out. This means that the librarians must keep track
of contact information and email addresses, as well as take role to be aware of
new members. The survey will ask the following three questions to assess the
success of the club:
1. Why did you attend the meeting?
2. What about the structure of the meeting would you change?
3. Do you have any suggestions for themes you would like to discuss in
future meetings?