From BookBrowse:
The Book Club Experience in 2020
Three-quarters of the 3,417 respondents who say they are in a book club are in groups that are
currently meeting. Some have experienced sickness, quarantines or fatalities among those close
to them, and many feel drained by current events; but they also feel supported by their book
club and buoyed by a greater sense of friendship and community.
The great majority of groups had previously met in person and indoors. Now, 65% of those that
are currently meeting are doing so virtually, almost all on Zoom, and 17% are meeting outdoors
(with some looking for a new winter location).
A quarter of those who are currently meeting say their group’s attendance rate is lower than
last year, mostly due to technical issues meeting virtually or not feeling safe meeting in person.
But 14% of virtual groups have gained members, mainly due to the ease of meeting online and
former or part-time members being able to join virtually.
Looked at as a whole, the resilience of book clubs shines through. Of course, they would prefer
not to be meeting with restrictions, but the majority have persevered and found a way forward,
with many saying they have a greater appreciation for their group. In fact, although a third of
respondents in groups that are currently meeting say that their overall book club experience is
not as good as it was last year, half say their group is more important to them.
Meeting Virtually
Respondents meeting virtually greatly appreciate that technology allows them to stay
connected and maintain a sense of community.
In general, technology adoption is viewed as positive, with Zoom frequently described as a
lifeline. However, some groups still struggle with technical issues and virtual etiquette, and many
are temporarily missing members who are unable, or sometimes unwilling, to meet virtually.
Virtual discussions tend to be less free-flowing. This is seen as a benefit by some who feel their
group’s book discussions are more focused and inclusive due to fewer side conversations; but
others miss the organic flow of an in-person meeting.
Link to the rest at BookBrowse
The full report is available in downloadable PDF as an ebook an no charge from the BookBrowse website. They’ll also sell you a printed version if you prefer that. You are required to give your first and last names and an email address. Additionally, you have the option of signing up for periodic BookBrowse newsletters at no charge.
PG has signed up for and received a couple of periodic free newsletters from BookBrowse for several years and doesn’t recall being placed on any spam email lists he can attribute to BookBrowse selling its email list.
The biggest problem with zoom is that it focuses on a single speaker at a time – drives me crazy.
In person, humans seem to be able to participate in several conversations at a time, and, with my family, this is critical. A name will come up, and the wave focuses on a different person with ease.
I can imagine a book club meeting without a moderator is a bit of chaos.
I actually STARTED a book club in the midst of the epidemic. We decided to focus on classic books that we wanted to read, but hadn’t – we started with “The Prince” (the political book, not a romance novel).
It’s been interesting – a small group, so far, but I have plans to expand in the future.