The library offers patrons five literary discussion groups within the library buildings and circulates “Book Clubs to Go!” kits that contain everything patrons need to run discussion groups of their own.

 

Literary Discussion Groups

Latin American Book Discussion Group
This program features books or short stories written by Latin American authors which have been translated into English. The discussions are conducted in English, however, native Spanish speakers are welcome, the group leader is bilingual. For information on the stories to be discussed and to obtain copies in English or Spanish, please visit the Beatley Central's Reference Desk or call 703-746-1702x3. This program is held at the Beatley Central Library, 5005 Duke Street, usually on the second Thursday of each month at 7:00 pm. See the library's calendar of events for program dates and times. This is a Library-run group.

"Let's Talk Books" - Barrett Book Discussion Group
This alternating fiction and nonfiction discussion group is usually held on the second Monday of each month at 7:00 PM at the Barrett Branch Library. Selections are chosen by the participants. See the library's calendar of events for dates and times. For information on the selections for discussion, call Diana Reich at 703-746-1703. This is a Library-run group.

Duncan Book Discussion Group
This program is held on the third Wednesday of each month at 7:00 PM at the Duncan Branch Library. Selections are chosen by the participants, and the discussions are often lead by the participants. See the library's calendar of events for dates and times. For information on the selections for discussion, call Ruth Hailu at 703-746-1705. This is a Library-run group.

World Short Story Discussion Group
This program features short stories written by authors worldwide and anthologized in Short Shorts, Howe ed. (808.831 Sho). Meetings are usually the fourth Tuesday or Thursday of the month at the Burke Branch Library, at 7 pm. See the library's calendar of events for dates and times. For more information, call Mark Schwartz at 703-746-1770. This is a Library-run group.

Great Books Discussion Group
This library-sponsored program is held on the third Thursday of each month at 7:00 PM at the Beatley Central Library. Selections are from the Great Books Foundation series. See the library's calendar of events for dates and times. For information on the selections for discussion, call Bill Scouton at 703-931-3559. This is a Library-sponsored group.

 

"Book Clubs Kits to Go"

Alexandria Library offers dozens of “Book Clubs to Go!” kits, providing patrons and book club members with everything they need to begin and run a book club of their own. The kits can also be used by existing book clubs looking for book titles. The book club kit titles were selected from among the thousands of generous donations that the Alexandria Library receives yearly from patrons.

Each book club kit contains:
• Eight to ten copies of the book.
• A binder that contains tips for starting a book club, author information, discussion questions, review(s), and a list of titles.
• A canvas tote bag(s) to hold materials.

Please note the following rules:
• Kits can be checked out for six weeks.
• Kits are not renewable.
• All books must be returned in the condition in which they were checked out.
• Late kits will accrue a late fee of $.35 per day.
• Lost or damaged tote bag(s) will be charged a replacement fee of $6.
• Lost or damaged binders(s) will be charged a replacement fee of $8.

Available Titles
The following titles are available as Book Clubs to Go kits. For your convenience, they may be picked up at any of the Alexandria Library's four branches.

Barrett
Daughter of Fortune by Allende, Isabel
Gilead by Robinson, Marilynne
Running with Scissors by Burroughs, Augusten
Wicked by Maguire, Gregory
A Year in Provence by Mayle, Peter

Burke
Back When We Were Grownups by Tyler, Anne
Bridget Jones's Diary by Fielding, Helen
Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nightime by Haddon, Mark
The Devil Wears Prada by Weisberger, Lauren
Divine Secret of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood by Wells, Rebecca
Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing by Bank, Melissa
Good in Bed by Weiner, Jennifer
Jane Austen Book Club by Fowler, Karen Joy
He's Just Not That Into You by Behrendt, Greg
Prep by Sittenfeld, Curtis
Nanny Diaries by McLaughlin, Emma
Snow by Pamuk, Orhan

Central
The Birth of Venus, Dunant, Sarah
Devil in the White City, Larson, Erik
Fast Food Nation, Schlosser, Eri
The Emperor's Children, Messud, Claire
The Kite Runner, Hosseini, Khaled
The Memory Keeper’s Daughter, Edwards, Kim
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, Berendt, John
The Namesake, Lahiri, Jhumpa
Nickel and Dimed, Ehrenreich, Barbara
The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, Smith, Alexander McCall
The Other Boleyn Girl, Gregory, Philippa
The Road, McCarthy, Cormac
The Year of Magical Thinking, Didion, Joan

Duncan
City of Fallen Angels by Berendt, John
Empire Falls by Russo, Richard
I Don't Know How She Does It by Pearson, Allison
Life of Pi by Martel, Yann
The Known World by Jones, Edward P.
Marley & Me by Grogan, John
Pilot's Wife by Shreve, Anita
Reading Lolita in Tehran by Nafisi, Azar
Three Junes by Glass, Julia
The Time Traveler's Wife by Niffenegger, Audrey
The Alchemist by Coelho Paulo
The Dante Club by Pearl, Matthew
Things Fall Apart by Achebe, Chinua
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Larson, Steig
The Girl who played with Fire by Larson, Steig
The Middle Place by Kelly Corrigan
Three Cups of Tea by Mortenson, Greg
Under the Tuscan Sun by Mayers, Frances