Castro Valley Library

The Alameda County Library has about 100 book kits available to check out. Kits are available to both Library sponsored book groups and may be checked out on any member’s card for use by community book groups. Each kit contains 10 copies of a book and suggested discussion questions, all packaged in a sturdy canvas tote. The book kits check out for six weeks. Most branch libraries sponsor one or more active book clubs. The Castro Valley Library hosts three clubs, one a mystery book club facilitated by local Sisters In Crime favorite, Camille Minichino, a Parent-Child Book Club and the Library Book Group that reads a variety of fiction and non-fiction.
The proliferation of book clubs in recent years has been a pleasant surprise to lovers of good books and publishers alike. The idea of like minded people getting together once a month or so to discuss books is not new, but the boom in their popularity can be traced almost directly to…you guessed it, Oprah! Based on her model, community reading groups began to form at an amazing pace; some followed Oprah title suggestions and many others branched out in a variety of literary directions.
Based on our conversations with library members, there are dozens of reading groups in our community. It’s a great way to meet your neighbors, enjoy stimulating conversation (sometimes straying from the book!), and have the chance to read something new and different from your usual fare.
To find book kit titles for your group go to the ACL classic catalog http://alam1.aclibrary.org, and select “call number” from the drop down menu, enter book kit; our entire selection will appear, A-Z by author.