Reading groups

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Across Wiltshire

The library service offers support for reading groups, which you might wish to consider if you run your own group or are thinking of setting one up.  Support includes extended loan periods and free book requests.

You can find some community run reading groups on the Wiltshire Clubs and Organisations Directory. Just select 'readers groups' from the 'subject area' drop down list, and a place from the 'community area' drop down list, and press search.

Many reading groups supply us with short reviews of books they have read.  Until we are able to include them on this page we are adding them to our online catalogue. A good place to start is the recently reviewed books list.  We will also tweet some reviews as they are added via the Wiltshire Libraries Twitter account.

In libraries

Many of our large libraries host reading groups. Where possible the groups are member led. Occasionally these groups might meet in a nearby venue in the town or village.

Although the library service does not run these groups, where possible we support them with space so they can be free and accessible. In a very small number of cases, a small charge may be levied if the group is not hosted in the library. This charge is not levied by, or paid to, Wiltshire Council.

If you wish to know whether there is a group near you, please contact your local library. The person running the group might ask for some contact details so they can let you know about future meetings, cancellations, and events. Please be aware this data is not being held by Wiltshire Council.

We do run the following groups:

• Chippenham Library reading groups for children and young people
• Devizes Library reading group for people with visual impairments

Each week you can find out what a reading group has been doing during the Sue Davies show on BBC Wiltshire, Thursdays just after 2pm.

Reading groups online

We work regionally with Cyprus Well (the south west literature development agency) and nationally with The Reading Agency to bring offers and opportunities to reading groups. The best way for you to find out about these opportunities is to join the following sites. You may be in the running for pre-publication sets, free sets of books, author giveaways, and chances for your group to video conference/Skype with popular authors!

• Reading Groups for Everyone (national site)
• Cyprus Well Community (south west opportunities)

You may also be interested to follow some national reading groups or book clubs, such as:

• The TV Book Club (Channel 4)
• Bookclub (BBC Radio 4)

Follow @wiltslibraries

Last updated: 20 April 2012