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Getting Organized
These decisions can be made to fit your group.
Membership
Who will be in the group?
How many members will the group have?
12-15 total members usually works best, but it's possible to have a good discussion with as few as 2 or 3. Sometimes groups start small and attract more members as word gets out.
What ages of kids will you include?
No more than a 2-3 year age gap between participants is recommended.
How will members be invited into the group?
Word of mouth is often very effective. If you’re trying to recruit new members, wide publicity is desirable. Consider visiting school classrooms.
Meetings
Where will you meet?
What day and time will you meet?
Time, day, place and frequency will depend on preferences of the individual group.
How often will you meet?
Some groups meet weekly for a specified number of weeks during the summer only; others meet bi-weekly or monthly throughout the year.
Leadership Roles: Who will . . .
Host the group?
Provide refreshments?
Research book reviews and author information?
Watch for author visits to local libraries and bookstores?
Communicate information to the group?
Faciliate the discussion? Facilitators select books, prepare discussion questions, and
lead discussion. Good facilitators like kids, love children’s literature, and are excited about talking about books. They value all group members’ opinions, are good listeners, and invite participation by all.
Updated October, 2006
M. Severson, G. Cramer, J. Kreuser
© Hennepin County Library
We welcome your comments and suggestions.
