Bedford Borough Council logo Central Bedfordshire Council logo

The Virtual Library

Menu
Follow us on Pinterest Follow us on Twitter Contact us on Facebook Home Page What's On Contact Us Help

Reading groupsReading groupsReading Groups FAQs?

Reading Group Home | Books Home

How many people can be in a Reading Group?

The library card for your Reading Group is for up to ten people. If you have more than that in your group, please talk to a member of staff.


Can Reading Groups request anything?

You can request any title, free of charge, as long as it's in stock, has no outstanding requests on it and was published over a year ago. We will obtain up to a maximum of ten copies of each title for collection from your local library.
The only times you may find it difficult to get the items you want is if you ask for something that is a bestseller, or something that has a long request list. We only have a certain number of copies so we need to make sure that there are enough to lend to people who pay for their requests. Please note that individual requests by paying customers will always take priority over Reading Group requests. Library staff will advise you if you have chosen a popular title, let you know the best time to order it and request something else instead.

Don't forget about the Reading Group Collection, a selection of about 100 titles available in multiple copies just for you!


How long can we keep the books?

You can keep the books for 6 weeks. This is to give you enough time to collect, read, and discuss your chosen title. If you require them longer than that please talk to library staff. There are concession level fines for late returns from Reading Groups.

You are only allowed to have a maximum of 20 books on loan at one (the equivalent of two titles). If you have two titles on loan you will not be allowed to borrow a new title.

Titles can be renewed, but only if there are no requests on them.


We can't decide what to request! Help!

We love reading and that's why we are constantly updating and adding to the booklists which are available to you online. There are all sorts of different ways of choosing something new to read from selecting something from a book list or Pinterest board.

There are also lots of Reading Group websites designed by people like you which include book lists, reviews, suggestions, plus ideas for Reading Group meetings.

Don't forget about the Reading Group Collection, a selection of about 100 titles available in multiple copies just for you!


How do we get book discussion going?

It's not uncommon for book discussion to be tricky or difficult to get started so there are a few resources available to help you along. Reading Group websites are really useful, and there a number of resources that you can use. The links below will help you get your discussion going.


Pile of BooksCan we use the Library as a venue for meeting in?

Some Libraries do have meeting rooms or space available for you to hold your initial meeting in, during opening hours. Give your local library a ring and a member of staff will be happy to advise you.

Click here for Library contact details and opening times.


What should we do if we lose or damage a book?

We trust that you will take good care of our books, but accidents do happen. If you lose or damage a book please talk to a member of staff as you will have to pay for a replacement.


Page last updated: 25th February 2014