Readers' Groups Made Simple
Planning
You need to plan your readers' group activity, so that it will be successful and so that you can assess its impact, particularly if this is a group based in a library or other workplace
- Who are you trying to reach and why?
- What is the evidence that this group is needed?
- What are your criteria for success? Are you looking for quantitative or qualitative measures?
- What impact measures will you use?
- How will you gather feedback?
- How often will you report and to whom?
Even individuals starting one for personal interest, need to spend some time thinking through potential issues and pitfalls.
- Who do you want to join?
- How will you control membership if demand is high?
- How and where will you advertise?
- How will you make sure all the organisation doesn't fall on one person and become a burden?
- Who will set the ground rules?
- Have you explored other provision in your local area to make sure you aren't in competition with another group or activity?
- How will you be sure that everyone continues to enjoy the meetings?
Librarians in the North West have pioneered partnership working to encourage new readers into libraries. Time To Read is a partnership of librarians engaged in reader development activity in public library authorities in the North West Region. All 23 public library authorities in the region currently support Time To Read.