In March of 2024 I started a book club with a few coworkers. We all worked in the same department on campus. Each month a genre would be suggested and I would put together a form for us to vote on the title that we would read and discuss. This way if a book was a dud- it wasn’t any one person’s fault. And we all got to celebrate the wins of a great read. Our group was ever changing as people came and left the department, but the core members remained consistent. We would meet each month during the school year and discuss a specific book. Then over the summer, we would still gather, but rather than discuss a specific book, we would discuss a book or two that we read that month that we thought others would like.
Fast forward to summer of 2026 when I moved out of the department. What would happen to a beloved cohort of readers who met each month. Half of us no longer worked in the original office- it was time for a change. So now, the book club has new members. Members from different offices and departments on campus. Some who knew one another, some who were other known “book worms” and others who are entirely new. We just had our first meeting of the reconstituted book club. 1) There are still forms for voting on books. 2) We did the “work” early and selected the titles for a few months out to allow folks to plan and/or borrow from the library. 3) Dates were also set for the remainder of the year. So we are organized and can just focus on the reading. There is no expectation that you need to attend every mont. Come when you can. Didn’t finish the book? Come anyway and join the discussion.
Truth be told, I feel a little selfish. I organized the book club because I love talking about books. When I first got started, I had not idea how long it would last or where it would go. We’ve tried to read different genres so there’s always something for everyone. We’ve read a lot of great books, but there have certainly been some duds along the way. Or some that were a little bit more risqué than we counted on. All that said, it’s not about the books, it’s about gathering to talk about the books.
We live in a world that is fast paced and we are always moving. Many of us are running from one event to another with kids, parents, etc. But our common love of reading brings us together for a book club that actually talks about the books and doesn’t include wine…because we meet over lunch and at a school.
I’m a huge fan of Jennifer Wallace and her writings, specifically her book Mattering, The Secret to a Life of Deep Connection and Purpose. I keep a copy of Mattering on my desk and have referenced it so many time even my children know that I’m talking about the book with the clementine on the cover. Wallace’s argument: “Mattering- the sense that we are valued by others and that we add value to the world- is as essential to our well-being as food and water.” Further, mattering, “is both a call to action and a blueprint for living a meaningful and purposeful life.”
Hold on- how did we go from book club to mattering? Stay with me for a minute and I think it will become clear. We are all trying to balance a life that is moving a mile a minute, technology and AI are creeping into what would normally be personal interactions. “Third spaces” are seemingly shrinking. I’ve mentioned before I grew up working in a family business. We knew the customers by name, more often than not a nickname and what they ordered. I still remember that the dent repair guy ordered chicken cutlet parm on a roll, not a sub. This feels like a time gone by. Nearly gone are the mom and pop establishments, small coffee shops or places where you see the same people over and over. We have a few in our life- the diner, where we have the same waiter every time we go. The Chinese restaurant that we get carry out. The manager at the Barnes and Noble, who remembers exactly what types of books the boys like to read, but in many respects the arena of third spaces is shrinking. Wallace challenges us to create our on third spaces and be a mattering architect. This all sounds highly sophisticated. I’ve continually referenced this concept of third space and it wasn’t until yesterday that I realized, perhaps I was in the process of creating one! While the space we meet might not always be the same the cohort of readers are creating a third space where we can hit pause from work and life to gather and share, to listen and offer our thoughts and to be present.
Nearly three years in to book club and a lightbulb finally went off. Book Club moved beyond the original office and it now includes people from offices across campus. What are some of the unintended benefits to this created third space? First, there’s interdepartmental relationship building. Our campus is big and depending on what office you work, you may not have an occasion to interact with someone or see them in person. Once a month, sitting around the table, discussing a book helps foster community and relationships across the departments. 2) We are working on our active listening and communication skills. While it may sound silly- in order to be an active participant in book club, you have to listen to what others are saying. The conversation will flow from one concept to the next, with each person taking their turn. But in order to speak, you have to first be silent and listen. 3) Being part of a group or cohort helps foster a sense of belonging. While the expanded group is new, we are continuing to pick up new members through word of mouth. Whether you are new to campus or new to the group, we are building a sense of community and belonging around the common interest of reading. Does it get any better than that? 4) How do you feel after you do something you enjoy? I’d argue you feel a morale or engagement boost. I know I feel pumped after we finish a book discussion and seeing the group come together. I can only hope that the other member of the group feel the same! 5) And finally, even if we are reading fiction, reading instills a culture of learning.
While I’m not going to be able to combat the pace at which technology is changing or the ways that AI is altering how we think and work, I can continue to do my small part to create a space where human interaction is valued. Listening is important. Having the opportunity to share as little or as much as you would like to the conversation is critical. Where reading and the value of books is celebrated.