How to Find a Book Club Near You (or Online)

How to Find a Book Club Near You

The fastest way to find a book club near you is to check three places: your local public library, your nearest independent bookstore, and an online platform like Readfeed or Meetup. Libraries and bookstores are the two most common hosts for in-person book clubs in the United States, and online platforms let you filter by location, genre, and meeting format. Between these three sources, most readers can find a group within a week.

If none of those pan out—or if you want a virtual club that meets your specific interests—there are many more avenues to explore. Below is a comprehensive guide to every reliable method for finding a book club, whether local or online.

Finding Local, In-Person Book Clubs

In-person book clubs offer the irreplaceable warmth of face-to-face conversation, shared food, and the energy of a physical gathering. Here's where to look:

Public Libraries

Public libraries are the single best resource for finding local book clubs. According to the American Library Association, 87% of U.S. public library systems host at least one book club, and many run several—organized by genre, age group, or language.

How to find them:

Visit your library's website and look for "Programs," "Events," or "Book Clubs" in the navigation.
Call or visit the reference desk and ask. Librarians maintain lists of both library-sponsored clubs and community groups that meet in the building.
Check bulletin boards near the entrance—clubs often post flyers seeking new members.

What to expect: Library book clubs are typically free, open to the public, and led by a librarian or volunteer facilitator. Group sizes range from 8 to 25 people. Books are usually available for free through the library's collection. These clubs tend to be welcoming to newcomers and require no ongoing commitment.

Independent Bookstores

Independent bookstores are the second-most common host for local book clubs. Many stores run their own groups as a way to build community and drive sales, and they frequently partner with publishers to offer discounts on the selected title.

How to find them:

Use IndieBound.org's bookstore finder to locate independents near you, then check their events pages.
Follow your local bookstores on social media—book clubs are commonly promoted on Instagram and Facebook.
Visit the store and ask a staff member. Even if the store doesn't run its own club, employees often know about community groups.

What to expect: Bookstore clubs typically meet monthly in the store, often in the evening. Some offer a 10–20% discount on the month's selection. Groups tend to be genre-focused or curated around the store's personality. Sizes range from 6 to 20 members.

Meetup.com

Meetup remains one of the most reliable platforms for finding local interest-based groups, including book clubs. A search for "book club" in any major U.S. metro area typically returns 15–40 active groups.

How to find them:

Go to Meetup.com and search for "book club" filtered by your city.
Browse results by genre focus, meeting frequency, age group, and format (in-person vs. virtual).
Look for groups with consistent recent activity—a club that hasn't posted an event in three months may be defunct.

What to expect: Meetup book clubs vary widely. Some are highly organized with professional facilitation; others are casual pub gatherings. Read the group description and recent event reviews before joining. Most are free to attend, though some organizers charge a small fee to cover Meetup's platform costs.

Community Centers, Churches, and Civic Organizations

Many community organizations host book clubs that don't show up on digital platforms:

Community and recreation centers often run reading groups, especially for seniors and parents.
Churches, synagogues, mosques, and other faith communities frequently organize book clubs around spiritual, philosophical, or social justice themes.
Rotary clubs, Junior League chapters, and other civic organizations sometimes include book discussions as part of their programming.
YMCA and similar organizations occasionally host reading groups as part of adult programming.

These groups tend to be close-knit and long-running. They're not always easy to find online, so ask around in your community or check local bulletin boards and newsletters.

Social Media — Local Groups

Facebook Groups and Nextdoor are underutilized resources for finding hyperlocal book clubs:

Search Facebook for "[Your City] book club" and filter by Groups. Many neighborhoods, suburbs, and towns have dedicated book club groups.
On Nextdoor, search for "book club" or post asking if any groups are active in your area.
Check community-specific Facebook pages for your apartment complex, neighborhood, or parent group—book clubs often form within these existing communities.

Finding Online and Virtual Book Clubs

Virtual book clubs have grown substantially since 2020, and they're now a permanent fixture of the reading landscape. Online clubs offer flexibility (no commute, easier scheduling) and access to a global community.

Readfeed

Readfeed is a purpose-built platform for book club management that makes it easy to discover and join virtual clubs. You can browse public clubs by genre, reading pace, and focus area, then join with a single tap. Readfeed's strength for virtual clubs lies in its threaded, spoiler-safe discussion tools and AI-generated discussion questions—features specifically designed for the asynchronous nature of online book conversations.

Goodreads Groups

Goodreads hosts thousands of active book club groups, ranging from small private clubs to massive communities with tens of thousands of members. To find one:

Navigate to the "Groups" section and search by genre, format, or keyword.
Filter by activity level—look for groups with recent discussions (within the past week).
Popular groups include "Goodreads Choice Awards Book Club," "Sword & Laser" (sci-fi/fantasy), and "Non-Fiction Book Group."

Goodreads groups use a forum-style discussion format. The interface is dated, but the sheer volume of active groups makes it worth exploring.

Reddit hosts several large book club communities:

r/bookclub (300,000+ members): Runs structured, moderator-led read-alongs with scheduled discussion posts by section.
r/52book: Focused on the goal of reading 52 books per year, with community support.
r/suggestmeabook: Not a club, but a great place to find recommendations and connect with fellow readers.
Genre-specific subs like r/fantasy, r/horrorlit, and r/romancebooks often run their own book clubs.

Reddit book clubs are fully asynchronous—discussions happen in comment threads over days or weeks. This format works well for readers with unpredictable schedules.

Facebook Groups

Facebook remains a major hub for book clubs, particularly for readers over 30:

Search "book club" and filter by Groups.
Popular public groups include "Books That Make You Think" and "Fiction Addiction Book Club."
Many Facebook book clubs are private (you must request to join), which creates a more intimate atmosphere.

Discord

Discord has become the platform of choice for younger readers (18–35) and genre-focused communities:

Search Disboard.org for book club servers.
Popular servers include "The StoryGraph Community," "BookTok Central," and various author-specific fan communities.
Discord clubs often combine text discussion channels with voice chat meetings.

Podcasts and Newsletters

Several podcasts and newsletters operate as de facto book clubs:

"Currently Reading" podcast: Hosts announce monthly picks and discuss them on air.
"The Bookish Life" newsletter: Curated monthly selections with subscriber discussion forums.
"What Should I Read Next?" by Anne Bogel: Not a traditional club, but the community reads along with featured titles.

What to Look for in a Book Club

Not all book clubs are created equal. Before committing, evaluate these factors:

Genre and Reading Taste

Does the group read the kind of books you enjoy? Check the last 6–12 selections. If you love literary fiction and the group reads primarily thrillers, you'll be miserable—and vice versa.

Meeting Frequency and Format

Can you realistically attend? A weekly in-person club across town requires a very different commitment than a monthly virtual meeting. Be honest with yourself about what you can sustain.

Group Size and Dynamics

Observe or ask about group dynamics before committing:

How many people typically attend?
Does everyone participate, or do one or two people dominate?
Is the tone casual and social, or serious and analytical?
How welcoming is the group to new members?

Inclusivity and Diversity

A good book club includes diverse voices—both in its membership and its reading selections. Look for groups that intentionally read across cultures, identities, and perspectives.

Organization and Communication

Well-run clubs have clear communication: consistent meeting schedules, advance notice of book selections, and a reliable way to stay in touch between meetings. Disorganized clubs are the number-one reason members drop out.

Questions to Ask Before Joining

Before you commit, ask the organizer (or review the group's description for answers to) these questions:

How are books selected? (Rotation, voting, leader's choice?)
What's the attendance expectation? (Must attend every meeting, or flexible?)
What happens if I don't finish the book? (Come anyway, or skip?)
How are discussions structured? (Prepared questions, or organic conversation?)
Is there a cost? (Dues, book purchases, venue fees?)
How do I leave if it's not a good fit? (Graceful exits should be easy.)

Starting Your Own Club When You Can't Find One

If nothing in your area or online matches what you're looking for, starting your own book club is simpler than you might think:

Recruit 5–8 people from your existing network—friends, family, coworkers, neighbors.
Choose a platform: For in-person clubs, all you need is a group text. For virtual or hybrid clubs, set up a group on Readfeed, which handles scheduling, book voting, and discussions.
Pick your first book together: Let everyone nominate a title and vote. Starting with a shared decision builds investment.
Set a date 3–4 weeks out: Give everyone time to acquire and read the book.
Keep the first meeting simple: Prepared discussion questions help, but don't over-engineer it. Let the conversation flow naturally and adjust the format based on feedback.

The hardest part of starting a book club is the first meeting. Once you've had one good discussion, momentum takes over.

Popular Book Club Platforms at a Glance

Platform	Best For	Format	Cost
Readfeed	All-in-one club management	Virtual & hybrid	Free tier available
Bookclubs.com	Finding new groups	Virtual	Free
Goodreads Groups	Large community discussions	Asynchronous text	Free
Meetup	Finding local in-person clubs	In-person	Free to join
Reddit (r/bookclub)	Structured read-alongs	Asynchronous text	Free
Discord	Genre-focused communities	Text & voice chat	Free
Facebook Groups	Casual, social clubs	Asynchronous text	Free

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I find book clubs near me?

The three best places to find local book clubs are your public library, independent bookstores, and Meetup.com. Libraries host book clubs in 87% of U.S. public library systems, bookstores frequently run genre-specific groups, and Meetup lists dozens of active book clubs in most metro areas. You can also check Facebook Groups and Nextdoor for hyperlocal options.

How do I join an online book club?

To join an online book club, sign up on a platform like Readfeed, Goodreads, or Bookclubs.com and browse their club directories. Filter by genre, meeting frequency, and format to find a group that matches your interests. Most online clubs are open-join—you simply click a button to become a member. Reddit communities like r/bookclub are also completely open and require no application.

What should I look for in a book club?

Look for a club that matches your reading taste (check their recent selections), meets at a frequency and format you can sustain, has a welcoming atmosphere, and is well-organized with clear communication. Observe or ask about group dynamics—how many people typically attend, whether discussions are balanced, and how new members are welcomed. A good fit in tone and expectations matters more than the platform.

Is it better to join an existing book club or start my own?

Joining an existing club is faster and requires less effort—you inherit an established format, member base, and reading rhythm. Starting your own gives you full control over genre focus, meeting format, and group culture, but requires recruiting members and handling logistics. If you can find a club that matches your preferences, join first. If nothing fits, starting your own is straightforward—recruit 5–8 friends, pick a book, and set a date.

How to Find a Book Club Near You (or Online)