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Book & Movie Discussion Groups

Discuss new and interesting books with other readers when you join one of our many book discussion groups. Find the right club for you or give them all a try. New members are welcome!

  • Registration is required for all book discussion groups.
  • Pick up your book at the Check Out Desk starting one month prior to the discussion meeting date. Discussion books will be available at the preceding meeting for monthly discussion groups.  
  • Book discussion groups will meet on the upper level in the Community Room.
  • Persons with disabilities can arrange for special assistance by calling the library or placing an accommodation request online at least two weeks prior to any program.

Book Buzz

Start the day off right with a stimulating chat about a good book. Typically meets during the 2nd full week of the month (unless otherwise noted). Book Buzz meets on Tuesday OR Thursday unless otherwise noted. Please choose between Tuesday OR Thursday to attend.

Questions? Contact Readers Services Desk at 847-259-6050 x117

Book cover: West with giraffes External Link to book in our catalog

West with Giraffes (Tuesday Meeting)
by Lynda Rutledge

Inspired by true events, this part adventure, part historical saga and part coming-of-age love story follows Woodrow Wilson Nickel as he recalls his journey in 1938 to deliver Southern California’s first giraffes to the San Diego Zoo.
Catalog External Link

Dates  Tuesday, September 9
Time  9:30-11:15 a.m.

Register Now

OR

Book cover: How the Penguins Saved Veronica External Link to book in our catalog

How the Penguins Saved Veronica (Thursday Meeting)
by Hazel Prior

A curmudgeonly but charming old woman, her estranged grandson, and a colony of penguins proves it's never too late to be the person you want to be in this rich, heartwarming story
Catalog External Link | Libby External Link

Dates  Thursday, September 11
Time  9:30-11:15 a.m.

Register Now

Book cover: The Paris Library External Link to book in our catalog

The Paris Library
by Janet Skeslien Charles

Based on a true story, describes how a lonely teenager in 1983 Montana befriends an elderly neighbor and uncovers her past as a librarian at the American Library in Paris who joined the Resistance when the Nazis arrived.
Catalog External Link | Libby External Link

Dates  Tuesday, October 14
Time  9:30-11:15 a.m.

Register Now

Dates  Thursday, October 16
Time  9:30-11:15 a.m.

Register Now

Book cover: The Berry Pickers External Link to book in our catalog

The Berry Pickers
by Amanda Peters

Growing up as the only child of affluent and overprotective parents, Norma, troubled by recurring dreams and visions that seem more like memories than imagination, searches for the truth, leading her to the blueberry fields of Maine, where a family secret is finally revealed.
Catalog External Link | Libby External Link

Dates  Tuesday, November 18
Time  9:30-11:15 a.m.

Register Now

Dates  Thursday, November 20
Time  9:30-11:15 a.m.

Register Now

Just Desserts

The only thing sweeter then devouring a good book is sharing it with others. This group meets the fourth Tuesday of each month unless otherwise noted.

Questions? Contact the Readers Services at 847-259-6050 x114

Book cover: The Women External Link to book in our catalog

The Women
by Kristin Hannah

The Women is the story of one woman, who has gone to war, but it’s also about all the women, who put themselves in danger to help others.
Catalog External Link | Libby External Link

Dates  Tuesday, September 23
Time  7:00-8:30 p.m.

Register Now

Book cover: The Women External Link to book in our catalog

The Good Sister
by Sally Hepworth

This story is about the ties that bind sisters Fern and Rose together and what could tear them apart!
Catalog External Link | Libby External Link

Dates Tuesday, November 25
Time  7:00-8:30 p.m.

Register Now

Real To Reel

Nonfiction fans can read the book, watch the movie or both! This group meets quarterly on Saturday of each month unless otherwise noted.

Questions? Contact the Reference Desk at 847-259-6050 x133

Victoria and Abdul

Dates  Saturday, September 27
Time  10:00-11:00 a.m.

Register Now

Book cover: Victoria and Abdul: The True Story of the Queen's Closest Confidant External Link to book in our catalog

Victoria and Abdul: The True Story of the Queen's Closest Confidant
by Shrabani Basu

History's most unlikely friendship--this is the astonishing story of Queen Victoria and her dearest companion, the young Indian Munshi Abdul Karim. In the twilight years of her reign, after the devastating deaths of her two great loves—Prince Albert and John Brown—Queen Victoria meets tall and handsome Abdul Karim, a humble servant from Agra waiting tables at her Golden Jubilee.
Catalog External Link | Libby External Link

Movie cover: Victoria and Abdul External Link to book in our catalog

Victoria and Abdul
(2017, PG, 112 minutes, Focus Features)

The extraordinary true story of an unexpected friendship in the later years of Queen Victoria's remarkable rule. When Abdul Karim, a young clerk, travels from India to participate in the Queen's Golden Jubilee, he is surprised to find favor with the Queen herself.
Catalog External Link

Four Seasons

Join us to discuss nonfiction that reads like fiction. New members are welcome! This group meets quarterly unless otherwise noted.

Questions? Contact the Reference Desk at 847-259-6050 x133

Book cover: In the Sanctuary of Outcasts: A Memoir External Link to book in our catalog

Confederates in the Attic: Dispatches from the Unfinished Civil War
by Tony Horwitz

When prize-winning war correspondent Tony Horwitz leaves the battlefields of Bosnia and the Middle East for a peaceful corner of the Blue Ridge Mountains, he thinks he's put war zones behind him. But awakened one morning by the crackle of musket fire, Horwitz starts filing front-line dispatches again this time from a war close to home, and to his own heart.
Catalog External Link | Libby External Link

Dates  Wednesday, October 22
Time  6:30-7:30 p.m.

Register Now

Reading Tips

There is no wrong way to read a book for book club! But, if you're not sure what to do, here are some optional reading tips to get you started.

  • What's important
    Different authors have different styles, but all authors will focus on at least one of these aspects of writing: style, narrator, character, plot, setting, and/or theme.
  • Make a character list
    If you struggle to keep track of who's who, jot down the name, description, and motivation for each character.
  • Predictions
    At the beginning of each big section write a quick prediction of what will happen and how the characters will react.
  • Gut reactions
    At the end of each big section write down your first response to the plot,  character arcs, and developing themes.
  • Unclear writing
    Keep track of anything that is confusing or under developed, including unclear plot twists, symbolism, and character motivation.
  • Jog your memory
    If you have time, revisit the first and last chapter of the book.

Digital Book Clubs




Host your own book club or join a larger online audience with these digital book clubs. You will need you library card to borrow reading material.

Please Note: Some clubs are not active all year round.

Hoopla: The Club


The Club offers a diverse selection of audiobooks, eBooks and comics perfect for book clubs! These book recommendations are hand-picked specifically for book clubs to enjoy together, without holds or wait lists.

See All Titles External Link

Together We Read


Join libraries and readers across the country for the Together We Read digital book club. After Overdrive announces their next book selection, you have two weeks to borrow the title with no holds and join in the online discussion.

Join the club External Link

Big Library Read


Connect with readers around the world by reading the same eBook at the same time without any wait lists or holds. Read read discussion guides, listen to author interviews, and join in the global discussion.

Join the club External Link

More Movies

Check out a DVD or Blu-ray to play at home. 

Browse movies that have recently been added to the library's collection.

DVDs & Blu-rays External Link

Stream Movies

Stream thousands of movies on your computer, tablet, mobile device or even your TV! Discover movies from a variety of genres like romance, comedy, horror, animated as well as thought-provoking documentaries and indie flicks.

Learn More

Book Club Kits

Anyone with a library card can check out a book club kit for 4 weeks. Each kit contains multiple copies of a popular fiction, nonfiction, or biographical book perfect for your discussion group. These books can be checked out individually or in multiples.

For more information about book club kits contact the Readers Services Desk at 847-259-6050 x111.

Check out our book club kit Collection

New & Featured

  • New Book Club Kits
    • The Collective Regrets of Clover
    • The Berry Pickers
    • James : a novel

On the Shelves

  • Popular Book Club Kits
    • Black Cake
    • Remarkably Bright Creatures
    • The Measure
    • The Midnight Library
    • The Four Winds
    • The Henna Artist
    • Anxious People
    • Cher Ami and Major Whittlesey
    • The Vanishing Half
    • The Water Dancer
    • The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek
    • Educated : A Memoir
    • Where the Crawdads Sing
    • Before We Were Yours
    • News of the World
    • The Women In the Castle
    • Refugee
    • A Gentleman in Moscow
    • Small Great Things
    • The Underground Railroad
    • A Man Called Ove
    • Crazy Rich Asians
    • Dark Places
    • Still Life
    • Lessons in Chemistry

Host a Movie Screening at Home

From movies and tv series to documentaries and indie flicks, you'll never run out of things to watch. Start here to browse our favorite big screen adventures. Plus, we can never get enough of these TV hits.

For more movie recommendations contact the Readers Services Desk at 847-259-6050 x111.

Great Movies to Watch as a Group

Award Winners & Nominees

  • Movies
    • Orson Welles Citizen Kane
    • Raging Bull
    • The Shawshank Redemption
    • Saving Private Ryan
    • Brokeback Mountain
    • The Social Network
    • Boyhood
    • Get Out
    • Titanic
    • West Side Story
    • Moonlight
    • Amadeus
    • The Hurt Locker
    • On the Waterfront
    • No Country For Old Men
    • The Bridge on the River Kwai
    • It Happened One Night
    • One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
    • Gone With the Wind
    • Schindler's List
    • The Silence of the Lambs
    • Casablanca
    • Parasite
    • Spotlight
    • Annie Hall
    • Everything Everywhere All at Once
    • 12 Years a Slave
    • The Artist
    • The King's Speech
    • My Fair Lady

Biggest Blockbusters

  • Movies
    • E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
    • Mad Max. Fury Road
    • Inside Out
    • Finding Nemo
    • The Dark Knight
    • Star Trek
    • Jaws
    • Iron Man
    • Big
    • Airplane
    • Ghostbusters 1 & 2
    • Mission : Impossible
    • Back to the Future
    • Field of Dreams
    • Who Framed Roger Rabbit
    • Babe
    • Raiders of the Lost Ark
    • Guardians of the Galaxy
    • Jurassic Park
    • The Bourne Identity
    • The Fugitive
    • Risky Business
    • District 9
    • Blade Runner
    • Inglourious Bastards
    • The Terminator
    • Men in Black
    • Die Hard
    • The Fly
    • Animal House

Breakout Indie Flicks

  • Movies
    • Eighth Grade
    • Lady Bird
    • Before Sunrise
    • Lost in Translation
    • This Is Spinal Tap
    • Night of the Living Dead
    • Easy Rider
    • Reservoir Dogs
    • Do the Right Thing
    • Donnie Darko
    • Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
    • Beasts of the Southern Wild
    • Little Miss Sunshine
    • Pulp Fiction
    • The Farewell
    • The Witch
    • Carol
    • Whiplash
    • Moonrise Kingdom
    • Drive
    • Blue Valentine
    • The Waitress
    • Mulholland Dr.
    • Napoleon Dynamite
    • Being John Malkovich
    • Dazed and Confused
    • Nightcrawler
    • The Wrestler
    • The Usual Suspects
    • The Blair Witch Project

Family Favorite Films

  • Movies
    • Coco
    • The Mighty Ducks
    • The Neverending Story
    • Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
    • Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
    • The Karate Kid
    • Hook
    • Cheaper by the Dozen
    • A League of their own
    • The Parent Trap
    • Encanto
    • The Sound of Music
    • Home Alone
    • The Sandlot
    • The Goonies
    • Elf
    • Spy Kids
    • The Addams Family
    • Matilda
    • Space Jam
    • Holes
    • The Land Before Time
    • Soul
    • My Girl
    • Hocus Pocus
    • Miracle on 34th Street
    • The School of Rock
    • Mrs. Doubtfire
    • Remember the Titans
    • Annie

Hollywood Classics

  • Movies
    • North by northwest
    • Breakfast at Tiffany's
    • The Great Escape
    • Dr. Strangelove
    • Goldfinger
    • The Jungle Book
    • Cool Hand Luke
    • The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
    • Planet of the Apes
    • Singin' in the Rain
    • The Wizard of Oz
    • Rear Window
    • The Inn of the Sixth Happiness
    • South Pacific
    • Annie Get Your Gun
    • An American in Paris
    • Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
    • The Music Man
    • Sunset Boulevard
    • Guys and Dolls
    • Mary Poppins
    • Kiss Me Kate
    • Sabrina
    • Singin' in the Rain
    • Some Like it Hot
    • Funny Face
    • Lawrence of Arabia
    • Bullitt
    • The Magnificent Seven
    • 2001 a Space Odyssey
    • Peter Pan

Rom-Com Favorites

  • Movies
    • When Harry Met Sally
    • You’ve Got Mail
    • Clueless
    • Bridget Jones’s Diary
    • 10 Things I Hate About You
    • Groundhog Day
    • Love & Basketball
    • Roman Holiday
    • Notting Hill
    • Singin' in the Rain
    • It Happened One Night
    • Coming to America
    • The Princess Bride
    • Broadcast News
    • Sleepless in Seattle
    • My Best Friend’s Wedding
    • His Girl Friday
    • The Wedding Banquet
    • The Shop Around the Corner
    • Moonstruck
    • Four Weddings and a Funeral
    • The Apartment
    • The Big Sick
    • Singin' in the Rain
    • Amélie
    • Much Ado About Nothing
    • Crazy Rich Asians
    • How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
    • Defending Your Life
    • Something’s Gotta Give
    • My Big Fat Greek Wedding

TV Shows

Award Winning TV

  • Movies
    • This Is Us
    • The Crown
    • Seinfeld
    • Breaking Bad
    • Frasier
    • Stranger Things
    • The West Wing
    • The Handmaid's Tale
    • The Sopranos
    • House of Cards
    • Game of Thrones
    • Monk
    • The Wire
    • Six Feet Under
    • Annie

Binge Worthy Shows

  • Movies
    • Sherlock
    • The Great British Baking Show
    • The Golden Girls
    • Father Brown
    • Suits
    • Downton Abbey
    • Monty Python's Flying Circus
    • The Office
    • Schitt$ Creek
    • Firefly
    • VEEP
    • Parks and Recreation
    • Arrested Development
    • Silicon Valley
    • Friends

Everything you need from the Library of Things

Find what you need to host your movie night in the Library of Things collection.

Rokus, Chromecast, & Hotspots

  • Rokus, Chromecast, & Hotspots
    • Franklin T10 mobile hotspot
    • Google Chromecast
    • Roku express green: Paramount+ and Peacock
    • Roku express orange: Netflix and Discovery+
    • Roku express yellow: Disney+, MHz and Hulu
    • Roku express blue: Prime Video, Apple TV, and Max

Movie Screening Equipment

  • Movie Screening Equipment
    • SONY 3D 4k upscaling blu-ray disc/DVD player
    • Bluetooth Speaker
    • Inflatable movie screen with digital projector
    • Laptop or projector tripod stand
    • Portable bluetooth speaker
    • Digital projector