DonateInterested in joining a book group? Arlington has many to choose from! In the weeks leading up to each meeting, copies of the books will be available for checkout at the circulation desk at Robbins. You can also request books through the library catalog.
Find meeting information and our book group guidelines below.
Name: Social Justice Book Group
Meets: 7pm Tuesdays every other month
Leader/contact: Steven Prochet (sprochet@minlib.net or 781-316-3218)
Group statement: We read non-fiction books focused on current events related to social justice. We meet every other month.
Upcoming meetings: Just Mercy: a story of justice and redemption by Bryan Stevenson, November 19.
Name: Guys Book Group
Meets: 7:30pm the second Thursday of each month
Leader/contact: Bob Schueler (schuelerbob@gmail.com)
Group statement: We read a mix of fiction and nonfiction. All are welcome.
Upcoming meetings: Afterlives by Abdulrazak Gurnah, October 10; A Spy Among Friends by Ben Mcintyre, November 14
Name: Robbins Library Book Discussion Group
Meets: 7pm the first Monday of each month
Leader/contact: Therese Henderson (tzhenderson8@gmail.com)
Group statement: The longest-running of all of these book groups, this one has been meeting since January 1994. Members may recommend up to four titles per year, and the facilitator determines the final selections. This group reads a blend of fiction and nonfiction with a variety of themes. See their website for more info.
Upcoming meetings: The Other Americans by Laila Lalami, October 7; Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson, November 4
Name: Queer Book Group (QBG)
Meets: Wednesday evenings at 7:00 pm, every other month, on the last Wednesday.
Leader/contact: Julia Starkey (jstarkey@minlib.net)
Group statement: Read some great LGBTQ-themed books (fiction and non-fiction), make some new friends, and expand your community!
Upcoming meetings: Peaces by Helen Oyeyemi, November 20
Name: Cookbook Club
Meets: Mondays 6:30-8pm
Leader/contact: Linda Dyndiuk (ldyndiuk@minlib.net)
Group statement: Each meeting, every participant will prepare a different recipe from the same book (copies of the book for each meeting can be checked out at the circulation desk), and we’ll all discuss while we taste! This group is open to all, but registration is limited. You must register to attend. See the Cookbook Club page for more information.
Upcoming meetings: Jacques Pepin Quick & Simple, November 4
Name: Science Book Club
Meets: Thursday evenings at 7:00 PM every other month.
Leader/Contact: robbinssciencebookclub@gmail.com
Group Statement: Dedicated to reading and discussing books about science and the many different disciplines and topics it encompasses. Join us every other month to make friends and acquire new knowledge! Our website is here.
Upcoming meetings: The Rise and Reign of the Mammals by Steve Brusatte, October 3; The Weather Machine by Andrew Blum, December 5
Name: Speculative Fiction Book Group
Meets: Monday evenings at 7:00 PM every other month.
Leader/Contact: Verónica (vrodriguez@minlib.net, 781-316-3220)
Group Statement: Join us to discuss science fiction, fantasy, and alternate reality books! We meet every other month, so mark your calendars!
Upcoming meetings: The Memory Police by Yōko Ogawa, October 21
Name: The Alibi True Crime Book Group
Meets: Monday evenings at 7:00 PM / Quarterly
Leader/Contact: Verónica (vrodriguez@minlib.net, 781-316-3220)
Group Statement: Join our quarterly true crime book group!
Upcoming meetings: Helltown : the untold story of a serial killer on Cape Cod by Casey Sherman, October 28
Name: Verses Book Group
Meets: Wednesdays 3-4 at the Robbins Beehive Table
Leader/Contact: Jean Flanagan jean.poetlaureatearlington@gmail.com
Group Statement: Join Arlington’s Poet Laureate, Jean Flanagan, as she leads this poetry book group at the Robbins Beehive Table. Adults and teens are welcome!
Upcoming meetings: Selected Poems by Robert Pinsky, October 10
Book Group Guidelines
We created the following guidelines in order to conduct successful book group meetings while at the same time fostering a welcoming environment for all participants. In the event that a group member fails to follow these, the group moderator has permission to arrange a meeting with the individual and/or work with the Library Director to remove attendance privileges temporarily or permanently.
The guidelines adhere to library policies, specifically the patron conduct policy.
- This is a book group – we can have fun!
- If you didn’t finish the book, that’s ok!
- Please listen to everybody’s comments.
- Be respectful, especially when listening to or offering a different opinion.
- Everyone will get a chance to speak.
- Not everyone will like all the book choices and that’s ok!
- Stay on topic.
- Allow others to share their input by not monopolizing the conversation.
- Refrain from making comments that are overtly judgmental of any one group based on race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, gender, etc.
- Inappropriate behavior and/or language will not be tolerated.