Reading Groups
We offer a special membership category for reading groups which offers:
- Free requests for the books your group is reading – up to 12 sets a year, subject to availability*
- Extended loans for the books your group borrows, with no overdue charges
- A quarterly list of books available in multiple copies, to help you choose suitable titles
- News about forthcoming reading group and author events
There is £25 annual subscription for this service shared between the members of the group.
How we can help
Your local library can help you access the titles your group wants and provide advice to help you choose.
Each reading group needs a contact person responsible for registering the group with the library. The contact person needs to keep the library card and re-quest, borrow and return the books.
There are currently 13 groups supported by Settle Community Library, and over 200 groups across the county so we cannot guarantee that your first choice of title will be immediately available. Please note that there may be a delay in providing the newly published and popular titles.
Finding books to read
Reading groups are now able to request their own titles online using the library catalogue and your Reading Group library card. Requesting your own books will allow you to be more responsive to recommendations from your group. Log on to your library account here.
Alternative formats
Titles may be available in large print or on audio CD for people who find conventional books difficult to read. E-books and digital audiobooks are also free to borrow from our Digital Library: www.northyorks.gov.uk/digital-library These can be requested in the normal way – the library catalogue shows the format of each title.
Starting a reading group
If you want to set up your own group you can advertise in the library, on social media or via the press. There is a useful guide to setting up a group on the Reading Agency’s website: https://readinggroups.org/resources/2270
