If you’ve never participated in a book club, you’re really missing out! Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh is proud to offer an extensive array of book clubs to our community. In libraries throughout the city, you can find vibrant clusters of readers getting together to chat about books.
The benefits of attending a book club are not just limited to finding new titles: book club participation promotes new friendships, strong communities, and supports lifelong learning. Not only will you explore a book in more depth than while reading solo, but you’ll also have an opportunity to share stories with neighbors with diverse experiences while developing new habits. Lastly, book discussions provide the opportunity to build public speaking confidence and self expression in a small and informal group setting.
Book clubs are facilitated by library staff members, and some groups feature a guest facilitator in addition. Many libraries reserve copies of the books for you to pick up and have reserved through the month. If you’re starting your own book club, the library offers resources to support your discussions – find out more.
We’ve listed an almost endless amount of book clubs happening here at the library below. From cookbooks to science fiction to art history, the library has a book discussion for just about everyone! Stop into your local library to find out more, or search our online events calendar using the category “Book Discussions.”
Cookbooks and Refreshments
Books on Tap
Meets the third Wednesdays of the month at 6pm at Allegheny City Brewing. Pick up your book at CLP-Allegheny in advance, and then meet us at Allegheny City Brewing (507 Foreland St., Pittsburgh, PA 15212) for a casual, social, no-pressure book club.
Cook Book Club
Meets the fourth Saturday of the month at 1pm at CLP-West End. Food lovers in the community will meet to share stories and cultures and explore new recipes. Come ready to sample a variety of dishes from the book, and stop into the library to pick up a copy of the book if you are interested in making a recipe. In July we will be choosing recipes from Lauren Toyota’s Vegan Comfort Classics.
Dish! A Cookbook Club with the Library
Meets the second Wednesdays of the month at 6:30pm; location varies. Foodies unite at various CLP locations and out in the community to talk cookbooks, share stories and cultures, and explore all things culinary. Come ready to discuss the recipes you tried and sample a dish prepared by staff. Participating locations include Main, Squirrel Hill, Woods Run, and Knoxville. July’s group will meet at CLP-Squirrel Hill to enjoy Zahav: A World of Israeli Cooking by Michael Solomonov.
East Grounds Book Club
Meets the fourth Thursday of the month at 6:30pm at CLP-East Liberty. Join us for a monthly book discussion featuring contemporary topics and a diverse range of characters. Share perspectives with local book lovers over refreshments from Zeke’s Coffee while exploring a mix of new fiction and nonfiction reading material.
Graphic Novels, Comics
Graphic Novel Book Club
Meets the third Thursday of the month at 6:30 at CLP-Woods Run. Join us once a month to discuss graphic novels and comics, whether you are new to the format or a lifelong fan!
Panel Patter
Meets the fourth Thursday of the month at 6pm at CLP-East Liberty. Join us for a lively session dedicated to the comics selection of the month. Explore the comics medium through discussion and physical creation, in partnership with the Pittsburgh Comics Salon!
Genres/Themes
Black Holes, Beakers, and Books: A Popular Science Book Discussion Group
Meets every other month on the fourth Sunday at 3:30 PM at CLP-Main. Join us to read and discuss popular science books published within the last five years. In July we will be reading The Glass Universe: How the Ladies of the Harvard Observatory Took Measure of the Stars by Dava Sobel.
Curious Selections Book Discussion
Meets the fourth Tuesday of the month at 6pm at CLP-Brookline. Unconventional fiction, nonfiction, and graphic novels. July’s selection is Revolution for Dummies: Laughing Through the Arab Spring by Bassem Youssef.
Genre Book Club
Meets the third Wednesday of the month at 6:30pm at CLP-Squirrel Hill. Step out of your reading comfort zone and join us to discuss a book in a different genre each month. Ask a librarian for this month’s selection.
LitAnalysis: Reading Fiction with Freud
Meets the third Saturday of the month, March through June, at 2:00 PM at CLP-Main. Discuss contemporary fiction with insight from professional psychoanalysts.
Light Literary Lunch Club: A Short Story Discussion Group
Meets the first Wednesday of the month at Noon at CLP-Downtown. July’s selection is George Singleton’s “Hex Keys.”
Migrations: A Black History Book Club
Meets the fourth Monday of the month at 6:30pm in neighborhood locations, led by a librarian and a different community leader each month. This discussion focuses on fiction and non-fiction of the Black experience. Contact East Liberty for more info.
Mysterious Reads
Meets the third Saturday of the month at CLP-Carrick at 10am. If you enjoy mystery and good conversation this is the group for you! Join us as we read all types of mysteries and have great discussions. Stop in or call us for more information or to see what we are reading this month. Everyone is welcome.
Rainbow Reading Group: An LGBTQIA+ Book Discussion Group
Meets the fourth Thursday of the month at CLP-Main at 6:30pm. This group meets monthly from January through October. July’s book selection is Sugar Run by Mesha Maren.
Red Herring Book Club
Meets the third Friday of the month at 1pm at CLP-Main. Lively discussions of your favorite mystery novels. This book group meets monthly from March through November. The theme for March through July 2019 is Historical Mysteries. July’s book selection is A Rising Man by Abir Mukherjee.
SPACE: The Final Frontier Book Club
Meets the fourth Wednesday of the month at 6pm at CLP-Carrick. Join us for coffee and cookies. Simply ask a librarian for a copy of each month’s title! Come all summer or just one month. July’s selection is 2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke.
World Languages
Círculo de Lectores: Historical Memory Through Art
Meets the second Monday of the month at 12pm at CLP-Downtown & Business. In July, we will consider historical memory through the lens of art reflecting public history with the help of our Spanish Book Club participants and their research. Please contact us at 412-281-7141 to link to the material for discussion.
Let’s Read English: An ESL Book Discussion Group
Meets the second Thursday of the month at 4:30 at CLP-Main Library. In July we will read Ladies No. 1 Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith.
Audiobooks/LBPH
Talking Books at Downtown and Business
Meets the third Saturday of the month at 10:30am at CLP-Downtown & Business. July 20’s selection is Gettysburg: The Last Invasion (DB 77018) By Allen C. Guelzo.
Talking Books @ LBPH
Meets the third Thursday of the month at 1pm at Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. Contact LBPH for more information.
General/Fiction
Between the Lines Book Discussion
Meets the third Monday of the month at 6pm at CLP-Brookline. Join us for engaging conversations about contemporary and classic fiction and nonfiction.
Book Club
Meets the first Tuesday of the month at 11:30am at CLP-Woods Run. Join us for lively discussions of contemporary fiction, non-fiction and other notable books!
Book Club: Chapter Chat
Meets the fourth Saturday at 1pm at CLP-Beechview.
Book Club: Books on Broadway
Meets the fourth Thursday of the month at 1pm at CLP-Brookline.
Book Ends
Meets the second Thursday of the month at 11am at CLP-West End. In July we will be discussing The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin.
A Novel Bunch Book Club
Meets the first Monday of every month at 1pm at CLP-Sheraden. Engaging discussions about contemporary and classic fiction. In July they will discuss Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card.
Page Turners
Meets the third Thursday of the month at 1pm and again at 6:30pm at CLP-Main. Lively discussions of contemporary fiction, non-fiction and other notable books. July’s book selection is Milkman by Anna Burns.
Smithfield Critics Book Discussion Group
Meets the 3rd Wednesday of the month at 12pm at CLP-Downtown. July’s selection is Heartland: A Memoir of Working Hard and Being Broke in the Richest Country on Earth by Sarah Smarsh.
Tuesday Evening Book Club
Meets the first Tuesday of the month at 6pm at CLP-Carrick. Contact CLP-Carrick (412.882.3897) for more information.