Explore a diverse range of book clubs at the library, catering to all ages and interests. Whether you're into contemporary reads, adventurous picks, or mysteries, we have something for you. For your personal book club, we also offer book club kits for checkout.
A limited number of physical books for library book clubs are available for pickup one month prior to the discussion. These books are provided by the Friends of the Bettendorf Public Library. A breif overview of each book club is provided below. Please view our events calendar to learn more about each club and to view upcoming book titles.
Enjoy friendly discussions of contemporary (and, occasionally, classic) fiction and nonfiction at this book club. Recent selections have included The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson and Distant Sons by Tim Johnston. This book club is for adults and meets the third Wednesday of each month. An afternoon and an evening session are available September-May, and one evening session featuring short stories is available in June, July, and August.
Cooking the Books is a cookbook club that explores a new theme or ingredient each meeting while diving into recipes from the library’s cookbook collection. Participants browse the library's collection to find a recipe that matches the theme, make the dish and bring it to our meeting, and sample everyone's creations while discussing culinary tips, tricks, and inspiration. This book club is for adults and meets quarterly on Monday nights. Registration is required.
Open to ages 10-18, First Chapter Book Club provides an opportunity to explore audiobooks. Listen to the first chapter of a book as a group after school to see if the choosen title is a good fit for you. We'll alternate between young adult and middle grade titles each month on a selected Thursday.
Get Lit is a book discussion group for adventurous souls who would like to read a little something different. Recent selections have included On Animals by Susan Orlean and When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill. This group meets outside the library at Adventurous Brewing (1040 State St, Bettendorf), a 21 and older establishment, the second Tuesday evening of each month year-round.
Homeschooled children ages 9-12 are invited to join a librarian-led discussion of a graphic novel the second Monday of every other month. We’ll also do a craft. Registration is required.
Kids Book Club alternates each month between a beginning chapter book for ages 6-9 and a graphic novel for ages 9-12. Meetings are held on a Saturday afternoon. Registration is required.
Mystery lovers will feel right at home at this book club! Recent selections have included Die Around Sundown by Mark Pryor and Pale Blue Eye by Louis Bayard. This book club is for adults and is held the second Saturday of the month September-May.
Explore diverse perspectives with books carefully chosen to get you thinking, feeling, and talking across generations. Recent selections have included Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller and All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson. This book club is for teens and adults ages 13 and older and meets quarterly on Saturdays.
Find your next book club read with our Discussions in Boxes (DIBs)! DIBs kits contain a selection of challenging and entertaining discussion books, each with a discussion guide that includes reviews and author information. Kits contain 8-12 copies of the selected book and check out for 6 weeks. Recent additions have included Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt and The House of Eve by Sadeqa Johnson.
