Pop Culture Picks: Starting a Book to Movie Club

Do you have patrons who still wonder what the big deal with Harry Potter is? How about people who don’t know that the character Forrest Gump has been the star of a book and a movie? A book to movie club for those who missed out on reading or watching a much buzzed about character is a novel idea that will keep patrons reading while temperatures rise.

Held as an event every few months, the idea is similar to a book club but with less meetings and an added movie element. After you announce your chosen book and patrons are busy reading this title, plan an event to watch the matching movie and discuss the book, film and the cultural significance of both. A unique feature of this program is that you can mix up your picks to attract different groups with each book selection, like attracting teens one session by featuring Twilight and attracting horror fans the next session with Silence of the Lambs.

If this sounds like something you’d like to try, here’s information on how to get started and some suggestions on a few of our favorite popular book to movie titles.

First, come up with your titles. Gather a list of books that have three things: a huge following, lots of copies in the library system and a big box-office movie adaptation. You might want to consider keeping your selected books to around 400 pages since longer titles might discourage busy participants. If you’re choosing a book that’s part of a series, remember to select the first book so everyone can start at the beginning of the story.

Next, make sure your movie is covered. After you’ve picked your book, make sure the corresponding film is covered under your Movie Licensing USA annual license. Don’t be afraid if the movie version varies quite a bit from the original story – it makes for a lively discussion at your movie night!

Finally, start your series! Spread the word about your book to movie series through your library’s website, social media, in person and throughout your library. Let everyone know when the end-of-the-session movie night will be, and if you want to add in a food element, what the potluck snack theme will be.