BLAIR, NEBRASKA (2024 December 14, Saturday)
Don Harrold, Writer / Editor
blairtoday@mail.com – Facebook
In an era when Americans increasingly seek meaningful in-person connections, Misty Duncan’s new Blair book club arrives at a perfect moment. Book club event listings increased 24% across the United States in 2023, according to CNN, reflecting a growing desire for community-based reading groups.
“I just moved to town a couple months ago and wanted to find a way to meet and connect with people,” Duncan says. “I love reading, so I thought it would be a good avenue to meet new people. My hope is to help connect people with similar interests.”
Duncan’s inclusive approach reflects modern book club trends. “I would love to include a wide variety of reading genres so that everyone has the opportunity to join in (even if it’s not every month),” she says. This aligns with the Blair Public Library and Technology Center’s extensive collection of book club kits, which spans contemporary bestsellers like “The Midnight Library” to historical works like “Carnegie’s Maid,” providing rich resources for diverse reading selections.
The group employs an innovative selection method: “For our first book I just selected one based on online reviews of ‘a good book for club’ – moving forward we are having a randomizer select the book! Everyone can make suggestions and those will be put into the randomizer.” The next selection is imminent: “We will actually be having the randomizer select our next book tomorrow (Dec. 14th) – there will be a post on the Facebook page.”
The club’s first meeting embodied the welcoming atmosphere Duncan envisions. “Our first meeting was in my home, we had snacks and some fun book-themed goodies. We chatted about the book, got to know each other & had some general life conversations as well,” she says. To maximize participation, “Meetings will be held on different days of the week to accommodate more people & will be held at a variety of places in town.”
While membership remains open, the group has naturally evolved into a women’s gathering. “There are no requirements, members so far have all been ladies – that wasn’t my intention, but having it be a ladies group may be the way it sticks,” Duncan notes. This development mirrors national trends – BookBrowse research reported by Shondaland shows that 88 percent of private book clubs consist entirely of women.
Accessibility remains central to Duncan’s vision. “There is no fee, we have a Facebook group called ‘Book Club-Blair, NE’ anyone can join and see what’s going on through the posts!” This approach adds to the metro area’s robust reading community, where The Bookworm bookstore supports over 100 active book clubs with 1,200 members, demonstrating strong regional interest in shared reading experiences.
Duncan plans to expand beyond traditional book discussions, reflecting how modern clubs increasingly serve as community hubs. “We are going to have game nights, craft nights, etc. as a way to get together between book meet-ups,” she says. Her community-building aspirations extend further: “I would love to be able to help others get started with hosting book clubs!”
For those considering joining, Duncan’s message is welcoming: “Definitely just come and check it out! If you don’t have a good time there’s no obligation to continue…but my bet is that you’ll have a good time!”
As positive.news reported in July 2024, the surge in reading groups represents a broader movement toward authentic community connections in an increasingly digital world. Duncan’s club exemplifies this trend, while adding a distinctly local character to Blair’s literary landscape.
