Interview with Kevin Ryan, VP Barnes &Noble

It seems a natural progression for book clubs to advance alongside evolving technology. In fact online book clubs are making it easier and more convenient for readers to participate in reading groups from the comfort of their own homes. In addition to this benefit, online book clubs also offer a wide range of genre-focused and specialty reading groups for those looking to expand the scope of their reading.

Suite101 was recently granted an exclusive interview with Barnes & Noble.com's VP of content development, Kevin Ryan, who shared his thoughts on the future of book clubs, specifically online-based ones.

Q. Can you give readers a brief overview of how an online book club works?

"The Barnes & Noble Book Clubs are online discussion forums where readers and writers gather to discuss books and literary topics. The always-open format allows readers to participate at their leisure in serious conversations on any number of books with any number of authors. We have clubs that are focused on single titles, on specific genres, and on scheduled author appearances.

"Some of our book clubs take a very methodical approach to a book, reading and discussing chapters on a schedule, but others are more organic in nature, following the natural flow of the conversation. We've found that different groups of readers want different kinds of structure, and the flexibility of our platform lets us cater to those needs."

Q. What are some benefits of online book clubs?

"Our participants are a committed community of readers -- people who take books seriously, who study every word, and who make associations between books and their own lives. Through our clubs, you can meet readers with vastly different backgrounds from widely disparate locations, and yet have a shared reading experience that both enhance the text and the understanding of our lives."

Q. Do you think that providing readers with an online book club format encourages them to read a more diverse selection of books?

"The breadth of our offer allows people to find a board and a community they're comfortable with. But it’s the connections they make here that inspire them to try new things.

"One of the great things about the book club experience is that it introduces you to books you might otherwise have missed. That sometimes occurs because we've decided to feature a book, but it also happens when members of the community make related (and sometimes unrelated) recommendations of their own.

"Participants in our community of readers have diverse interests, and they show up in some surprising and seemingly unconnected conversations. But they tend to bring their friends with them, and that is what draws them out of their literary comfort zones."

Q. Where do you see book clubs headed in the future?

"Book discussions of all sorts will continue to grow as readers find it easier to stay connected throughout the day. Our clubs will become more integrated with our site, and our customers will drive our growth by participating in our discussions, being passionate about their recommendations, and sharing their experience on- and off-line."

For more information about Barnes & Noble.com's online book clubs, readers can visit their website.

Online book clubs offer convenience for readers

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