How often will books be read, what is the time commitment and what are the expectations?
We read a book every two-three months. The texts selected will be fiction and nonfiction works that explore different parts of the world. They take an average of six hours to read cover to cover, making them accessible to anyone who has between 15 and 30 minutes a week to read. There are no strict expectations on members for this virtual community; if you are particularly busy with work, family, or other obligations and can't read one of the books that's okay. If you can only read part of a book and contribute a little to the online discussion then that's okay too. The goal of this program is to connect Penn alumni together through reading, so participate as much as makes sense for you.
Will there be any in-person meetings of the book club?
No, the book club will be entirely online and asynchronous. You can participate anywhere you have internet access and on days and times that are convenient to you.
Is there any cost to participate?
Participation is free for Penn alumni and friends! You are responsible only for obtaining a copy of the book.
How do I get the books?
Participants can get books for free at their local library or purchase them at the bookseller of their choosing.
How do book club discussions work?
The book club will have a moderator from PBC Guru who manages the forum where discussions occur online. The moderator will pose questions to the book club, share relevant articles, and facilitate conversation about topics in the book. Members will be encouraged to post and share as well. This format allows for ongoing conversation and makes it easy for readers to connect with each other through the forum.
How do I make a forum profile?
We're using a private forum to host the virtual book club so it's easy to connect with fellow alumni. During our sign-up process, you will enter the information to auto-generate your free profile. After you complete the sign-up, we'll send you a link to the forum and you can begin to post right away!
What exactly is PBC Guru and what do they have to do with the book club?
Professional Book Club (PBC) Guru is a book club management company that works with businesses, alumni associations and professional societies. We are teaming up with PBC Guru to create and facilitate this program. You can check out their website at www.pbc.guru if you want to see more of what they do.
I've already signed up. How do I log in?
If you are already a member, you can click here to log in.
What if my question isn't answered?
Feel free to send an email to info@pbc.guru and we will be happy to help.
