How It Works

This online book club is an opportunity to connect talent and development professionals by reading relevant books together. The group is a partnership between dozens of ATD Chapters and other L&D organizations. The book club will connect through a private online forum where all participants can discuss the current book and network with each other. The online forum is active 24/7 so people can join the conversation from anywhere in the world and at whatever time is convenient for them. Joining is completely free, you just have to get a copy of the book to enjoy. The group will read a new book every two to three months so that you'll have plenty of time for each book.

Our May to July Selection:

Cover image for current book

The Conscious Workplace:

Fortify Your Culture to Thrive in Any Crisis

by Shaara Roman (MBA'02)

Meet Your Moderator:
Zach Rubin


Zach Rubin is a member of the ATD Metro DC Chapter and the CEO of Professional Book Club Guru. He has been managing the ATD Metro DC Online Book Club for more than two years and is excited to expand the program to connect L&D professionals across the country. Zach is a sought-after expert in creating online book clubs for professional development programs. His company, PBC Guru, manages hundreds of online book club programs for companies, professional societies and alumni associations. Zach lives in Silver Spring Maryland with his wife Jess and, when he isn't reading, he enjoys skiing, hiking, biking and eating spicy foods. You can reach Zach by email at zach@pbc.guru.


Program Partners

This program is in partnership with dozens of talent and development organizations around the country including:

ATD Austin Chapter

ATD Big Sky Chapter

ATD Birmingham Chapter

ATD Buffalo Niagara Chapter

ATD Cascadia Chapter

ATD Central Indiana Chapter

ATD Central Iowa Chapter

ATD Central Massachusetts Chapter

ATD Central Ohio Chapter

ATD Charlotte Area Chapter

ATD Chattanooga Area Chapter

ATD Cuyahoga Valley Chapter

ATD Detroit Chapter

ATD Eastern Pennsylvania Chapter

ATD Florida Suncoast Chapter

ATD Golden Gate Chapter

ATD Greater Boston Chapter

ATD Greater Cincinnati Chapter

ATD Greater Las Vegas Chapter

ATD Los Angeles Chapter

ATD Greater Philadelphia Chapter

ATD Greater Richmond Chapter

ATD Greater Twin Cities Chapter

ATD Hawkeye Chapter

ATD Heart of Central Illinois Chapter

ATD Houston Chapter

ATD Capital Region Chapter

ATD Kansas City Chapter

ATD Lincoln Chapter

ATD Long Island Chapter

ATD Maine Chapter

ATD Metro DC Chapter

ATD Mid-New Jersey Chapter

ATD Nebraska Chapter

ATD New Orleans Area Chapter

ATD New York City Chapter

ATD North Dakota Chapter

ATD Northern New Jersey Chapter

ATD Northern Rockies Chapter

ATD Northwest Louisiana

ATD Pikes Peak Chapter

ATD Puget Sound Chapter

ATD Rocky Mountain Chapter

ATD Sacramento Chapter

ATD Saint Louis Chapter

ATD San Antonio Chapter

ATD San Diego Chapter

ATD South Carolina Midlands Chapter

ATD Southeastern Wisconsin Chapter

ATD Southern Connecticut Chapter

ATD Southwest Florida Chapter

ATD Treasure Valley Chapter

ATD Tulsa Chapter

ATD Utah Chapter

ATD Valley of the Sun Chapter

ATD Valleys Of Virginia Chapter

ATD West Virginia Chapter

L&D Professionals of Greater Philadelphia

The Books

Below are a few examples of the kind of books the group may read. We will vote between several options each period and select a book based on reader interests.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How often will books be read, what is the time commitment and what are the expectations?

The group will read a book every two to three months depending on the length of the book. The books selected will relate to L&D topics such as organizational development, business, leadership, facilitation and much more. We'll ask for feedback from participants about the kind of books they want to read to make sure titles are relevant. Books should take 6 to 9 hours to read fully. We hope everyone will be able to read each book and participate in the discussion but understand that not everyone will be able to engage actively for every book.

Can anyone join the book club?

Anyone interested in L&D can join the group and participate. You do not need to be a member of one of the program partner organizations to join so feel free to share the group with friends and colleagues!

Will there be any in-person meetings of the book club?

No, the book club will be entirely online. 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 all!

How do I get the books?

Participants can get books for free at their local library or purchase them.

How do book club discussions work?

The book club will be moderated by Zach Rubin from PBC Guru who will manage the forum where discussions occur online. The moderator will pose questions to the group, share relevant articles and facilitate conversation about topics in the book. Members will be encouraged to post and share as well.

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 professionals. 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 your organization 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 to put this program in place for L&D professionals. 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 our group moderator, Zach Rubin, at zach@pbc.guru and he'll be happy to help.