How it works
VCU Alumni has partnered with Professional Book Club Guru to create a virtual book club for alumni and friends, covering professional development, productivity, leadership and other topics participants are interested in. The book club connects through a private forum where participants can discuss the current book and network with one another. Joining the book club is completely free, you just have to get a copy of the book to enjoy. The group will read one book every two months so you'll have plenty of time for each book.
Our September to November selection:
The Power of Habit:
Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business
by Charles Duhigg
The book is available here.
You’ll be excited to participate in our book club for three main reasons. You can:
1. Connect with fellow alumni: Want another way to connect? Joining our book club will help you learn and grow with fellow alumni to help you improve your network at work.
2. Advance your career: A book club can enhance your career on two fronts. First, the books you read might make you more effective in areas critical to success such as leadership, communication and productivity. Second, the network you build might help you with career advice, introduce you to new people and find your next job.
3. Reading is good for you: Did you know businesspeople who read at least seven business books per year earn over 230 percent more than people who read just one book per year?1 Reading improves your intelligence and reasoning ability and has been linked to reducing the chance of Alzheimer’s.2 Joining our book club gives you the opportunity to read more and enjoy all the benefits that come with it.
The books
Below are a few examples of the kind of books the group might read. We will vote among several options each period and will select a book based on reader interests.
How often will books be read, what is the time commitment and what are the expectations?
The group will start off reading one book every two months. The texts selected will be focused on professional development, productivity and leadership topics and will take an average of nine hours to read cover-to-cover. If you have between one and two hours a week to read, you should be fine.
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 alumni.
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?
A moderator from PBC Guru manages the online forum where discussions occur. The moderator poses questions to the group, shares relevant articles and facilitates conversation about book topics. Members are encouraged to post and share, too. This format allows for ongoing conversation and makes it easy for readers to connect with one another through the forum.
How do I make a forum profile?
A private forum hosts the virtual book club so it’s easy to connect with alumni. During our sign-up process, you 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 VCU Alumni book club?
Professional Book Club Guru is a book club management company that works with businesses, alumni associations and professional societies. VCU has partnered with PBC to put this program in place for alumni. Visit pbc.guru to learn more.
I've already signed up. How do I log in?
If you are already a member, log in here.
What if my question isn't answered?
Feel free to send an email to info@pbc.guru and we'll be happy to help.
1 “Tuesday Morning Coaching,” by David Cottrell, Page 134.
2 Harvard Business Review, 2012, https://hbr.org/2012/08/for-those-who-want-to-lead-rea/