Article by Nicole Gulotta, Former Assistant Manager of the Hilton Humanitarian Prize
Shortly after joining the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, I started an office book club. Since the club’s inception in early 2009, I’ve learned a few things, so if you’re thinking of starting your own office book club, here are a few tips to keep in mind.
Shortly after joining the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, I started an office book club. Being relatively new to the philanthropic sector, I wanted to know more about humanitarian efforts around the world, and was delighted to discover such a strong interest among staff. Since the club’s inception in early 2009, I’ve learned a few things, so if you’re thinking of starting your own office book club, here are a few tips to keep in mind.
Set ground rules and expectations. From the beginning, our club was designed as a way to deepen our knowledge of the humanitarian field, not to read the latest New York Times bestseller or vampire series. We read mostly nonfiction selections profiling NGOs, covering historical events like famines, disasters, or global conflicts, and books discussing the role of philanthropy and its purpose in society. We have no formal rules regarding attendance or participation. I order a few books for staff at the Foundation’s expense and anyone who wants a copy can pick one up; there’s no penalty for not attending the next meeting. This flexibility keeps the club accessible and informal, while encouraging my colleagues to read the books even if they can’t attend.
Time it right. We meet during the lunch hour for a “brown bag” discussion every two months. Once a month would be too frequent for our busy staff, and quarterly would leave too much time between finishing a book and the discussion.
Make use of resources. Our staff is comprised of experts in various fields including homelessness, disaster relief, water, and more. When book selections coincide with our program areas, I invite the program officers to attend to share a bit about our grantmaking efforts in this area and answer questions about the sector. This is a great way for everyone to learn more about our various initiatives and for cross-departmental engagement. Attendees include staff at all levels, from administrative assistants to vice presidents.
Keep it casual. I usually open each meeting with a few comments to start the conversation, but it naturally spreads from there. Sometimes I prepare a question or two, but the informality of the discussion makes everyone feel comfortable enough to share any reactions they had while reading. The intensity of the conversation varies depending on the book’s content. As grantmakers, sometimes our first instinct is to try and find a solution, or delve into the issue from a programmatic perspective, especially if the book relates to one of our program areas. Other times, we act as observers, witnessing a story unfold and accepting the challenges facing our world today.
Keep things exciting. Try to vary book selections. For example, I avoid reading books about the same region in the world back to back, and vary the topics. One cycle we read about a boy creating wind turbines for his village in Africa, and another we learned about life in North Korea. To add an interactive component, look for media related to the books. If the author has a short interview, or a book preview is on YouTube, I show this at the end of each meeting to give staff a taste of what’s to come.
Stay organized. I recommend taking an occasional poll to see which books were favorites and which fell short. Also, keep a running list of potential books so you’ll be ahead of the game when it comes time to choose the next selection. (Creating an exclusive wish list on Amazon helps with this!)
If you’d like to take a cue from our library, here are a few of the past selections our staff enjoyed: