There are plenty of reasons to join a book club

It's hard to find statistics on book clubs, but anectdotal evidence suggests that book clubs in all forms are experiencing a surge in popularity.

You can join a book club at any local public library. If the group's schedule doesn't mesh with yours, you could join a group of friends to discuss the latest best-sellers.

If you're even more pressed for time, you can start an informal "club" and swap thoughts and new book suggestions on Goodreads.com.

"I think people are still interested in reading and discussing books," said Diane Danielson, the librarian at Palmerton Area Public Library. "When you enjoy reading a book, you feel compelled to tell people about it."

She noted that Palmerton has a robust book club, the Third Monday of the Month Book Club, which meets at noon at the aforementioned date from fall through spring.

The club was started nine years ago with a half-dozen members and continues to be organized by volunteers. They now have about 15 members.

A different club member picks the book each month and is responsible for leading the discussion.

"I'm quite impressed," she said. "People seemed to really pick up on the idea. Fifteen is a lot of people for a discussion."

She noted that book clubs are helpful if you're looking to expand your horizons or explore new authors or genres.

"When you're looking for something to read, you often pick the same authors or types of books. People get stuck in a rut," said Danielson. "In a book club, maybe you'll read a book that you might not otherwise choose to read."

She noted that reading a book you might not love is never a waste of time, and you'll likely find value in these books after discussing them with others.

The Palmerton library's book club features a mix of men and women of all ages the perfect combination for lively discussion.

"It's interesting to get a different viewpoint. Some love the book, some hate it, and it helps to see different perspectives," she added.

"People want to learn something new. They don't want to feel stagnant."

Karen Gieger, a member of the Lehighton Area Memorial Library, first became interested in book clubs two years ago. There wasn't a club at the Lehighton library, so she asked permission from librarian Becky Wanamaker to organize one.

They started with just four members, and have since grown to more than a dozen women through word-of-mouth.

"We all love to read, and we all love to discuss books," she said.

The group has a strong preference for mysteries but also asks Wanamaker for recommendations in different genres to keep things interesting.

"We really find it enjoyable," she added, noting that some may hate a book that others love but all have strong feelings.

"Sometimes things get quite heated. We can laugh at ourselves," she said. "We keep coming back because the camaraderie is so good."