What are the benefits of being in a book club?

Our Research and Evaluation team here at The Reading Agency have looked at data across our programmes and adult reading research, to share the numerous benefits of being a book club.

Findings from the Reading Agency’s nationally representative adult reading survey show that compared to those who are not a book club member, members of book clubs are:

📖 50% more likely to be regular readers
📖 51% more likely to say reading is one of their favourite things
📖 54% more likely to enjoy visiting libraries and bookshops
📖 323% more likely to buy books at least once a month
📖 323% more likely to borrow books from the library at least weekly (despite being no more likely than non-members to be a library member)
📖 168% more likely to read together with family at least weekly
📖 153% more likely to talk about their reading with other people on a weekly basis

Book club members were more likely to feel the benefits of reading than the UK average.
We have also found, being in a book club is linked to enhanced relaxation, calmness, concentration, quality of life, confidence and self-esteem, as well as feelings of shared community and common purpose.  

Book club members are, compared to non-book club members are:
📖 57% more likely to say reading helps them to realise others have gone through similar situations
📖 86% more likely to say reading helps them to feel connected to others
📖 55% more likely to say reading helps them to feel less lonely

Book clubs across the UK shows that book club members read more (77%) and more widely (94%), find reading more enjoyable (91%) and are more confident to try new things (78%).

The Reading Agency has a wide range of resources to support book clubs. The Book Club Hub provides a safe space, community, free books and resources for book clubs, (you may be particularly interested in Reading Friends and Chatterbooks resources).

These findings support and expand on the findings of existing research which has established the positive effects book clubs can have on attitude to reading (Whittingham and Huffman, 2009), social inclusion and feeling of community Walwyn and Rowley, 2011) and wellbeing (Billington and Steenberg, 2021). The benefits also seem to be present even in digital or online groups (Colwell, Woodward, Hutchinson, 2018).

Tell us more about your book club

Throughout the year we would also like to highlight your book clubs, by creating a spotlight article for the website. If you would like to be involved, fill in this form and send to Kimberley at bookclubhub@readingagency.org.uk.

Become a Book Club Rep

The Book Club Hub team will be creating a group of Book Club Hub Reps of leaders of book clubs across the UK. The Book Club Hub Reps will have the chance to:

• Join a WhatsApp Broadcast Group where we will be sharing opportunities from The Reading Agency and publishers for your book clubs
• Join a Book Club Hub Reps meeting in January 2026 where we will be sharing information about our plans for the Book Club Hub and will also give you the opportunity for you to have your say and help shape the offer
• Join a database of information about book clubs who connect with the website so that we can get in touch with you directly for exclusive offers from publishers (your contact information will never be shared without your permission)

Sign up to be a Book Club Hub Rep here.

Find out more

Visit our page to hear more about Book Club Day UK and how you can get involved.

If you are new to the Book Club Hub, make sure you read how you can make the most out of using the site whether you are in a book club, are a librarian or teacher or are looking to start your own.

And that’s it! You’re now part of The Book Club Hub online community! Start sharing reviews, applying for free book sets, and connecting with fellow book clubs.

Share your thoughts with us on Facebook, X and Instagram using #BookClubDayUK.

Keep up with all the latest news by joining our Book Club Hub Bulletin.

Bibliography

Literary Reading and Mental Wellbeing (2021) Billington, J., and Steenberg, M. Chapter in: Handbook of Empirical Literary Studies, edited by Kuiken, D. and Jacobs, A. M.
Out-of-School Reading and Literature Discussion: An Exploration of Adolescents’ Participation in Digital Book Clubs (2018) Colwell, J., Woodward, L., and Hutchinson, A. Online Learning (Vol. 22, Issue 2)
The State of the Nation’s Adult Reading: 2024 Report (2024) The Reading Agency
The value of therapeutic reading groups organized by public libraries (2011) Walwyn, O., and Rowley, J. Library and Information Science Research (Vol. 33, Issue 4)
The effects of book clubs on the reading attitudes of middle school students (2009) Whittingham, J. and Huffman, S. Reading Improvement (Vol. 46, Issue 3)