Disrupting Book Selection

After 8 years together, it’s time for a change.  We have had our fair share of changes over the years: meeting locations moved from Borders (RIP), to Peet’s coffee (1 month), 5 Guys (1 month), Pete’s Brass Rail and Car Wash (4 months), Shadazee (RIP), and for the past 3 years, Slow Hand BBQ (fantastic beer selection!).  We've had members join for a few months and members stay for years.

Now its time for a functional revamp.  8 years with the same method of monthly book selections and it has served us well; one member each month brings a list of 3 book options for the following month, we all cast our vote.  Easy and straightforward. 

Yet over the years, we have had our complaints with the system.  The most common being that as the Club grew in size, each person’s chance to contribute a book selection decreased.  With 10 members, each person generally gets one selection month each year.  We sometimes discuss adding new members, but the book selection problem has been one of our barriers.

Then one day, Bryan had an epiphany: let’s change the system.

Proposed at the October 2015 meeting, the members in attendance welcomed the idea and added their own twists. 

So, beginning January 6, 2015, the Pleasant Hill Book Club will be selecting the monthly book according to the following rules*

• Any member is welcome to bring one book choice for the month;
• 2 Members vote on the book choices that have been brought; if there are more than 3 books to choose from, there will be an elimination round where members vote for their top 2 choices, and from those votes, the 3 books with the most votes advance to the final round;
• Once a member’s book is selected for the month, they cannot bring another option for the next 6 months (in order to give others’ an opportunity to be selected).
• 4 If no member brings a book choice for the month, the Club has to read the “Consolation Book” to be mutually selected in January by the Members, but will be selected with the intention of being a deterrent against slacking on book choices (e.g., the Daniel X sequel or the Other Coming Clean).

*These rules may be changed at any time upon majority nod by the members of the PHBC