Distinctly Montana Magazine

W W W. D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA N A . C O M 51 is a member of the DaysAtDunrovin cyber community and a research librarian from Princeton, New Jersey. She is a great lover of books and the ideal on-line host. During the month leading up to the final discussion, Diane hosts two different "chat" sessions about the book. Internet "chatting" allows for immediate communica- tion: "chatters" type their comments and questions which immediately appear on everyone's computers, for others to see and respond. Diane does background research on each book and comes to chat sessions armed with points to "seed" the discussions. She carefully takes notes and summarizes them into a discussion guide that she sends to Judy. At the end of the month, we broadcast a live web book club session. Direct participants include Judy, Diane, the book's author or a guest with a special relationship to the book, and me. Participants come to Dunrovin to be seen and heard via our web cameras or they join us electronically via Google Hangouts. Judy starts the conversation with Diane's discussion guide. Internet club members participate via Diane. During the session, Diane monitors the Internet chat and relays questions and comments, thus bringing "chatters" fully into the proceedings. All of this is possible because of the third key factor regarding the club. e www.DaysAtDunrovin.com Web site is a subscription-based, membership com- munity predicated on respectful communications. e subscription fee acts as a gate against Internet trolls and unwanted forces. It creates the safe cyber space essential for open, immediate, and good conversations. Chats are self-monitored, with high ethical and politeness standards observed. Books can provoke strong personal responses; a safe environment is critical to readers' will- ingness to freely discuss their reactions and feelings. e 2015 cyber book club was a first. We experi- mented to see whether it was possible to have meaning- ful book discussions among Internet users. What we found was that the cyber book club's greatest limitation was also is greatest asset. People cannot meet in person which limits personal interactions. But because people can participate from the comfort of their own home, the club is very accessible and can gather anyone from anywhere, bringing an entirely new dimension to the concept of a book club. Last year's participants were most enthusiastic. Mary from New York City wrote: "I thoroughly enjoyed the DR Book Club. I was dubious about how well a book club on-line would turn out and I was very pleased. e books covered material new to me. I am an easterner but the life situations had universal application. It was very special to hear the authors discuss their work and it was fun to hear the ideas and impressions expressed by my fellow chatters. I can hardly wait for the next Book Club to begin!" Our "cyber book club" may be an entirely new con- cept, but it also seems to be a winning one. Please join us to light up your winter with some literary fun. Go to www.DaysAtDunrovin.com to subscribe as a member to the site for the book club and for all the other great edutainment that is offered. Judy Blunt and SuzAnne Miller discuss the book club. LAURIE CHILDS Internet coordinator Diane Hoffman at her home in New Jersey The 2016 book collection

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