The South Portland Public Library offers a number of regular book groups, offering options for differing tastes in reading. Please see the events calendar for the latest reading selections as well as any potential changes of meeting dates. For more information, call 767-7660.
- Branch Book Group – 2nd Wed | 1:00pm | IN PERSON at Branch Library 155 Wescott Rd.
- Silent Book Group – 1st Tues | 6:30pm | IN PERSON at Main Library
- Evening Book Group – 2nd Thurs. | 6:30 pm | ONLINE via ZOOM
- Pod Squad – the last Thurs. | 6:30 pm | ONLINE via ZOOM
- Betsy Ross House Book Group – 1st Thurs. | 1:30 pm | Betsy Ross House
Branch Book Group
Want to gather in-person with some fellow book lovers? Malia (Circulation Librarian) is starting a monthly in-person book group at the South Portland Branch Library. The group will read diverse books followed by friendly discussions. All are welcome to join at any time!
We’ll meet at the Branch location (155 Wescott Rd.) on the second Wednesday of the month at 1:00pm.
Upcoming selections:
- June 11th, 2025 – One Goal by Amy Bass
- July – no meeting
- August 13th, 2025 – House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
- September 10th, 2025 – The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson
Recent past selections:
- May 14th, 2025 – As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh
- April 9th, 2025 – The Turner House by Angela Flournoy
- March 12th, 2025 – The Wangs vs The World by Jade Chang
- February 12th, 2025 – Learned by Heart by Emma Donoghue
- January 8th, 2025 – The Country of the Blind by Andrew Leland
- December 11th, 2024 –The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams
Silent Book Group
Read in community at the library! Our Silent Books Group meets monthly on the first Tuesday at the Main Library 6:30pm-7:30pm, doors open at 6pm.
Adult readers are invited to bring a book of their choice for an hour of uninterrupted, dedicated and silent reading time. Doors open at 6pm for readers to get settled; reading time starts at 6:30. Participants are welcome to talk books before and after the reading time, or not.
Evening Book Group
The SPPL Evening Book Club enjoys sharing an adventurous blend of fiction and non-fiction titles. Recent selections have included Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Educated by Tara Westover, City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert, and Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb.
The Book Club meets on the second Thursday of the month at 6:30 PM, online, via Zoom. Our group is always open to new members and is easy to join. Simply contact the library, using the form below, and you’re in! We will keep you updated on future selections and pass along meeting links.
Upcoming Selections:
- June 12, 2025: High Conflict: Why We Get Trapped and How We Get Out by Amanda Ripley
- July 10, 2025: The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride
- August 14, 2025: The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War by Erik Larson
- September 11, 2025: Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane
Recent past selections:
- May 8, 2025: The Fraud by Zadie Smith
- April 10, 2025: On Tyranny (Graphic Novel Edition) by Timothy Snyder, ill. Nora Krug
- March 13, 2025: The Weir by Ruth Moore
- February 13, 2025: The Age of Grievance by Frank Bruni
- January 9, 2025: Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
- December 12, 2024: Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan
Pod Squad
SPPL’s Pod Squad meets on the last Thursday of the month (with adjustments as needed for the holiday season) at 6:30 PM, online, via Zoom to discuss a selection from the wonderfully diverse world of podcasts. At past meetings, members have shared thoughts on episodes from Malcolm Gladwell’s Revisionist History, Jill Lepore’s The Lost Archive, Jennifer Dasale’s ArtCurious, and Samin Nosrat and Hrishikesh Hirway’s HomeCooking, among many others. Typical homework assignments clock in at under an hour and are a quick and easy way to explore history, art, science, and contemporary issues.
Links for upcoming selections and our meeting links are shared via email to participants. If this sounds like a group that might be a fit for you, simply contact the library, using the form below, and you’re in! We will keep you updated on future selections and pass along meeting links.
The Betsy Ross House Book Group
The Betsy Ross House Book Group is a perfect fit if you’re a passionate reader who enjoys discussing books that are part of the mainstream cultural current. Recent titles include The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, The Girl in the Blue Beret by Bobbie Ann Mason, Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese, The Tiger’s Wife by Tea Obreht. Just because the critics like it, doesn’t mean that BRH readers will! Independent of mind, we decide for ourselves if the buzz on a book is merited. Discussions are spirited and full of good humor. Although this group meets in the Betsy Ross House Library, members of the community are welcome and encouraged to join us at any time.
Please use this form to let us know that you would like to participate in our online programs…