If you moved to Westchester and thought “I should join a book club,” you’re not alone. Book clubs are one of the best low-pressure ways to meet people as an adult, especially if you’re the type who’d rather bond over a shared opinion about a fictional character than make small talk at a networking event.
The good news: Westchester County has a ton of book clubs. The tricky part is figuring out which ones are actually running, which ones are accepting new members, and which format works for you. We put together this guide because we kept getting the same question from Club West members, and honestly, we wanted a better answer than “check Meetup.”
Here’s what’s actually out there.
Library book clubs (free, open to everyone)
Libraries are the easiest entry point. No commitment, no cost, and nobody’s going to side-eye you if you show up once and never come back. Most Westchester libraries run at least one adult book club, and some run three or four.
Chappaqua Library is the overachiever of the bunch. They run Open Book on the second Tuesday evening (online), Short Stack on the second Wednesday (in-person, shorter reads), and Great Books on the last Wednesday afternoon. If you can’t find a time slot that works at Chappaqua, the problem might be you.
Ossining Public Library takes a different approach with three clubs that each have their own personality. Bodies in the Library is for mystery readers. Books and Bagels is an in-person morning group with exactly the vibe you’d expect from the name. Talk Culture Literary Book Club runs hybrid for people who want something more discussion-heavy.
Croton Free Library runs their main book club on the first Wednesday morning, led by librarian Amy Melman. They also have a Short Story Book Club on Monday evenings, which is great if you want the social part without committing to 300 pages.
White Plains Public Library has several groups including Book ‘Em (mysteries) and Forever Young Adult for people who aren’t embarrassed about reading YA. Many of their groups run hybrid or fully on Zoom.
Mount Kisco Public Library keeps it simple with the Brown Bag Book Group, which has been meeting monthly on Wednesday afternoons since 2000. Members pick the titles. Bring your lunch.
Pelham Library runs an After-Dark Book Club in the evenings and a Second Friday morning group facilitated by former journalist Carol Ipsen.
Larchmont Public Library hosts Literary Bites on the first Tuesday evening, available both in-person and on Zoom.
A quick note on library clubs: they tend to skew older during daytime slots and younger in the evenings. Neither is a problem, just worth knowing so you pick the group where you’ll feel most comfortable.
Bookstore-hosted clubs
Bookstore clubs have a different energy. You’re usually in a smaller space, surrounded by books, and the staff tends to have strong opinions about what you should read next.
The Village Bookstore in Pleasantville partners with the Mount Pleasant Public Library for a Local Author Book Club. They also host a Silent Book Club at Take 3 Wine Bar at the Jacob Burns Film Center on Thursday evenings from 7 to 9. (More on silent book clubs below.)
Arcade Booksellers in Rye has been around for over 30 years and is the go-to shop for reading groups across southern Westchester. Owner Patrick Corcoran is known for giving excellent recommendations. Even if Arcade doesn’t run a formal club with a set schedule, they’re the store that half the book clubs in the area rely on for their picks.
Scattered Books in Chappaqua hosts events and has run book clubs for both kids and adults. Their schedule changes, so call ahead (914-529-8013) or email to ask what’s current.
Womrath Bookshop in Bronxville has been a village institution since 1938. They put together a book club pick list that a lot of local groups use as a starting point.
Independent and social book clubs
These are the ones you find through word of mouth, Meetup, or Instagram. They’re often the most fun because someone started them specifically to build a community, not because it was part of their job.
The Westchester Weekend Book Club out of Elmsford caps membership around 12 people, which keeps discussions tight and makes it easier to actually get to know everyone. If you can get a spot, it’s worth it.
For genre readers, the Westchester Mystery and Science Fiction Readers group in White Plains has roughly 200 members and meets online on the last Saturday of each month. Big group energy, but if you want to talk about whether the detective’s motivation actually made sense, these are your people.
At Club West, we run our own book club as part of our regular events lineup. It’s one of the things our members come back for because the conversation always goes sideways in the best way. If you’re curious, check out our upcoming events or sign up to get on the list.
Silent book clubs
If the phrase “book club” makes you anxious because you picture being put on the spot about themes and symbolism, a silent book club might be your thing. The concept is simple: show up, bring whatever you’re reading, read in comfortable silence with other people, and chat if you want to. No assigned books. No discussion questions. Just the cozy pressure of reading near strangers who are also reading.
The Village Bookstore hosts one at Take 3 Wine Bar in Pleasantville on Thursday nights. Pound Ridge Library also runs a chapter. Check silentbook.club for the latest Westchester-area listings since new chapters pop up regularly.
How to actually join one
Finding a book club is the easy part. Showing up for the first time is harder. Here’s what we tell people:
Pick a library club first if you’re nervous. They’re designed for drop-ins, and nobody tracks attendance. You can sit in the back, listen, and leave without saying a word. Nobody will chase you down.
For independent clubs on Meetup or social media, send the organizer a message before showing up. Ask if they’re taking new members and what the group is like. Most organizers love this because it shows you’re serious, and they can give you a heads-up about the vibe.
Don’t worry about not finishing the book. Seriously. Half the people at any given book club meeting didn’t finish it. Some didn’t start it. The discussion happens anyway.
If you’re really looking to make friends through a book club (and not just discuss books), look for groups that build in social time. Clubs that meet at wine bars, restaurants, or someone’s living room tend to create friendships faster than library conference rooms. We wrote a whole piece about making friends in Westchester if that’s what you’re actually after.
Start your own
If nothing on this list clicks, start one. You need four to six people, a group text, and a willingness to pick the first book. Keep it simple: meet monthly, rotate who picks, and don’t stress about having discussion questions. The best book clubs are really just excuses to sit with people you like and talk about something other than kids and commutes.
Post in your town’s Facebook group or on Nextdoor. You’ll get responses faster than you expect.
Schedules and formats change, especially after summer breaks and around holidays. Check directly with the library, bookstore, or organizer before showing up to confirm meeting times, locations, and whether registration is required.