A Short Guide on How to Set Up your own Online Bookclub:

With social distancing and self-isolation becoming a part of all our lives, an alternative to meeting up in the library/local café is needed, the solution could be setting up your own online bookclub.

According to Penguin you need to ask some questions before setting up a book club:

What kind of book club do I want to start?

What is the purpose of my book club?

How will the books be selected?

Also, you need to decide on that all-important name. Once you know what kind of reading community you’re looking to create, it’s time to get the plan in motion by selecting a platform.

Book Riot’s Online book club guide runs through some of the options - they argue that a service like Google Hangouts is good for replicating the live group experience though other options are available such as setting up a private group on Facebook, Instagram, Zoom or Goodreads, just make sure you are comfortable using your chosen platform before you launch your first virtual meet up.

Google Hangouts Video Call

You will need a google account to use this and once you have that you can use Hangouts to have video calls, phone calls or text based chats with up to 10 people. You should agree a scheduled time with people beforehand as Hangouts doesn't have a facility for scheduling in advance for ordinary google account holders. Decide on who will start the video call. This person should do the following:

Go to hangouts.google.com and Hangouts will open in a new window.

Click on video call

Click the INVITE PEOPLE button

Type the list of email address people you wish to invite in the box provided

The invitees should get an invitation to join the meeting - they should click JOIN and then off you go. 

For more information and help visit https://support.google.com/hangouts/

Zoom (Free Version)

Zoom is easy to use and people can join a meeting via webcam or phone.  You can have unlimited meetings. The meeting host must sign up but not the participants. You can have up to 49 participants at one time and meetings can last for 40 minutes. The meeting host can schedule a meeting and then share the meeting code with guests.

https://zoom.us/

You can download the Zoom app for android, iOS or you can use it on a laptop or computer.

See the help section on Zoom's website to learn how to schedule a meeting depending on the device you're using.

Skype 

Skype is easy to use and no sign-up required, even for the host.  You can have up to 50 participants at meetings. The number you can see at any one time depends on what device you use. The host can create a meeting link which doesn't expire and there is no time limit to meetings.
When you create a meeting, Skype will launch its web app if you don’t already have the Skype app installed so there is no need to download software.  It will work on iOS, Android, Windows, Mac.

Visit www.skype.com/en/free-conference-call/ for more help or to start a meeting
Tutorial
https:support.skype.com/en/faq/FA34926/what-is-meet-now-and-how-do-i-use-it-in-skype

Microsoft Teams

Sign-up is required for the host but not the participants of this service.  Participants can dial in to the meeting instead of video if they like. Only those with Microsoft account can participate via video.Ability to remove participants from meeting.  There is no time limit on calls. Microsoft lifted user restrictions on the free version in March. 

For more information visit
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/teams-overview
Tutorials
Microsoft Teams Video Training