Chapter One Guidelines
Background
Since its inception in January 2008 and through the completion of its fourteenth year in December 2021, Chapter One Book Group adhered to a consistent book selection process, with only minor modifications to standard practices. Under this original system, each member attending an official monthly meeting was permitted one nomination for a future reading selection. Members not in attendance were ineligible to nominate. Each nomination was written on a slip of paper provided by the moderator, and a lottery was conducted to determine the official selection. Multiple members could nominate the same book to increase its chances of being chosen; however, all attending members had an equal chance of having their slip drawn. Following the selection, all other nominations were reviewed and catalogued in the group archive.
Coinciding with the beginning of its fifteenth year in January 2022, the group adopted a revised selection procedure. The updated system is outlined below, along with the process for rating the books discussed by Chapter One.
Official Selections
Chapter One utilizes a rotating selection system to ensure fairness and equal participation among members. Each month, one member is randomly selected to choose the book for future discussion. Selections are determined two months in advance of when the book will be discussed, to allow members sufficient time to obtain and complete the reading. For example, the selection made in January will be discussed in March.
Once a member has made a selection, they are temporarily removed from the rotation until all other active members have had an opportunity to choose. After every member has had a turn, the rotation resets, and all members are re-entered into the selection pool.
Group members are encouraged to remain open to literature across a broad range of genres. While members are asked to select works likely to offer a meaningful or enjoyable experience for the group, only a few restrictions apply:
Series Restrictions: Only the first book in a series may be nominated, in order to avoid requiring members to read multiple titles for full context. This restriction does not apply to series in which each installment functions as a standalone work. If the first book in a series has previously been selected, members may nominate the next entry in the series. While it is encouraged that members limit themselves to nominating only one installment from a given series per year to help prevent burnout, this is not a formal rule and may be set aside if group interest in the series remains high.
Availability Requirements: Nominated books must be reasonably accessible and affordably priced. Works that are rare, out of print, or only available in cost-prohibitive editions should not be selected.
The Golden Ticket
An exception to the standard selection process occurs when a member holds and chooses to use a Golden Ticket — an honor awarded at select Chapter One events on a limited basis. A member wishing to use their Golden Ticket must declare their intention before the regular monthly selection is made. The Golden Ticket allows the holder to bypass the random selection process and immediately designate the next official book. Once used, the Golden Ticket is forfeited.
The October Exception
An additional exception may be made for the October selection, given the group's tradition of reading horror during that month. If the member selected to choose October’s book does not wish to assign a horror title but is willing to let the group explore the genre, they may invoke the October Exception by ceding the October pick to another member. In exchange, they are automatically granted the privilege of selecting November’s book.
Ratings
From January 2008 through June 2010, Chapter One rated each book using a ten-point scale. In July 2010, the group adopted a five-point scale, with half-point increments (e.g., 3.5, 4.0, etc.).
After the monthly discussion, the moderator will call for final ratings from members in attendance and record the results. Members who are not present may still submit a rating, provided they have read the book and submit their rating to the moderator prior to the conclusion of the meeting. An average of all submitted ratings will be calculated to determine the final score for the book.