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BDS book clubs choose their own books from our catalogue of over 1,000 titles. If you're struggling to choose books, check out our staff picks or use the 'group favourites' filter in the catalogue — they're a great place to start.
Most book clubs give everyone in the group a chance to choose some of the books. You can allocate a certain number of choices per member, or cast votes for the books you'd most like to read.
However you share the responsibility of selecting books, make sure you check your final 25 for variety. We recommend a good mix of fiction, non-fiction, lighter and literary reads, with various themes and subjects.
We won't send you a book that isn't on your list. The order you receive them in depends on availability. If you put your book list in priority order, our system will select the book nearest the top of your list which has sufficient copies in stock.
If you receive a Holiday Read during Dec/Jan we will email you ahead of time to ask if you have a preferred title on your list your group would like to read over this period and do our best to provide that book.
Generally, your books are ready to be picked up / delivered seven days before your meeting. At certain times of the year, they may be ready earlier as we work dispatches around public holidays, for example.
BDS add 60 new titles to the catalogue every year. We announce these on Facebook, Instagram and in our newsletters. We have made these books available to groups as soon as they are added to the catalogue while we work on the tailored discussion notes. You must opt-in to receiving generic book notes by selecting this on enrolment or by emailing
Yes. Once you've registered with us, the coordinator receives an online login where they can manage the group's book list. This includes putting the list in priority order, adding and removing books.
If a book goes missing, we allow up to three months for it to appear before issuing an invoice. If a book is returned damaged, we will email the coordinator and issue an invoice. We recommend the coordinator uses the consignment note provided with each book set to record who has each book by writing their name next to the relevant barcode. This makes it clear that each member is responsible for the care and safe return of their book.
For lost or damaged book notes, we ask for a gold coin donation to help cover the cost of reprinting.
A Holiday Read is an optional 11th book for full programme groups, read over a two month period during the Dec/Jan summer holidays. For most Christchurch groups who pick up their books this is free. For groups in other parts of NZ there is a small additional fee.
We will do our best to supply your group with the Holiday Read of your choice. Coordinators will receive a reminder email toward the end of the calendar year asking for your group's preferred title.
If you are picking up books from our Christchurch office, these are located on the shelves to the right-hand side of reception. Book bags are in alphabetical order according to coordinator surname. Remember to check around the corner for letters R-Z!
Books are always distributed at the meeting before they are discussed. If a member can't attend a meeting, you need to agree on an alternative mode of exchange.
Always write who has each book on the consignment note provided in each book set.
Book notes / discussion questions are provided to give you background information and a starting point for your discussion. They are entirely optional to use. Some groups use these as a guide, others like to follow them more strictly — your group is self directed, so it's up to you how you use these.
The coordinator can access your group's calendar anytime via their online login. We recommend sharing your calendar with your group members and sticking to a regular meeting day as much as possible. If you need to change a meeting date, let us know as soon as possible by requesting a change online or emailing
BDS ceases dispatching books between mid November and early January.
This means that groups who meet in the first and second weeks of the month will hold their last meeting of the calendar year in December and recommence in February.
Groups who meet in the third, fourth and final weeks of the month will hold their last meeting of the calendar year in November and recommence in January.
If your group receives a Holiday Read, this is distributed at your final meeting of the calendar year and read over a two-month period. You will discuss it and return it at your first meeting of the New Year. If your group does not receive a Holiday Read, there will be no book to distribute at your final meeting of the calendar year. Your first meeting of the New Year will be used to hand out your next book and reconnect after your two month break.
Books are due back seven days after each meeting date. If you know your books will be overdue for any reason, please get in touch and let us know. Overdue books can result in your next book set being withheld.
You can book a courier bag pick-up online on the NZ Post website: https://www.nzpost.co.nz/tools/bookapickup/address
No, there is no weight limit on our courier bags. You should not be charged an additional fee if you choose to drop these into a post shop. Please contact BDS if you have trouble leaving your parcel at a post shop or book a pick-up online: https://www.nzpost.co.nz/tools/bookapickup/address
Our NZ Post Prepaid Courier Track-paks have no weight limit and are a safe an affordable way to return your books. Please wrap books tightly, spine inward before sliding into the courier bag to prevent them being damaged in transit.
Occasionally you may need to purchase additional, smaller Track-paks for overflow, especially if you are a large group or have requested a book with lots of pages! The coordinator can order these through their online login or you can email
Yes. This is located to the right-hand side of our main doors and is always available for returns when you can't get to us during our office hours of 9:00AM-5:00PM Mon-Fri
All our books are individually barcoded, so whether you're placing them on the returns trolley, using the after hours returns slot, our using a courier bag, we'll know where they came from!
If you're enrolling with BDS for the first time, you must pay your one-off $30 group registration fee before you can receive your first set of books. You can pay your membership fees in full upon registration, or wait until after your first meeting to confirm your group numbers.
We need to have received your membership fees before we can dispatch your second set of books.
Generally, we accept one payment per group. Coordinators collect fees from individuals and pass them on to us via one of the following payment methods:
Internet Banking
Account number: 02 0800 0726088 000
Reference: Your group name or your coordinator's name
Cash/EFTPOS
Cash and EFTPOS facilities are available at BDS HQ, 425 Colombo Street, Sydenham, Christchurch if you wish to pay your group fees in person.
Credit Card
In addition to the above methods, groups re-enrolling online can pay using credit card via our secure payment portal. We can also take credit card payments over the phone: 03 365 6210
When your reading year is coming to an end, a re-enrolment pack will be included in one of your book sets. We usually send these out nice and early so your group can start thinking about next year's book list.
The due date for re-enrolment will be indicated at the top of the re-enrolment form in your pack. You can either fill out the form and return it to us, or the coordinator can log in and re-enrol quickly and easily online.
Online re-enrolment is available only after your final book set for the reading year has been dispatched (i.e. about seven days before the last meeting in your reading calendar).
Coordinators of existing groups should sign in and ensure their Group Profile is up-to-date and the "Looking for new members?" box is ticked. This ensures your group will appear on our online map of book groups so people looking for groups can contact you.
See more tips for finding more members.
New members
If a new member joins your group part-way through your reading year, their membership fee is calculated based on the number of books your group still has left to read. The coordinator can update your group numbers online under your Group Details. This will automatically generate an invoice for the correct amount. You can also email
BDS require 14 days notice of an increase in numbers so we can ensure your next book set is dispatched with the correct number of copies.
Exiting members
If a member decides to leave part-way through your reading year, they may be reimbursed for their remaining membership by an incoming member. In this case, you do not need to advise BDS as your group numbers are the same.
If the exiting member plans to join another BDS group (for example, they are moving to a new town/city) they can credit their remaining membership to their new group. They should email
Special offers and news from our friends in the NZ literary sector, member rewards and competitions, volunteer opportunities — and a community of book-lovers and book-clubbers to connect with around the motu/country. Make sure you sign up to our newsletter so you don't miss out!
