Join a Mt. Lebanon Public Library Book Group!

Join one of our library sponsored book groups to discuss great books and meet new reading friends. Print copies of all titles will be reserved at the library for book groups one month prior to each book group meeting date. 

The Mystery Reader’s Book Club 2026

Meets the third Tuesday of the month at 7:00 PM to discuss books from a wide range of mystery genres. The book group is led by Adult Services Librarian Elizabeth Krebs. Books will be reserved for the book club to pick up at the library one month prior to the book meeting.
January 20 - Front Runner by Felix Francis
February 17- Surgeon by Tess  Gerritsen
March 17- Postmortem by Patricia Cornwell
April 21– Unsuitable Job for a Woman by P.D. James
May 19– All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham
June 16 – Poet by Michael Connelly
July 21–Housemaid by Freida McFadden
August 18- Casino Royal by Ian Fleming
September 15 – Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Marc Haddon
October 20 – Plot and the Pendulum by Jenn McKinley
November 17 – Investigator by John Sandford
December 15 – Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk

Cozy Mystery Club 2026

Meets every other month (Jan, Mar, May, July, Sept, Nov) at 7pm to discuss cozy mystery novels and TV and film adaptations. The group is led by Mt Lebanon Public Library Public Services Librarian Eric Meisberger. Each meeting we spend the first 30 minutes or so discussing whatever we’ve been independently reading and watching. The second half, we discuss a pre-determined book. Books will be reserved for the book club to pick up at the library a month prior to our meetings.
Jan 27: Bimbos of the Death Sun by Sharyn McCrumb
Mar 24: A Morbid Taste for Bones by Ellis Peters
May 26: To Helvetica and Back by Paige Shelton
July 21: A Wicked Yarn by Emmie Caldwell
Sept 22: Caught Dead Handed by Carol J Perry
Nov 24: The Secret Book & Scone Society by Ellery Adams
Any questions? Email Eric at meisbergere3@mtlebanonlibrary.org or call 412-942-0934.

The Lunch and Munch Book Club 2026

Join us for a lunchtime book chat that features page-turning history and historical fiction. The Lunch and Munch Book Group Meets mostly every other month. If you are a fan of narrative non-fiction or historical fiction, then this is the book club for you. Books will be reserved for the book club to pick up at the library one month prior to the book meeting. The Lunch and Munch book group is co-sponsored by the Mt. Lebanon Lions Club. The group is led by Associate Director for Public Services, Sharon Bruni.
To register for this event send an email to Sharon Bruni at brunis2@einetwork.net or call Sharon at 412-942-0932.
February 25 - Harlem Rhapsody by Victoria Christopher Murray
March 25 - The Bookshop: A History of the American Bookstore by Evan Friss
April 22 - My Friends by Fredrik Backman
May 27 - The Wager by David Grann
September 23 - The Fate of the Day by Rick Atkinson
October 28 - Memorial Days by Geraldine Brooks
November 18 - The Gales of November by John U. Bacon

Exit, Pursued by a Bear 2026

Exit, Pursued by a Bear is a Shakespeare discussion group that meets monthly from Feb - Apr, and Sept-Nov in 2026. We will discuss a different play by Shakespeare each month.
Patrons will read or watch each play on their own, and we will gather to discuss. Feel free to come to just one, or a few, or all of our sessions!
Feb 17: Henry IV pt 1
Mar 17: Henry IV pt 2
April 21: Henry V
Sept 15: Antony and Cleopatra
Oct 20: Merry Wives of Windsor
Nov 17: Taming of the Shrew
Any questions? Email Eric at meisbergere3@mtlebanonlibrary.org or call 412-942-0934.

Eye on the Prize Book Group 2026

Eye on the Prize Book Group meets the 2nd Monday of the month (February through April, summer break, then September through November) at 7 pm to discuss the previous year’s winners of six literary prizes.
February 9—The True True Story of Raja the Gullible (and His Mother) by Rabih Alameddine (National Book Award for Fiction)
March 9—The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden (Women's Prize for Fiction)
April 13—Small Rain by Garth Greenwell (PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction and the PEN Oakland/Josephine Miles Literary Award)
September 14—Flesh by David Szalay (Booker Prize)
October 12—Code Noir by Cunisia Lubrin (Carol Shields Prize for Fiction)
November 9—The Adversary by Michael Crummey (Dublin Literary Award)
Any questions? Email Sharon Bruni at brunis2@mtlebanonlibrary.org or call 412-942-0932.

The Good Place Philosophy Book Club 2026

On the sitcom THE GOOD PLACE (NBC 2016-2020), the character Chidi Anagony read a lot of philosophy books. In this book club we will read and discuss some of the books he mentioned on the show! Books will be available at the library. Feel free to come to one meeting, a few, or all!
Jan 22: Discipline and Punish by Michel Foucault
Mar 26: The Most Good You Can Do by Peter Singer
May 28: Utilitarianism by John Stuart Mill
Sept 17: Ethics and the Limits of Philosophy by Bernard Williams
Oct 22: The Case Against Perfection by Michael Sandel
Nov 19: Natural Goodness by Philippa Foot
Any questions? Email Eric at meisbergere3@mtlebanonlibrary.org or call 412-942-0934.

Historical Haven Book Group 2026

Got a hunger for history? Join us as we delve into the world of historical fiction. To prepare for the discussion, participants are encouraged to finish the assigned reading prior to meeting. Run out of time? Join us anyway! We will fill you in along the way.
1/23: "Take My Hand" by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
3/23: "Looking for Jane" by Heather Marshall
5/18: "When the Elephants Dance" by Tess Uriza Holthe
7/27: "In Memoriam" by Alice Winn
9/28: "The Lion Women of Tehran" by Marjan Kamali
11/23: "Sonora" by Jenni Walsh
Registration encouraged but not required. Meet in Learning Lab. Adults only.

Memories and Memoirs Book Club 2026

Memories & Memoirs Book Club will cover a diverse range of subjects in the world of non-fiction. Mostly memoirs, these books focus on personal identity and self-discovery, and the authors explore themes of social justice and resilience.
2/18: "The Waterbearers" by Sasha Bonet
4/15: "What It Takes to Heal" by Prentis Hemphill
6/17: "Articulate" by Rachel Kolb
8/19: "The Possibility of Tenderness" by Jason Allen-Paisant
10/21: "Uncultured" by Daniella Mestyanek Young
12/16: "The Serviceberry" by Robin Wall Kimmerer
To prepare for the discussion, participants are encouraged to finish the assigned reading prior to meeting. Run out of time? Join us anyway! We will fill you in along the way.
Registration encouraged but not required. Meet in Learning Lab. Adults only.

Adult Summer Reading Book Club 2026: Industrial Fiction of Our Region

June 22: Life in the Iron Mills and Other Stories by Rebecca Harding Davis
July 20: Blood on the Forge by William Attaway
Aug 25: Out of this Furnace by Thomas Bell

Seasons of Horror 2026

Winter Frights: Jan 28 - The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix
Halfway to Halloween: April 29 - Dracula by Bram Stoker
Summer Screams: July 29 - Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Spooky Season: Oct 2 - The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

Green Reads 2026

Looking to read books on nature & our role in the environment? This lively discussion of books related to nature, conservation, and environmental action is facilitated by the Mt Lebanon Nature Conservancy and the library. Books are available at Mt Lebanon Public Library’s circulation desk.
February 3rd - America the Beautiful? by Blythe Roberson - Led by MLNC
March 3rd - Appalachian Spring by Marcia Bonta - Led by MLNC
May 5th - Silent Spring by Rachel Carlson- Led by MLNC
September 1st - Raising Hare by Chloe Dalton - Co-led by Sharon and MLNC
October 6th - The Way Through the Woods by Litt Woon - Co-led by Sharon and MLNC
November 3rd - George: A Magpie Memoir by Frieda Hughs - Co-led by Sharon and MLNC

Non-Sponsored Book Groups

These book groups are not hosted by a librarian. Copies of titles will NOT be held on reserve. Participants are responsible for obtaining their own copies.

Science Fiction Book Group 2026

This book club reads and discusses science fiction short stories and novels. The group meets 7 pm, the fourth Wednesday of every month. This group is not a librarian-lead group, so books will not be held on reserve at the library; participants are responsible for getting their own books. Any questions? Email Don Kirkwood at dpitt75@yahoo.com

January 28, 2026 
Novel: “Patternmaster” by Octavia E. Butler
Short Fiction: 
“Brainstem Disco, 2191” by Angela Liu
“The Meaning We Seek” by Nancy Kress

February 25, 2026
Novel: “Hawksbill Station” by Robert Silverberg
Short Fiction: 
“Movie Night” by Mattthew Kressel
“Foster, You’re Dead” by Philip K. Dick

March 25, 2026 
Novel: “Psion” by Joan D. Vinge
Short Fiction:
“Different Day” by K. Tempest Bradford
“Tunesmith” by Lloyd Biggle Jr.

April 22, 2026
Novel: “Project Hail Mary” by Andy Weir
Short Fiction:
“The Tea Master and the Detective” by Aliette de Bodard
“Coming Attraction” by Fritz Leiber

May 27, 2026
Novel: “The Ministry of Time” by Kaliane Bradley
Short Fiction:
“Midstrathe Exploding” by Andy Dudak
“A Walk in the Sun” by Geoffrey A. Landis

June 24, 2026
Novel: “The Road” by Cormac McCarthy
Short Fiction: 
“Amaryllis” by Carrie Vaughn
“Upstart” by Lu Ban

July 22, 2026 
Novel: “Parable of the Sower” by Octavia E. Butler
Short Fiction:
“Letters from the Earth” by Mark Twain
“The Pope of the Chimps” by Robert Silverberg

August 26, 2026
Novel: “Delta V” by Daniel Suarrez
Short Fiction:
“The One with the Interstellar Group Consciousness” by James Alan Gardner
“The Truth of Fact, The Truth of Feeling” by Ted Chiang

September 23, 2026
Novel: “Perelandra” by C. S. Lewis
Short Fiction:
“Judas” by John Brunner
“Evensong” by Lester del Rey

October 28, 2026
Novel: “Dream Park” by Larry Niven and Steven Barnes
Short Fiction:
“Symbiont” by Robert Silverberg
“The Road Not Taken” by Harry Turtledove

November 18, 2026 
Novel: “Earthman, Come Home” by James Blish
Short Fiction:
“Mother and Child” by Joan D. Vinge
“Phoenix in the Ashes” by Theodore Sturgeon

December 23, 2026
Novel: “Death of the Author” by Nnedi Okorafor
Short Fiction: 
“Reef” by Paul McAuley
“Understand” by Ted Chiang

Shakespeare Readers

This book group meets every other Monday September through the first Monday in June to read and discuss the works of the Bard. This group is not a librarian-lead group, so books will not be held on reserve at the library; participants are responsible for getting their own books. Any questions? Email Janice Robin at janice.robin@gmail.com  

The Shakespeare Readers List 2025-2026:
Henry IV, part one--September 15, October 6, 20
The Tempest--November 3, 17, December 1
Henry IV, part two--December 15, January 5, 2026, February 2, 16
Twelfth Night--March 2, 16, April 6, 20
Macbeth--May 4, 18, June 1

American History Book Group

The Group meets the 2nd Thursday of each month from 10 am to 1 pm . Discussion and readings center on American events, leaders, economic and geographic conditions in America from1609 to 1865. Discussions are framed with a broad 21st Century multicultural perspective. This group is not a librarian-lead group, so books will not be held on reserve at the library; participants are responsible for getting their own books. Membership in the group is limited to eight persons and is currently full. If you wish to be placed on a wait-list, please contact moderator Dan Bowman bowman.dan@gmail.com. Please note: Patrons are always welcome to attend sessions as auditors to listen to the discussions, watch the videos, etc.