The Translated Book Club (TBC) aims to bring together a diverse range of readers to explore global voices through works translated into English, while promoting and supporting translators and their publishers. This unique book club was created by Regina Galasso and supported by Breanna Lynch and campus and community partners to celebrate translation and how it connects readers to stories from around the world. This guide was created to help others start their own Translated Book Club. Our process details how we did things in the university setting. Please take what you need and leave what you don’t. The process can be adapted to other settings!
1. Collecting Proposals
Establishing a TBC begins with a call for proposals that is shared with faculty, students, or any other community of readers. This can take the form of a flyer or an email that invites individuals who are interested in leading a club meeting to present a translated book they’d like to read with TBC members. The purpose of the proposals is to: 1) collect a diverse selection of potential translated books that can be introduced to the community, 2) have a general understanding of how each applicant will approach their TBC meeting, and 3) see how each applicant believes their translated book will engage with the diverse community. Here’s how we did it. You can modify the details as you see fit!
i) Create a form to collect proposals from those interested in leading a TBC meeting on the translated book of their choice.*
The proposal form can include:
- Department and role of the applicant
- Title of the book that is translated into English
- Language the book was translated from
- Translator of the book
- Author of the book
- Original publication date, if possible
- Publisher and publication date of the translation
- Does the applicant have knowledge of the language the book was translated from?
- Why does the applicant think that a diverse community of readers should read their chosen book together at this point in time?
- How will the applicant engage with the readers during the TBC meeting? What materials, if any, will be sent to the readers in advance of the TBC meeting?
ii) Each proposal should be transferred to a document and any identifying information should be redacted, including the removal of the applicant’s name. Label each submission with a number.
* The Gentzler Translation Center (GTC) offered faculty and graduate students selected to lead the TBC meetings compensation in the form of a stipend or research funds.
2. Reviewing proposals
Once the proposal submission period is over, a blind-review process is conducted to vote on candidates to lead the TBC meetings.
Phase 1
1. A selection committee of faculty, community members, and students, conduct a blind review of the proposals and rank them.*
2. Each committee member reads through the proposals and picks up to five candidates.
Criteria when choosing proposals:
I. Does the proposal merit being part of the TBC?
II. Is the proposal possible and achievable within the scope of the TBC’s goals and timeline?
III. Does the proposal present a clear way that a diverse audience of general readers can engage with the book?
IV. Consider how the selected books will represent a diverse number of languages and a diverse number of community members.
3. Each committee member shares their top five choices and selects on the proposals to move to the next phase of the selection process.
* Why do a blind review of the proposals? A blink review of the proposal aims to remove potential biases.
Phase 2
1. Individually email the creators of the selected proposals and request a reference who can speak to their reliability, professionalism, and ability to lead or represent a book discussion that includes a diverse range of readers from the community.
2. After reviewing the letters, decide on the final line-up of TBC leaders and contact them to let them know they have been accepted and plan to set up a meeting to go over specific expectations, timeline, and logistics.
3. Once all TBC leaders have accepted, contact the creators of any proposals that were not accepted as TBC leaders. Provide any helpful feedback.
3. Planning TBC Meetings
Logistics include identifying a space to host the TBC meetings, ordering refreshments, inviting the translator of the book, (if possible), and sending out reminders to everyone involved.
1. Identify a space that is accessible to the community to host TBC meetings. Spaces could include a local library, school, or community building. (The GTC hosts TBC meetings at UMass Downtown, located in the heart of Amherst.)
2. Create a list of TBC meeting dates and assign leaders to the dates.
3. Order any catering or plan for refreshments. (The GTC orders catering with a local business.)
4. Send out reminders to all TBC readers and the leader at the one month, one week, and one day marks prior to a TBC meeting.
4. Recruiting Readers
Outreach to recruit readers is key to making the TBC a success and can be done in several different ways. At the GTC, we reached out to campus departments, programs, and other centers, and off-campus organizations and educational institutions including other colleges and high schools.
1. Create an online form for reader sign-ups. Include:
A. TBC description
B. For each TBC meeting: book title, translator, author, translated language, leader name, date of meeting*
C. Email
D. First and last names
E. Create a link and QR code for this form.
2. Create a flier to recruit readers to sign up for TBC meetings. Include:
A. TBC description
B. Location and times
C. Book titles, authors, translators, translated languages, leader names, meeting dates
D. QR code for the sign-up form
E. Contact person
F. If there’s no charge, definitely mention that!
G. Note if refreshments will be served.
H. Let readers know how they can locate the books.
3. Contact campus departments, programs, and other centers, and off-campus organizations and educational institutions including other colleges and high schools. Also, contact nearby senior centers and libraries. We created a list of local partners for recruitment including the contact person and relevant information.
* We gave eight copies of each book to TBC readers before the club meetings. We purchased them at a local bookstore.
Good luck starting your own version of the Translated Book Club. If you have any questions or ideas to share, please be in touch. We love to hear about other versions of TBCs!
This guide was created thanks to Rou Chen and Elizabeth Rotunno.