A WhatsApp library for book lovers

A literature tech company, Scribblers Tribe, is taking the Indian reading scene by storm through their exclusive WhatsApp community for book lovers. The community was started by Sharon Lobo, a literature major, to encourage people to read books, build healthy reading habits, and provide a safe space for book discussions, reviews, meetings, and networking.

Lobo says the group aims to address the decline in reading habits in India, which have, among other things, resulted in shorter attention spans. Scribblers Tribe believes that bringing like-minded readers together can create a productive and enthusiastic book community that encourages sustained reading habits.

“Reading has been a passion since my college days. When I decided to major in English Literature, I dedicated an entire year to immersing myself in books. As I matured, I found that discussions lacked depth. People simply talked about the books and the number of books they had read,” said Sharon Lobo, founder of the Mumbai-based company.

“I craved an insight into how a book made someone feel, which passages resonated with them and if the book evoked any other thoughts or emotions. This desire led me to create Scribblers Tribe, a community where individuals can have meaningful discussions about literature,” Lobo added.

“I wanted to recreate my final year of college in any way possible. After speaking with others, I discovered that many of them felt the same way. So, after toying with the idea for several years, I finally launched it last year,” said Lobo.

“I wanted to share with the world that reading has changed my life and can change yours too,” he said. “The idea is to cultivate the habit of reading to live a better life,” she added.

The community hosts online and offline events, including panel discussions on the effects of reading on the brain and the importance of building a lifetime reading habit. The offline events include thematic book discussions, book exchanges and blind book dates.

“The response so far has been phenomenal! Everyone we have interacted with about our tribe has accepted and welcomed the idea. They have responded positively, as they too were looking for a community like ours,” she said.

“One of my favourite quotes by Ray Bradbury is, ‘You don’t have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.’ It emphasises the importance of reading for a country’s cultural growth. If you’re fortunate enough to be literate, you should become a reader and part of our community. Currently, we have readers from various walks of life. However, our first priority is to reach out to those who are already readers or were at one point in time and are looking for meaningful discussions and encouragement. We have members who returned to reading after years, thanks to Scribblers Tribe,” Lobo said.

Scribblers Tribe nudges inactive readers to return to the reading scene by providing recommendations and keeping members up-to-date with the latest book releases, reviews, discussions and events. The community is helping to change the reading scene in India by creating a sustainable reading habit that can positively impact people’s overall personalities and work.

If you’re a book lover looking for a safe space to discuss and enjoy books, Scribblers Tribe’s exclusive WhatsApp community is the place to be.

“The beauty of our community is that we have readers from almost every genre. Unlike a typical book club, which explores just one section of books every month, we include all kinds of readers,” she said. “We have members who read specific genres or particular books, and even those who prefer newspapers or professional publications.”

She emphasised that the idea is to encourage reading, regardless of the material.

“At present, we have a WhatsApp community, which is accessible and available to members from across the globe,” Lobo said.

When asked to elaborate on the reach of Scribblers Tribe, Lobo said, “It’s widely used by members, both old and young alike. We plan to grow this community and offer multiple new features rapidly. Scribblers Tribe is known for hosting book sessions, workshops, online and offline events across cities,” she said.