Decide what type of books you'd like to read. This is a very important step in selecting a book club. Most book clubs have some type of theme or specific type of book that they read. Deciding on exactly what type of books you'd like to read will help you choose the book club to join.
Call your local library and see if they have any book clubs. Many libraries host book clubs and often this can be an excellent first place to begin your search. Even if your local library does not have a book club -- they certainly know a lot about book lovers, so they may know about book clubs in your area!
Contact groups that you already belong to and see if they have started a book club. Many professional and hobby associations have book clubs as part of their membership. Quite often members want to gather to read books of interest and talk about them. This can be an excellent way to find a book club about a topic you are passionate about.
Look just a bit farther than your local area. If you are willing to travel at least ten miles, you are opening up more opportunities to find a great book club. This means there are more libraries and groups available to you for you to contact. Don't limit yourself to just what is in front of your nose!
Ask each book club you speak to if they are accepting new members. Not every book club is, so it is very helpful to gather information about at least several book clubs that interest you. This means that even if one book club says, "No thank you," you still have two or three others that sound interesting.