Catherine Coles
Coles Notes
According to UNESCO, hundreds of thousands of books are published in North America every year. The County of Lennox and Addington Libraries’ collection includes well over 60,000 books with new titles coming in every week – and this isn’t even counting our collection of hundreds of thousands of e-books!
With so many titles to choose from, it can be challenging to make a decision. The following are some good options for selecting your next book out of an overwhelming myriad of choices.
Book reviews
I often use book reviews to choose books. The print source that I rely on most heavily is Quill and Quire, which reviews all things Canadian, including fiction and non-fiction, and across age ranges and genres. You can also access Quill & Quire’s book reviews online. Chatelaine and O Magazine both dedicate a significant portion of their publications to book reviews, and in particular to books that will appeal to women. Not a month goes by that I don’t want to read at least one title presented to me in these magazines.
Social media
Goodreads is a social media site for book lovers and I have found lots of success in finding a book to read by seeing what my Goodreads friends are reading and enjoying. Goodreads also sends me a notice each month of any books being published by authors I have read before and rated highly. If you are new to Goodreads and looking for a “friend” to follow, you can add me at https://www.goodreads.com/ccoles.
Library resources
Novelist is a database which the library subscribes to on your behalf. It is an extremely comprehensive source for information on genres, titles and authors. It is also the most reliable source for “read-alike” suggestions that I have come across. You can access Novelist by finding it in the databases section of our website at www.countylibrary.ca.
If you need help navigating it, you can visit your local library branch and ask a staff member for assistance.
Browse your library’s shelves
Some readers just like to browse. People search, hunt and dig into all the narrow veins of a library for something that catch their eye and spark their interest. If you are a browser, you probably first consider the cover – and that’s not necessarily a bad thing!
All the colors, images, and text on the cover are meant to convey a message. These elements are critical in the publisher’s marketing of the book and can tell a reader a lot about what lies inside. Consider the book’s heft, its typeface and other physical characteristics – it can tell you what kind of commitment you will be making. Finally, read the book’s description and even more importantly, evaluate the author reviews selected for the cover.
Publishers will look to authors who write books with similar styles and themes for their book praise snippets. If your go-to authors are represented, the book will likely be a good fit.
Word of mouth
Just ask another reader! Ideally he or she will have similar tastes. Don’t know any avid readers? Then consider joining one of the many book clubs at the Library or in the larger L&A community.
You may even consider starting an informal two-person book club with a friend or family member like in the wonderful memoir The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe.
If you are still at a loss for what to read next, be sure to check in at your local library branch and ask for some suggestions from our helpful staff. We’re always happy to match a reader with their next great read!