If you’re a certified bibliophile like me, your day-to-day life is defined by one pressing question. What book should I read next? It’s like a buzzing fly in your ear, and it won’t go away no matter how you try. Not until you find the next story to immerse yourself in.
Theo of Golden by Allen Levi came highly recommended to me. Friends, acquaintances, and online chatter alike all adored the novel. Taking this as a sign, I plowed through the book in about a week. It certainly didn’t disappoint.
But now, the book has returned to its place on the shelf, and I’m left with that recurring question rattling about in my head. What now?
This is the swamping phase. Book titles fly at me left and right. There are new paperbacks on bookstore tables, older classics I’ve never quite gotten around to, displays every which way at the library. This world is chock full of good books, and there just isn’t enough time to read them all.
Increasingly, I’ve found myself turning to Herrick District Library’s book lists. These are carefully curated catalogs of book recommendations by some of the most avid readers I know: our team of local librarians.
On the home page of the website, I see seasonal book lists. Right now, it’s primarily beach reads. But personally, I love a good cry, so I’m looking for something that pulls all the right strings and warms your heart.
At the very top of the website, directly adjacent to the logo, there are two drop-down menus. I hit those and select “catalog” for the first blank and “list” for the second. Then, for my purposes, I type the keyword “cry” into the search bar. After the search goes through, there’s a button on the left side of my screen that reads, “users at my library.” I click that and out flows a flood of book lists.
Right there, compiled by our own Heather, is a list titled, “Books That Make You Cry.” Perfect. There are some wonderful titles in here, too, but I think I want to broaden my scope a little more.
I zip back to the library’s homepage and select the tab, “Books & More,” and then, under the “Read More” heading, I click “My Librarians.” Here, you’ll find the reading palates of each of our employees.
After clicking through each of their recommendations, Annaka’s page stands out the most. Here, I’ve found a comprehensive list of staff picks month by month. Under February, there are more than a few engaging titles: The Correspondent by Virginia Evans and Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt. Both books appear to be the tear-jerkers I was on the hunt for.
Thanks to the book lists put together by Herrick District Library, the nagging question of what book to read next is finally answered! At least, for a couple of weeks or so.
Fellow bibliophiles, you can easily take advantage of this resource just as I did. Whatever stories get your literary wheels turning, from romance to thrillers to cookbooks to tales of sunken ships, we’ve got it all.
So, the next time you feel that familiar reading anxiety creeping in, don’t let yourself get swamped. All it takes is a few clicks on the Herrick Library’s website, and a whole team of ravenous readers are there to guide you to your next literary adventure.
