3 Readalikes For Library Books With Long Hold Lists
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Picture this: A patron comes to the desk looking for a copy of the latest bestseller and is disappointed to learn that yes, the library has ordered 10 copies of said bestseller, all copies have been checked out and there’s a waiting list to boot. But wait! Before the patron walks away empty-handed, you say, “But can I interest you in a similar book while you wait?”
As a librarian, I love picking out a good readlike for a patron. It feels like a secret customer service weapon, and it introduces the reader to an author they might not have heard about otherwise. To that end, I’ve compiled a list of three new books that are probably in your libraries right now to check out, as well as alternative suggestions to give patrons while they wait.
If your patron is looking for…
keeper by Tana French
The third book in the Cal Hooper Trilogy finds a retired Chicago detective reluctantly drawn into an investigation when the suicide of a promising young woman threatens to reveal secrets buried for decades in the village of Ardenkelty.
You can suggest…
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bluebird, bluebird by Attica Locke
this is the first book highway 59 Trilogy, which also focuses on a law enforcement officer with a complicated past. It focuses on dark secrets and crime involving powerful people in a small, rural town.
If your patron is looking for…
How to be okay when nothing is okay by Jenny Lawson
Jenny Lawson’s latest book offers solid (and slightly absurd) techniques and coping mechanisms to help readers deal with their mental health struggles. But fear not – even though this isn’t his usual collection of essays, there’s still plenty of humor in it.
You can suggest…
quietly hostile By Samantha Irby
Although this is a more traditional collection of essays, Samantha Irby has an irreverent and self-deprecating sense of humor that sheds light on the absurdities of real life.
If your patron is looking for…
The Night We Met by Abby Jimenez
Larissa is lucky to have two amazing men in her life: her boyfriend Mike and his friend Chris, who is also Mike’s best friend. Except that Chris is hopelessly obsessed with Larissa and that’s why Larissa believes Mike is a considerate boyfriend.
You can suggest…
too wrong to be right by Melonie Johnson
It is a contemporary romance that places the hero and heroine in each other’s orbit, despite their best efforts to keep each other in the friend zone. The Night We Met And too wrong to be right It features strong friendships as well as heartwarming animal companions to complete the romantic story.
While your patrons are waiting for the above books, perhaps you can share with them Other popular titles that recently hit the shelves.