Quick Summary:
- NextReads is a NoveList book recommendation newsletter you can use in multiple ways to help you suggest books, even outside the genres you're most familiar with.
- NextReads can help you recommend both new and backlist titles vetted by the human book experts at NoveList to keep your whole collection circulating.
- Both patrons and library staff can subscribe to NextReads and stay up-to-date on reading recommendations.
It’s an experience that many library workers have been through: You’re alone on the desk when a patron asks for recommendation...in a genre or subject area that is NOT your thing. Like, not at all. Maybe you have some vague knowledge just from seeing the books around, but that won’t be enough. You need help, because you just don’t read in this genre or subject area.
Since you’re looking at this blog post, odds are high that you already know how NoveList databases can help you with recommendations, lists, and genre guides. But you may not be aware of another NoveList tool that can prevent those deer-in-headlights moments and keep you suggesting books like the pro you are: NextReads.
Included in every subscription to LibraryAware, NextReads is a readers’ advisory newsletter service. It provides libraries with customizable, free-to-patrons e-newsletters that recommend books across a variety of genres, subjects, and age groups. NextReads covers both new and backlist books, to keep your collections circulating, and connects with your catalog so that subscribers can click right through.
And if that sounds suspiciously good, let us reassure you that there’s no AI involved — all the books in NextReads newsletters are selected by real human librarians. We write the annotations, too, so that subscribers get only the most relevant information about potential reads.
So next time you feel outmatched by a readers’ advisory request in unfamiliar territory, try leaning on NextReads by using these tips:
- See what’s recommended in the most recent issue of a relevant newsletter — you'll be able help a patron faster if you’re looking at a small selection of high-interest books, rather than wading through everything in that genre or subject.
- Because NextReads is written for readers, you can use the annotations to quickly share the key points of a book. Being able to identify specific story elements is especially helpful when you’re working with fans of subgenres such as cozy mysteries, domestic thrillers, or romantasy.
- If you can show a screen to patrons, you can let them browse a NextReads newsletter to get a better idea of what they’re looking for.
- If paper works better in your library, keep printed copies of the most recent newsletters at the desk and hand them to readers who prefer a more self-directed RA experience.
- While you’re at it, get patrons subscribed to NextReads! That way, they leave the library not only with the books you were able to suggest, but also with a free resource that will provide ongoing book recommendations directly in their email.
- You can even use NextReads to educate yourself in advance by subscribing to a bunch of newsletters. Even if you only skim each one, you’ll still be staying up-to-date across a wide variety of reading material. (If you’re super busy, try the Must-Read Books newsletter, which includes a little bit of everything that’s new and hot each month.)
Rebecca Honeycutt is the Content Development Coordinator for NoveList, which includes creating NextReads newsletters for kids and teens. They are currently reading Scarlet Morning by N.D. Stevenson.