by Cathy Cooney

With so many fantastic books in the world, and in the library, how do you narrow down your options? Some readers choose what to read based on their mood. Others go through phases where they only pick one type of book. (I once read nothing but cozy mysteries for 2 years.) Some move alphabetically through a list, grab a book with an eye-catching cover, binge series by series, or follow an order only they understand. What do all of these readers have in common? No matter what method you use, at some point you’ll finish your current book and need to decide on your next literary adventure. If you’re stuck, Ames Public Library is here to help!

Know you want to read something everyone’s talking about? Check out our Quick Picks collection! These bestsellers and popular titles do not require you to wait on hold, so if you see a book on the shelf you want to read, you can borrow it for one week (no renewals) and find out what all the fuss is about! Some of the titles currently featured include “The President’s Daughter” by Bill Clinton and James Patterson, “Project Hail Mary” by Andy Weir, “While Justice Sleeps” by Stacey Abrams, “The Midnight Library” by Matt Haig, “That Summer” by Jennifer Weiner, and “One Last Stop” by Casey McQuiston. You’ll find the Quick Picks on the second floor by the new books and audio.

Have a favorite genre but feel like you’re stuck revisiting the same handful of authors? Sign up for one (or all) of our Book Newsletters, located at www.amespubliclibrary.org/NextReads! These newsletters offer a variety of different adult fiction genres, and feature both new releases and a selection of older titles on a theme. For example, this month highlights mysteries in “The Great Outdoors,” Christian fiction set on beaches, under-the-radar but excellent sci-fi and fantasy, fiction featuring animal main characters, the 2020 Bram Stoker Award winners (horror fiction), wedding-themed romance, and more! If you see something you’re interested in, just click on the title to head straight to the APL catalog to place it on hold. The newsletters come regularly, but no more than once a week, and they include so much variety you’re almost guaranteed to find something of interest.

Not sure where to start? It sounds like you need Personalized Picks! APL’s Personalized Picks asks you to fill out a short form about your preferences, then sends it to a staff member who will curate a custom list of recommendations for you! The list links to our catalog so you can read more about the titles or place them on hold. We also welcome your feedback! If the titles in the list don’t quite fit your interests, we will gladly revisit the list and send new recommendations. If they were exactly your cup of tea, we can enthusiastically recommend more in the same vein. Of course, I can’t speak for our entire staff, but connecting books and customers is one of my favorite parts of librarianship. It always makes my day when a reader leaves the library excited about a book they have in hand.

Now that you have a list of great new books to choose from, you might also enjoy participating in our adult Summer Reading Program. Just like with the youth version, you’ll track the number of minutes you spend reading using our website, the Beanstack app, or an intricately-designed coloring page. (I can’t wait to color mine!) For reaching milestones along the way, adults can earn a prize like a journal or Koozie, as well as tickets to participate in one of several raffles. Each raffle includes a Kindle Fire (without ads) and a gift card to a local business. (This year’s gift cards include Dog-Eared Books, Chocolaterie Stam, Morning Bell Coffee Roasters, Cook’s Emporium, and Worldly Goods).

All this writing about books makes me want to go read the next book on my list – I just need to remember to keep track of those minutes!