Off the Shelf @ Your Library

NoveList

By Kathryn E. Pillatzki
Assistant Director
Henry County Library System

  One of the great tragedies of my life is that I can read faster than my favorite authors can write. Okay, maybe it’s not exactly a tragedy, but many fiction fans have an absolute favorite author or genre that they love. They read all of the authors in that genre and suddenly they are bereft of books. Often they have difficulty finding another author they would enjoy. A quick way to find some great books is through NoveList and NoveList K-8. 

 Available free through GALILEO, both NoveList databases can be accessed through the library website, www.henry.public.lib.ga.us. Click on “Reference Resources,” then follow the link to GALILEO. You will be prompted for a password. Anyone with a valid library card in good standing can get the password in person at your nearest library. Remember that the password changes every three months.

  NoveList covers children’s books through adult, with an emphasis on older teen and adult book topics. NoveList K-8 places more emphasis on younger teens and children and does not cover adult books.

  The first thing you see on both databases is a list of current bestsellers. Each bestseller has a list of recommended reading, since the bestsellers are often checked out of the library and patrons will want to read something while they wait their turn on the hold list. Recommended books are similar to the bestseller in style, theme, and genre.

  From there, users have different search options. You can either type in a keyword, subject, author, or title and search for books, or you can choose the reading level (Adult, Teen, Ages 9-12, Ages 0-8 for NoveList) and be presented with a variety of genres to choose from and find the recommended reads for that genre. 

  Once you have found an author, book, or series that you enjoy, NoveList will recommend other titles, authors, or series similar to those you enjoy and explain why they suggested these options. If NoveList only recommends titles that you have read before, you can take specific keywords from your original search and find other entries that fit into those categories.

  Not sure the book NoveList recommended is for you? Many books in NoveList allow users to read the first chapter of that book. NoveList has also improved its descriptors of books, describing the genre, storyline, tone, and writing style with terms like “Action-Packed,” “Suspenseful,” and “Engaging,” If you’re not sure what NoveList means by “Engaging,” check out their dictionary of terms. If you are still unsure of how you might feel about the book, NoveList offers reviews.

  For those of you in book clubs NoveList also provides book discussion guides.

  NoveList has so much to offer that not all of it could be covered in this article. Even though NoveList is jam packed with information about books it is easy to use, and if you need help at first NoveList has quick and simple tutorials that you can access by clicking the “How to Use NoveList” button.

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