ALA Launching LibraryReads this Fall, Featuring Monthly Book Picks

Posted on June 29, 2013

The American Library Association (ALA) has partnered with a number of book publishers to launch LibraryReads, a new recommendation program which will showcase librarians' favorite new books. The program launches in the fall of 2013. The program is open to all public library staff. In a statement the ALA said that the list will serve as a national library staff picks list for the country. Each month, ten adult titles will be featured. The books on the list are those titles that library staff "have read, loved, and cannot wait to share with their patrons."

Robin Nesbitt, Collection Management Director, Columbus Metropolitan Library, had this to say about the project: "There are 16,000 public library buildings in the United States and every day, thousands of people who work in libraries recommend books in all categories and genres to the communities they serve. LibraryReads will harness their passion and deep book knowledge, and create a new way to connect readers and authors, using the incredible collective outreach of library systems, big and small, across the country."

The program grew out of conversations librarians had at a library conference in the summer of 2011. After a panel discussion of how important libraries are to communities, a group of librarians and library advocates brainstormed to see how they could raise the profile of libraries and get the word out about what valuable resources they are.

The group met with book publishers and convinced them to pay the cost of creating the website, libraryreads.org, and pay for marketing materials. Book publishers who have signed on for the project include HarperCollins, Macmillan, Other Press, Penguin Group (USA), Quercus Publishing, Random House, Inc. and Workman Publishing. We think it's a great program and look forward to see their first list of recommended books.