TOP TWENTY LIBRARY RESERVES

The Library Journal runs a very interesting feature on the top twenty library holds (what we call "reserves" down under), arguing that this is as good a gauge of popularity as the bestseller lists.  In fact, I suspect the reserve list could be more accurate -- as I have pointed out in previous posts, bestseller lists can be skewed by the methods of collecting the data.

The library chosen to supply the reserve list is in Gary, Indiana, and their readers (listeners, viewers) are an eclectic lot indeed, their choices ranging from empty-headed fiction to challenging political commentary.

1.   Push by Sapphire.  Vintage: Random House
2.   The 9th Judgment by James Patterson. Little, Brown.
3.   Alex Cross's Trial by James Patterson. Little, Brown.
4.   Deliver us from Evil by James Baldacci.  Grand Central.
5.   Wifey 4 Life by Kiki Swinson.  Melodrama Pub.
6.   Black Diamond by Brittani Williams.  Q-Boro
7.   Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer.  Little, Brown Young Readers (Twilight Saga)
8.   Payback by Paul Langan. Scholastic.
9.   16 on the Block by Babygirl Daniels. Urgan Books.
10. Diary of  a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days by Jeff McKinney.  Amulet: Abrams.
11. Miles to Go by Miley Cyrus.  Disney.
12. Too Many Toys by David Shannon.  Scholastic.
13. Game Change: Obama and the Clintons, McCain and Palin, and the Race of a Lifetime by John Heilemann & Mark Halperin.  HarperCollings.
14. The Politician: An Insider's Account of John Edwards's Pursuit of the Presidency and the Scandal That Brought Him Down by Andrew Young.  Thomas Dunne: St. Martins's.
15. 2012 DVD Sony Pictures
16. The Princess and the Frog. DVD Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment.
17. Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel. DVD 20th Century Fox.
18. The Blind Side. DVD Warner Home Video.
19. This is it by Michael Jackson.  Sony. (Music).
20. Raymond vs Raymond by Usher.  La face (music).

I think this is a neat idea, and tried trawling through the Wellington City Library site to see if I could find the top twenty reserves, but came up with zilch.  Perhaps a letter to the librarian ....