MOST RESERVED BOOKS

Not so long ago, I tinkered with the idea that listing the most popular holds in public libraries was as good an indicator of bestsellers as the bestseller lists.  Maybe even better, being less skewed by the data collection method.  I also wondered what the reserved list was like at our own public library in Wellington.

To my astonishment I opened our community paper, The Wellingtonian, to find a story by Rebecca Thomson called WAITING FOR A GOOD READ.  She had interviewed collections manager John Stears, and he had supplied a list of what Wellingtonians sign up to take out.

Eighty-three people are waiting to read The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest -- so many that the budget has been stretched to ordering more copies.

Others in great demand are The Girl Who Played With Fire (76 requests), and Andre Agassi's biography, Open (51 reserves).  Following close behind are:

Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris
House Rules by Jodi Picoult
Gabriel Method (Revolutionary Diet) by Jon Gabriel
So Much for That by Lionel Shriver
Last Song by Nicholas Sparks

The most popular children's book is Water Blaster by H.I. Larry.

The most popular CD is Heligoland by Massive Attack
And the most popular DVD is season four of the TV series How I Met Your Mother.