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NextReads newsletters are created by a team of professional librarians. Because we use the same selection resources that in-the-field librarians use, each title featured in a NextReads newsletter is one that you are likely to have in your collection and that you would be pleased to recommend to your patrons. See the list of topics covered and a sample issue.
When making selections, we:
- Comb through hundreds of book reviews (in Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, Booklist, Kirkus Reviews, and School Library Journal) and keep up with the latest news in books and publishing so that we can find well-reviewed titles that appeal to many different reading tastes.
- Check out reviews from regular readers, to ensure that the books we select have broad reader appeal.
- Examine popularity indicators such as sales figures and existing public library holdings to ensure that the majority of titles we select are likely to already be in your collection.
- Consider the diverse needs of your library patrons by selecting titles across a variety of genres, sub-genres, and topics, and by prioritizing books that are by and about people with marginalized identities
When writing annotations, we:
- Create annotations that are easy to skim.
- Use appeal terms to convey the style, mood, and characterization so that readers can decide whether each book is likely to be one that they will enjoy.
- Mention similar or related books to provide readers with new points of reading exploration.
- Include review quotes and series information.
- Maintain a casual tone that speaks to a wide range of library patrons, while also tailoring the style of each newsletter to speak specifically to the age range or interests of those particular readers.
