One of the bookish secret weapons you can access using your Washington County Library card is NoveList Plus, a digital tool that makes finding your next favorite read a snap.
After you sign into NoveList Plus with your library card, you can access a range of tools to find the perfect book – search by qualities like compelling writing or quirky characters, browse titles similar to your favorite reads, or look at expertly-crafted lists with recommendations based on genre and pop culture favorites.
Using the Appeal Mixer
If know exactly what you’re in the mood for, NoveList’s Appeal Mixer is a great tool. Appeal factors are designed to help readers find books that fit a particular style or mood. NoveList has an extensive list of different appeals that you can mix and match to identify a book with the perfect character, storyline, pace, tone or writing style.
The Appeal Mixer is linked on the front page of the NoveList site, or under the “Browse By” link in the main menu. Once you’re there, you can pick up to three categories and appeals for your mix, then see what comes out!
Using Your Favorite Book
If you already have a favorite book and want to find another book like it, NoveList can help! When you pull up the book’s listing in NoveList, look near the middle of the listing to find the appeal terms for that book. Pop over to the Appeal Mixer and use those terms to find similar titles.
You can also look for similar titles directly from the book page by scrolling down to the “Search for More” section. Choose the similarities you’re looking for – anything from genre to writing style to subject – then search for additional titles. NoveList will give you a list of books that match your particular criteria.
Using Recommendations Lists
The librarians who help make NoveList a robust resource have also put together a range of recommended reading lists you can access through the left sidebar of the NoveList homepage. There are tabs for Fiction and Nonfiction lists, as well as separate lists for adults, teens, and kids.
Each of the genres in the sidebar pops out to offer a range of more specific lists. From “Mysteries” you can get to lists of books with accidental sluth, historical mysteries, nordic noir, and more. A favorite tool among staff here at WashCoLib are the “For Fans Of…” lists. Using these lists, you can find book recommendations based on favorite TV shows, movies, or book characters.
While you can always check in with a local librarian to get your next book recommendation, accessing NoveList Plus using your Washington County Library card gives you one more way to find your next favorite book.
Need a little assistance navigating NoveList Plus? These videos, including a tutorial video on using basic search, can also help.