Summer time, and the readin’s easy…

Apologies. I couldn’t help myself. The calendar now says May which means, on this western side of the globe, temperatures are heating up. Summer to me has always been a time of outdoor adventures, beach lounging and, of course, summer reading. In my youth, we had reading programs from schools and libraries to prevent the summer slide but as an adult those aren’t as prevalent.

This is why it’s important to curate and promote books that will make sure your users keep the library in their daily routine while having fun in the sun. Here are several collections we’ve created over on overdrive.com that you’re welcome to use as jumping off points for your digital library curation.

Page to screen 2018
This collection is always popular and, hey, you don’t always have to re-invent the wheel. Books becoming movies and TV shows resonate with readers, especially those that want to be in the know and say, “The book was better.” (raises hand).

Beach Reads from Kobo Writing Life
Our friends at Kobo provide independent authors a unique opportunity to publish and promote books without needing a major publishing house’s backing. The collection we’ve created here features some spicy titles perfect for heating up your beach or poolside afternoon.

OverDrive’s favorite audiobooks
The long days that summer brings means I am constantly outside. Whether it’s running trails, hiking with my dogs or just doing yard work, I am constantly on the go. My quest to soak up vitamin D and have as many outdoor excursions as possible means I’m rarely sitting still long enough to grab a book. That doesn’t mean I don’t read, though. Audiobooks help me enjoy books no matter what new adventure I’m seeking.

This collection is a sampling of OUR favorites, but showing your staff or reader picks is a great way to add a unique spin and bring your community together.

Book Riot Read Harder Challenge recommendations
Each January, we all set out hit milestone goals as readers. Many of these read-solutions (I’m on fire today…) fall by the wayside come summer. This collection is perfect for anyone trying to tackle Book Riot’s popular Read Harder Challenge. Every few months our Professional Book Nerds podcast provides recommendations to conquer the challenges and this is a running list of everything they’ve suggested so far.

Thirteen Reasons Why Read-Alikes
Jay Asher’s YA phenomenon took the world by storm both in book form and as last year’s most popular new show on Netflix. Season two just launched so now is the perfect time to capitalize on all those readers who will binge watch the show and yearn for more content.

Westworld Read-Alikes
Speaking of shows we can’t get enough of.

I’m like 91% sure I’m not a host robot but even if I was I would love this collection of westerns, science fiction, robot rebellions and mystery.

The Great American Read-ing list
PBS is rolling out an eight-part series this summer with the goal of determining America’s favorite book. We’ve previously discussed this collection but it’s a perfect way to reignite interest in classic books.

 

Series Starters
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen a book that looks intriguing only to learn it’s book five of a series. Summer is the perfect time to take a deep dive into a new world. Plus, this ensures those readers will keep coming back for the next titles in the series!