Obtaining Book Club Selections

If you're having trouble getting copies of book club selections, here are a couple of ideas to try.

The first suggestion I'd make is to check the Merlin catalog. The web address is http://merlin.nwls.lib.wi.us/search./ You can search for copies of the book that are available in the Northern Waters Library System. To make it easier, click on "My Account". Enter your name and library card number and then "submit". Your account page shows all the books you have on hold and all the books that you have checked out. You can "opt in" to save your reading history and you can create wish lists so you won't forget books that have been recommended. On the account page, you can also search for books. When you find a book, you can check it out online and pick it up at your local library branch.

If you need a book for book club and all the local copies are taken, you can go to the Northern Waters Library site (http://nwls.wislib.org/) and click on "State Library Catalog" on the left. Search for the book and, if you find a copy of the book in Wisconsin, you can call your local librarian and ask her to request the book. The book comes to your local library branch and must be returned to your local library branch.

I believe this is how Callie in MW gets a lot of our books for book club. She orders them from outside the Northern Waters system and has them sent to the Koller library. We can pick them up at book club but they must be returned to the Koller library. It does help free up the local books for people who might not live near the Koller library.

And, even if you prefer a hardcover book, if you have an eReader or tablet, be sure to check the digital copies. There are 184 library copies of The Round House with 108 copies available. I guess I've kind of gone to the dark side -- I prefer digital copies of books. One of the nicest things is being able to put a pre-release title on hold and receiving an email on the release day to "pick up" your book. Or -- you need a book to read at midnight -- just download a digital book.