This guide suggests resources and strategies for finding books to read for fun.  Sometimes a break from scholarly reading is necessary and recreational reading is just the key.  Use this subject guide to find books you may enjoy reading for leisure.

Find Books Using Databases  |  Find Books  |  Reviews  |  Organizations  |  Web Resources  |  Additional Resources 

Search indexes, abstracts, and databases to find journal, magazine, and newspaper articles.  For a complete list of Kent Library's online indexes and databases, see the Find: articles page.

To find books use the following online databases:

Books In Print - Fiction Connection and Nonfiction Connection
This database has a feature called Fiction Connection that suggests books based on what readers like to read about.  This feature is also available for nonfiction books.

Credo Reference - Literature
This database searches many literature reference books including dictionaries, encyclopedias and more for information about literature.

Literature Resource Center
This database includes a search for authors by type that can be used to search for a specific genre of literature. The title search will yield information on literary criticism, biographies and additional resources.

Oxford Reference Online - Literature
The literature section of Oxford Reference Online includes encyclopedias and biographies related to many types of literature.

Book Review Digest
This database indexes book reviews from 1905 to the present.  You will find almost three million reviews here.

Readers tend to like a certain attribute when reading.  These include setting, character, time period or writing style.  Readers tend to care most about one of the above topics when reading and books are often recommended based on a reader's preference.  Some web resources allow a reader to search by these attributes, as does Books in Print - Fiction Connection.

Keyword searches allow you to use your own words as search terms.
Subject heading searches use Library of Congress subject headings. Printed volumes of these headings are located near the Reference Desk on the main floor.

Popular fiction books are located in Sadie's Place on the second level of Kent Library and other new books are also stored here.  A popular paperback collection is located on the fourth level.  These are all available for checkout.

Listed below are books about books listed in order by Dewey Decimal number and followed by their location within the library:

The Big Read
Available free online as an E-Book

The Young Adult Reader's Adviser
011.62 Y84 Instructional Materials Center

50 Years of Notable Books
011.73 B644f Instructional Materials Center

Book by Book: Notes on Reading and Life
028.9 D627b Kent Stacks

The Reader's Guide to the Best Evangelical Books
230.046 B735r Kent Stacks

The 101 Best Graphic Novels
R 741.59016 W4316o Reference Collection

Now Read This: A Guide to Mainstream Fiction, 1978-1998
808.83016 P3163n Kent Stacks

Genreflecting: A Guide to Reading Interests in Genre Fiction
813.009016 R723g Kent Stacks

The Crown Crime Companion: the Top 100 Mystery Novels of All Time
R 823.087208 C885 Reference Collection

Black Writers and the Hispanic Canon
R 860.989608 J137b Reference Collection

The American Historical Association's Guide to Historical Literature
900.16 Am347 1995 Kent Stacks

The Great Books: A Journey Through 2,500 Years of the West's Classic Literature
On Order, available soon

Use the Kent Library Catalog (http://library.semo.edu/find/books.shtml) to find books.

Keyword searches allow you to use your own words as search terms.
Subject heading searches use Library of Congress subject headings. Printed volumes of these headings are located near the Reference Desk on the main floor.

See Kent Library Subject Guide on Book Reviews.

Some book review blogs are listed under Web Resources.

Professional organizations and/or societies often provide very useful topic related information.

American Library Association page on Reader's Advisory
 

All Readers
This site features detailed book reviews for many different genres. A title/author search and plot, setting or character search are available.

American Library Association Recommended Reading
Book lists for all ages brought to you by ALA.

Book Seer
This simple site allows a user to type in a book they read and enjoyed and get recommendations based on Amazon.com reviews and suggestions as well as Library Thing suggestions.

Boys Read
The goal of this site is to develop a generation of literate men and transform boys into lifelong readers.

Guys Read
Maintained by a former teacher, this author with five brothers thinks guys need to read more.  His site is devoted to books recommended for male readers.

Library Thing Book Suggester
Library Thing allows you to save books in your own online library.  One feature of their website is to recommend books you may like based on what you have already read.

Library Thing Book Unsuggester
Same concept as the above link, but for books you will not like.

R.A. 2.0 Wiki
This wiki features information on reader's advisory.  Mostly used by librarians, this site features other good sites that recommend books.

R.A. For All
Maintained by a reader's advisory librarian, this blog has reading recommendations as well as book discussions.

The Reader's Advisor Online
This site features a subscription service dedicated to reader's advisory.  Their free blog has lots of information about reader's advisory as well as book recommendations and book lists.

Reader's Advisory Knapsack
Maintained by a public librarian, this site posts links and articles that are relevant to book lovers and those who advise them on what to read next.

Readers Advisory Link Farm
A huge list of websites devoted to reader's advisory, book recommendations, reviews, best sellers, bookstores and reading guides.

Sarah's Reference Warehouse: Readers Advisory
A blog post from the Librarian In Black discussing useful online reader's advisory tools.  This includes many helpful links.

What Should I Read Next?
Type in the last book you read and this site will give you a list of suggestions for your next read.

Which Book
This site gives readers a way to find books to match their mood using a series of scales rating different aspects of the book (ex. expected vs. unpredictable).

For a list of Web searching tools, see the Find: web resources page (http://library.semo.edu/find/webpages.shtml).

Amazon
Many user reviews and book suggestions make this popular online store another place to find your next book.

Good Reads
A social networking site devoted to readers.  Users can add friends, review books, rate books and get recommendations.

Shelfari
A social networking site for people who love books.