Each week, the County of Prince Edward Public Library receives a box, or several boxes, of new books. After they are added to the online catalogue, they become available to borrow. But how do we choose which books to purchase? Of course, budget and space limits mean that not every single book published can be purchased for the library.

Library staff monitor announcements from popular authors – for example, Louise Penny recently announced a new book in the Armand Gamache series entitled Gray Wolf which will be released in October of this year – and pre-order them to make sure they’re available as soon as possible for library patrons. We pay special attention to new releases from local and Ontario authors, and try to buy Canadian when it is possible, as well as titles from a diverse array of cultures.

As soon as the book is ordered by the library, you can place your request to ensure that when the book arrives, it will be reserved for you and sent to your preferred branch. Placing holds on upcoming books also helps us gauge demand – 18 readers have already requested Gray Wolf, so we know to order more than just one copy. We also monitor books and DVDs that have a high number of people waiting for them – currently, DVDs Barbie and Oppenheimer are vying for the highest number of requests. If you followed the news when the films were in theatres, you’ll appreciate that we have our own “Barbenheimer” happening.

We are also receptive to requests from the community. If you read a review of an upcoming title and you would like the library to consider ordering it, ask at any branch or visit peclibrary.org/rfp to place your request. You can also place a request for ebooks to be added to the library collection this way, though not all titles are available for libraries. Often we find that if one person wants to read a book, others do too. It’s important that the library collection reflects the community’s interests and this is one way we do this.

All books are shared between our six branches – Ameliasburgh, Bloomfield, Consecon, Milford, Picton and Wellington. This means that you have access to a wide range of titles, but it also means that new books may not immediately make it to the new books shelf at your branch. One way to keep updated on the latest books and DVDs is by registering for the library’s weekly e-mail newsletter. Sign up by visiting peclibrary.org, call the Picton Branch at (613) 476-5962 or ask at any branch of the library.