Syndetics is the company that provides book jacket covers to online library catalogs nationwide.  So, when you look up a book and a small copy of the jacket appears that is courtesy of Syndetics or a similar company.  They thus have the capacity to keep track of the most requested books that library patrons are looking at.  As a result, they have just released the top fifteen most searched-for books of 2020 in United States public libraries. 

 

The top requested book should be no surprise to readers since it has been in demand for several years now (which in itself is quite impressive.)  Anyone who looks at best seller lists can see how fast books go up and down and disappear from these lists.  The top book is “Where the Crawdads Sing” by Delia Owens. 

 

Following in second place is “American Dirt” by Jeanine Cummins.  And then in order are: “Camino Winds” by John Grisham, “The Vanishing Half” by Brit Bennett, “The Silent Patient” by Alex Michaelides, “The Guest List” by Lucy foley, “The Giver of Stars” by Jojo Moyes, “Walk the Wire” by David Baldacci, “Little Fires Everywhere” by Celeste Ng and “28 Summers’ by Elin Hilderbrand round out the top ten. 

 

From 11-15, the favorite books are “The Dutch House” by Ann Patchett, “Such a Fun Age” by Kiley Reid, “Educated: A Memoir” by Tara Westover, “Fair Warning” by Michael Connelly and “The Boy from the Woods” by Harlen Coben. 

 

“Where the Crawdads Sing” was second in the United Kingdom, and 1st in both Australia and Canada.  The first book in the UK was a mystery, “The Thursday Murder Club” by Richard Osman. 

 

I have mentioned most of these in my columns over the past few years, but if you have not read some of these, they are a good place to start.  This list just proves library readers have great taste.