Welcome to September, and the ninth month of the Read with MLC 2025 Reading Challenge! This month’s goal is to read a book set at a school or college. September means that cooler weather is right around the corner, mums are literally everywhere, and pumpkin spice tempts our nostrils with each step. Whether your loved ones are studying hard at preK-12 or one (or more!) of you are hitting the books at a university, the school semester is well under way. If you’re busy as all get out, but want to find the perfect “school” book, NoveList is the perfect library tool for you. Fun tip: you can access NoveList through MAGNOLIA databases; just sign in and click through.

NoveList sorts books several ways: by theme – the things you love that hook you in a book, by genre – a broad category with similar subjects, and by appeal factor – storyline, characterization, mood, and style. There are several themes available to explore to get you in the school spirit. Once you click on the initial list, you can narrow things down even further by setting filters for age group, genre, theme, and more. For example, if you’re an amateur gumshoe, you can explore the “sleuths in schools” mystery theme. Have you also liked the idea of being far from home? Choose “boarding school life”. “Dark academia”, a sort of aesthetic encompassing university life and mysterious happenings, is yet another option. If you can’t find a pre-sorted theme that tickles your fancy, hit the search bar with your own unique selection, like “school England fiction” or “graphic novel college historical”. NoveList is the bane of many librarians’ existence, if only for the sheer number of titles added to “to be read” lists.

If you can’t find what you want in NoveList, you have another option. MLC’s BookMatch service is the ultimate “what on earth should I read now‽” book search. Your answers on our short form give us an idea of your likes and dislikes; we’ll send you a short list of suggested titles tailored to your specific tastes. Now, dust off those number two pencils, and until next time, happy reading!

Elisabeth Scott
Reference Librarian