Local librarians create reading lists based on astrological signs

 

ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind.—The St. Joseph County Public Library has curated reading lists based on astrological signs.

The SJCPL’s Readers’ Advisory staff and librarians selected book titles for each list based upon the signs and personality traits.

Alexander Hess Waldron, a Capricorn, curated a list of books based upon research he did on his own astrological sign.

“I picked ‘A Man Called Ove’ because it’s about somebody who on the exterior is very grumpy, very cold and warms up as the book goes on, which is something that I kept reading that occurs with Capricorns that they start out very stern and hardworking and ambitious but the older they get they start to warm up,” Hess-Waldron said.

The books on each list range from children’s storybooks to adult autobiographies. The librarians hope that adults will even consider picking up a picture book from their sign's list.

Hess-Waldron even added Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s book “Shortest Way Home” to the Capricorn’s reading list.

“It [research] kept saying that the sea goats are good managers, which doesn’t apply at all to me but certainly would apply to him,” Hess-Waldron said. “Astrology is kind of like a fortune cookie, it can mean whatever you want it to mean.”

Click here to view the reading lists based on astrological signs curated by SJCPL librarians.

It’s a mere coincidence that the reading lists arrived to the library ahead of the annual Perseid meteor shower that is set to peak in August. Hess-Waldron recommends heading out to the SJCPL’s North Liberty branch to watch the starry show.

“We didn’t plan for the Perseids to tie into summer reading but it’s kind of perfect and serendipitous that it happened that way so we’re certainly going to take advantage of that,” Hess-Waldron said.

Curating the reading lists also gave the librarians an opportunity to stretch their often-forgotten skill of providing a recommendation for the next great read.

“Every so often you have to remind people that we are really good at finding the right book for you. No matter what, no matter what the criteria you have we’re excellent at this and we really like doing it,” Hess-Waldron said.

The reading lists are part of a larger summer reading challenge called “Universe of Stories.” Readers of all ages are invited to participate by logging their reading time to potentially win prizes like South Bend Cubs tickets, a Nintendo Switch, and Skyzone passes.