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Library Lists Most Popular Items of 2012

Library's Top 10 Books of 2012

(Updated at 12:55 p.m.) The Arlington Public Library is getting in on the trend of compiling year-end lists. It has released three lists of the library’s top materials in 2012.

The lists released on the library’s website are Top 10 Books of 2012, Top Ten DVDs of 2012 and Top Holds of 2012. Coming in at the top three for books are Bossypants by Tina Fey, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and State of Wonder by Ann Patchett.

“It’s an interesting assortment. It pretty much reflects national tastes, but we also tend to have a little more of an interest in non-fiction in Arlington,” said Arlington County Library spokesman Peter Golkin. “These are just the top 10, but our readers have a wider spread of interests. Our materials folks have to be on their toes a little more than maybe in other parts of the country.”

Golkin noted that library use continues to increase and it may be due, at least in part, to there being fewer bookstores in existence than in years past.

“There’s an obvious need the library is serving in the Arlington community,” Golkin said. “We try to provide what people want to read and watch, that’s part of our mission.”

Golkin noted that while library workers try to keep on top of the latest reading trends, residents can also fill out an online form to request the library adds specific materials.

The full lists released by the library are below.

Top 10 Books of 2012

  1. Bossypants by Tina Fey
  2. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
  3. State of Wonder by Ann Patchett
  4. In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson
  5. Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James
  6. The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides
  7. Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James
  8. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
  9. Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson
  10. Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

Top 10 DVDS of 2012

  1. The Help
  2. Midnight in Paris
  3. Signing Time!
  4. The Lion King
  5. Bridesmaids
  6. The King’s Speech
  7. John Adams
  8. The Debt
  9. True Grit
  10. Ratatouille

Top Holds of 2012

  1. Gone Girl: A Novel by Gillian Flynn
  2. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
  3. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
  4. Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James
  5. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
  6. Moneyball (DVD)
  7. The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling
  8. Midnight in Paris (DVD)
  9. The Ides of March (DVD)
  10. The Help (DVD)