Chances are, your summer will include books. From ‘beach’ literature to just catching up on a favorite author you didn’t have time for during the semester, immersing yourself in a good book is a time-tested use of your summer or vacation. Normally, you might think of the college library as being a place for academic literature – not exactly the kind of books you’d pack for a vacation. But we have lots of lighter reading, as well – in plenty of genres.

Are you interested in comics? Our collection includes dozens of graphic novels (from superhero stories like Wonder Woman and the X-Men to more substantive fare like J Edgar Hoover, or acclaimed titles like Persepolis, Habibi, and Pride of Bagdad). We even have a whole online database dedicated to the form – Underground and Independent Comics. Or maybe you like brain teasers, riddles, and logic puzzles. If so, try puzzle books like Are You as Smart as You Think, Meanwhile (an adult-oriented find-your-fate-like brain teaser), or the Pocket Book of Frame Games.

Prefer mysteries? Try one by Sue Grafton or Patricia Cornwell. Are biographies your thing? Our collection includes subjects ranging from Chernow’s Alexander Hamilton to Careless Love: the Unmaking of Elvis Presley. Would you prefer a more popular bestseller? We offer titles like The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Wicked. And if you’re a more traditional reader, we have the classics and great books, like the works of Shakespeare and Pride and Prejudice (or parodies like Pride and Prejudice and Zombies).

May is also Get Caught Reading Month – come in and see what books the library staff have picked as out favorites, and let us know what yours are. There are a lot of great books waiting for you! As S. R. Ranganathan once said, there is a book for every reader and a reader for every book. Find yours at the library today! And if you need any help, Ask Us at iueref@iue.edu!