Insights for local booksellers, collections development librarians, authors, agents and publishers

Panorama Picks provides local booksellers with quarterly lists of popular fiction, nonfiction, and young adult titles that are in demand at public libraries beyond their initial promotional windows—optimized for local interest via regional groupings, one for each of the eight regions represented by independent booksellers’ associations plus Hawaii. This unique program uses aggregated, anonymized hold list data from public libraries across the United States to identify recently published titles that have notably longer wait times for local library patrons—unmet demand that can help activate inventory, and identify opportunities for author events, read-alikes, and special promotions.

We hope that these regional insights will help public libraries and local booksellers work together more effectively to better serve readers in their communities, while helping publishers and authors identify regional marketing opportunities for titles that have moved beyond their initial promotional window.

The Panorama Project compiles and publishes new lists on a quarterly basis, and actively promotes the program to all industry stakeholders, including local booksellers, authors, agents and publishers.

Adult fiction titles with notable unmet demand across the USA - Q3 2022.

Panorama Picks: Regional Lists

The groupings below correspond to regions (plus Hawaii) represented by the eight major independent booksellers associations. A few adjustments have been made to simplify the reporting and presentation of the recommendations. The lists are freely available, provided as Google Sheets, and include the publication date, ISBN, and BISAC codes for each title.

CaliforniA

Great Lakes

Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Michigan

Hawaii

Midwest

Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin

Mountains & Plains

Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Wyoming

New Atlantic

Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia

New England

Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont

Pacific Northwest

Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington

Southeast

Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia

Methodology

Our Panorama Picks lists are generated using aggregated, anonymized U.S. public library ebook demand data provided by OverDrive, and the following process:

  • 3 categories—Adult Fiction, Adult Nonfiction, and Young Adult Fiction & Nonfiction

  • 9 regions—8 aligned with regional booksellers’ associations, plus Hawaii

  • 25 titles published within 4-12 months of the measured quarter and available in print to libraries and booksellers—trade and self-published.

    • NOTE: The Q1 & Q2 2019 lists used a backlist-focused 13-24 month publication date window; Q3 2019 and beyond used a 7-12 month publication date window.

  • Filtered to exclude the top 10 most in-demand titles in the U.S., in each category.

The quarterly lists reflect a wide range of in-demand titles in their respective regions. Some are familiar titles that are enjoying continued popularity; others are under-the-radar titles that may not have garnered national attention but are generating notable local interest well past their initial publication dates. In all instances, the Picks represent an opportunity for booksellers, publishers, and authors to understand and benefit from public libraries’ role as a prime discovery channel for readers of all ages.

Booksellers & Authors: Want Your Feedback!

Please contact us and tell us what you think of Panorama Picks and how we can make these lists more useful for you in 2022.