My son-in-law recently emailed me an interesting missive involving the library in Hamilton, Ont. where he and my daughter live. What he sent was an article published earlier this month in the Hamilton Spectator listing the top ten most popular holds in the Hamilton Public Library system.
The most popular hold was an unlimited pass to the Niagara Peninsula Authority NaturePlus. So popular was this pass that the 19 available passes had 582 holds, meaning that anyone who is registered as one of those holds will likely wait months before her/his turn arrives.
A similar number of holds cluttered demand for all the top five items – mostly park and conservation passes – on a list that also included the Royal Ontario Museum.
Only holds numbered six and seven were listed as actual books. They were “The Let Them Theory,” a self-help book with more than seven million copies sold, followed by “The Black Wolf,” a mystery novel.
In the number eight position is a movie, “Mission Impossible – The Final Reckoning,” starring Tom Cruise in what is described as one of the library’s most popular lending items in his last portrayal of Ethan Hunt and his death-defying stunts. I’m not sure how many there are in that series. The first was by far the best. I remember watching the second and part of the third instalment before giving up because the character and his deeds were worn out. I was certainly worn out.
Number nine on the list is “The Secret of Secrets” by Dan Brown, author of “The Da Vinci Code.” At last, an author and a book of which I am actually aware!
The final item, number ten on demand from the Hamilton library, is something I have to admit I’ve never heard of before. It’s a radon detector to tell you how much radon – an invisible gas – is in your home. You’ll want to know because, after smoking, radon is said to be one of the leading causes of lung cancer, according to the Canadian Cancer Society.
As a veteran user of libraries in every city I’ve ever lived in since I was a tad, I find this ten-most-wanted list incredible. Imagine the knowledgeable library staff surrounded by thousands of eminently readable books spending their time handing out park passes and detection devices. As a reader, and a writer, all of this makes my heart sad.