Vote for 2023-2024 Books

We Have Completed the Book Selection Process for 2023-2024.

Thanks to the twenty who participated in the process and voted selections from 24 “nominated” books. Here is the reading schedule for 2023-2024…. and below that, the voting results used to create the schedule.

How many votes each book received out of 20:

Materials Used in the Voting Process During June-July, 2023

Overview of Process:

You will be choosing which 12 books you like best for the 2023-2024 year from a list of 24 possible books. However, the books and voting have been divided into two parts:

  • GROUP A has 14 possible books. You will choose up to 7 you like best.
  • GROUP B has 10 possible books. You will choose up to 5 you like best.

All 24 books, in two groups, are on a Worksheet. Use the Worksheet to prepare for the Online Ballot.

Why Are we Doing it in 2 “Groups”?

In April we did a survey to learn which of 16 types of crime fiction books our participants most prefer. The top 4 types chosen are the kind of books in Group A. Other types representing preferences of about half the group make up the kind of books in Group B. If you want to see the survey results, click here.

How Do I Start?

Use the “Voter Worksheet” –just one page with all 24 books listed– to take notes and keep track of books you want to vote for. You can also cross out ones you know you do not want to vote for, as a way to whittle the list down to your best preferences in each group.

  • If you attended the June 30 meeting, the Worksheet was included in the Handout at the end of the meeting. Otherwise use next two bullets.
  • This version is a web page. Use it for reading online. All book titles are clickable.
  • This version is a PDF. Use it to print out the Worksheet. Or request a paper copy from Dick or Maddy. If you download/save it to your computer, when you open the saved PDF, then all the book titles are clickable.

What Do the Clickable Title Links Do?

The clickable title links on the Worksheet take you to a full page of information about the book. This is an example of one InfoPage.  Each InfoPage has:

  • BASICS about the plot/protagonist, the setting, the context (what else has the author written), and Amazon ratings in 3 bullets.
  • LONG FORM has (1) the publisher’s blurb of 1-5 paragraphs, (2) sometimes quotes from reviews I thought were interesting, and (3) a quick statement about why I decided to include the book on the list of 24 books. That quick statement is somewhere on the page in bold purple font so you can find it easily.
  • ANY AWARDS GIVEN for that book.

The Info Pages Each Have a Lot of Details. Can I Get a Quick Blurb of Each Book Instead?

Yes you can. There is a separate Three Page “BlurbList” of the 24 books that has a one paragraph blurb next to each title. Once again, each title is clickable if you want to get more detailed information.

  • If you attended the June 30 meeting, the Worksheet was included in the Handout at the end of the meeting. Otherwise use next two bullets.
  • This version is a web page. Use/read it online. All book titles are clickable.
  • This version is a PDF.   If you download/save it to your computer, when you open the saved PDF, then all the book titles are clickable. Use this version to print a paper copy if you wish.

Which Books are more Popular? Which get Higher Amazon Star Ratings?

Each book’s InfoPage shows that information. Here is also a chart of how the books compare. Don’t take it too seriously. There are so many factors influencing those numbers, depending on the book, when published, where first published, which publisher, and much more.

How can I Read All the InfoPages Without Constantly Clicking on Titles?

You can read all the InfoPages in a single PDF for each Group. If you choose to print them out, it’s a combined total of about 25 pages.

When Voting, Do I Have to Choose from Each “Type” of Books?

No. In the Group A list of books, choose up to 7 of ANY of the 14 books in that group no mater the “type” of mystery. Same in Group B- vote for up to 5 of ANY of the 10 books in that group.

Where Is the Actual Ballot?

It is an online ballot. You will be (or have been) e-mailed a link to your ballot on Sunday, July 2, 2023 (assuming you are on the main mailing list). The email comes from “Richard Goutal” with a subject line of “Vote for 2023-2024 MBC Books.” If after trying to use the online ballot, you have technical difficulty, please contact Maddy at the library to meet up for some help! (If possible, call ahead to 978-526-2017.)

When Do I Do This?

Please do this in the next few weeks as soon as reasonably possible. If you hurry through, it might take about an hour. If you read all the InfoPages (one for each of the 24 books), it will take longer.

The Final Deadline is Midnight on July 25.

We’d like to tally and prepare to share the results at our July MBC meeting on July 28.

Please participate. Please give all the books careful consideration. Your input (voting) is extremely important to help ensure a good list for next year.

What Process Did You Use to Come Up With These 24 “Nominations” for Final Voting?

Good question. You can read about that here.

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