Reads & Streams in the Arts
by the Arts Brève Team
Oftentimes, books and audio-visual materials in the arts aren't at the top of the list for public librarians to see when ordering books from large distributors. Nowadays, public libraries lean towards popular or trending books because their demand is higher. This new list is our quest to present books and albums in the arts that may be trending in the arts world or can be used to create programs for the public. Each item contains the audience that would most likely be interested in using the material. We also outlined different ways to market each item to the public. Enjoy!
Who is Your Audience?
Knowing your residents and how they use your collection can make a huge difference when offering the arts in your collection or in programming. Below are some helpful categories to help you make a better decision when choosing items or introducing items to library patrons.
NOVICE
A novice is a patron who does not know about the arts but is looking for new interests. Items pertaining to novices are for public collections that call for the library to introduce the arts to these patrons and ignite their interests. They often know much more about popular culture than what’s happening in the arts.
EXPLORER
These items are for customers who have some knowledge of the arts and want to learn more. Oftentimes explorers stream music from library streaming services. They may take out music and art biographies and may attend music and art programming at your library.
AFICIONADO
Ordering for aficionados requires knowledge about their habits when consuming the arts.These patrons are aware of the arts through museums, classical music, jazz and more… Oftentimes, these patrons attend music and art programming at your library. Aficionados are professionals in the arts world with thorough knowledge of visual and/or the performing arts.
Our Picks: Spring-Summer 2026 Edition
Album Picks
Golden Age by Erin Morley, Lawrence Brownlee, Münchner Rundfunkorchester
Piano Book 2 by Lang Lang
Schubert: Chamber Music [Box Set]
Diogenes Quartet, Aapo Hakkinen, Klavier Trio Amsterdam
Art Book Picks
Black Artists in Their Own Words
by Lisa E. Farrington (Editor)
Native Studio Art Since the 1920s: The Healey Collection Edited by Alexander Brier Marr
Abstract Expressionism—and Beyond American Painting in the Collection Reinhard Ernst Edited by the Reinhard & Sonja Ernst Stiftung Foundation
Edmonia Lewis Said in Stone by Jeffrey Richmond-Moll and Shawnya L. Harris
Mrs Kauffman and Madame Le Brun: The Extraordinary Entwined Lives of Two Eighteenth-Century Painters by Franny Moyle
Derrick Adams: Essays by Hallie Ringle, Salamishah Tillet, and Dexter Wimberly, and an interview by Sandra Jackson-Dumont
Music Book Picks
Letters for the Ages Great Musicians by James Drake (Anthology Editor) , Edward Smyth (Anthology Editor)
Faith, Family, and Flag: Branson Entertainment and the Idea of America
By Joanna Dee Das
Opera and the Built Environment by Laura Vasilyeva
Art Book Picks
Black Artists in Their Own Words
by Lisa E. Farrington (Editor)
Native Studio Art Since the 1920s: The Healey Collection Edited by Alexander Brier Marr
Abstract Expressionism—and Beyond American Painting in the Collection Reinhard Ernst Edited by the Reinhard & Sonja Ernst Stiftung Foundation
Edmonia Lewis Said in Stone by Jeffrey Richmond-Moll and Shawnya L. Harris
Hybrid Book Picks (Covers multiple arts sectors)
Judy Garland: The Voice of MGM by Scott Brogan (Author)
Music Book Picks
Opera and the Built Environment by Laura Vasilyeva
The Understudy, A Novel by Morgan Richter
Pan, A Novel, by Michael Clune
Faith, Family, and Flag: Branson Entertainment and the Idea of America By Joanna Dee Das
Album Picks
Beethoven for Three: Symphony No. 1 / Op. 70, No. 1 “Ghost” / Op. 11 “Gassenhauer”: Yo-Yo Ma, Leonidas Kavakos & Emanuel Ax
Duarte: Americana, Original Guitar Works and Arrangements of 12 Songs by Gershwin, Francesco Cipriano (Artist), John Duarte (Composer)
Doppelgänger by Jonas Kaufmann
Art Book Picks
Sargent and Paris by Stephanie L. Herdrich (Author), Caroline Corbeau-Parsons (Contributor), Caroline Elenowitz-Hess (Contributor)
Frida Kahlo's Month in Paris: A Friendship with Mary Reynolds by Tamar Kharatishvili Alive Piliado Santana Caitlin Haskell (Editor)
Black Artists in Their Own Words
by Lisa E. Farrington (Editor)
Wayne Thiebaud: Art Comes from Art by Timothy Anglin Burgar(Editor), Rachel Teagle (Contributor), Eve Aschheim (Contributor)
Hybrid Book Picks (Covers multiple arts sectors)
Audrey Hepburn: A Life of Beautiful Uncertainty Hardcover by Tom Santopietro (Author), Jeffrey Banks (Commentary)
Judy Garland: The Voice of MGM by Scott Brogan (Author)
Music Book Picks
The Unexpected Diva by Tiffany Warren
The Shortest History of Music: From Bone Flutes to Synthesizers, Hildegard of Bingen to Beyoncé… by Andrew Ford
Resonant Minds by Sheila Leila & Mort Sherman
Album Picks
Britten & Shostakovich: Music based on texts by Michelangelo
Wagner: Der fliegende Holländer
Art Book Picks
A Handbook of Latinx Art by Rocío Aranda-Alvarado (Editor), Deborah Cullen-Morales (Editor)
Siena: The Rise of Painting- 1300-1350 by Joanna Cannon
Monet: The Restless Vision by Jackie Wullschläger
Hybrid Book Picks (Covers multiple arts sectors)
Looking at Fashion: A Guide to Terms, Styles and Techniques by Debra N. Mancoff
Matriarch: A Memoir by Tina Knowles
Harlem Rhapsody by Victoria Christopher Murray
Music Book Picks
The Unexpected Diva by Tiffany Warren
Tchaikovsky’s Empire: A New Life of Russia’s Great Composer by Simon Morrison
The Shortest History of Music: From Bone Flutes to Synthesizers, Hildegard of Bingen to Beyoncé… by Andrew Ford
Album Picks
Maria Soundtrack
Leonard Bernstein: Beethoven: Symphony No. 5
Donizetti Songs: Lawrence
Brownlee & Carlo Rizzi
Art Book Picks
Mandalas: Mapping the Buddhist Art of Tibet by Kirk A Behrendt
Siena: The Rise of Painting- 1300-1350 by Joanna Cannon
Monet: The Restless Vision by Jackie Wullschläger
Music Book Picks
South Side Impresarios How Race Women Transformed Chicago's Classical Music Scene by Samantha Ege
Ira Gershwin: A Life in Words by Michael Owen
Juilliard School Library Music Manuscripts: By and For Performers Edited by Jane Gottlieb, with Richard Griscom
Music Marketing for the DIY Musician Creating and Executing a Plan of Attack on a Low Budget, Third Edition by Bobby Borg
*Childrens Book Pick
A Symphony of Stories Musical Myths and Tuneful Tales by James Mayhew
Album Picks
Andrea Bocelli- Duets: 30th Anniversary (CD)
Brahms: Piano Concertos and Solo Piano- Opp 116-119, Igor Levit, Christian Thielemann and Wiener Philharmonic (CD)