At the Library: Neill Public Library’s greatest hits of 2022

Last week on our Neill Public Library podcast we reviewed some staff favorites of 2022 — books, movies, and TV that really stood out for us (and that’s available on our website or wherever you get your podcasts). For this column, though, we’re looking at what our library patrons checked out in 2022. What books, movies, and TV series did adults check out the most last year? Many of these titles are popular everywhere, but there are a few in here that might be a little more Pullman-specific.

Starting right off, the most popular book at Neill Public Library in 2022 was Matt Haig’s feel-good novel, “The Midnight Library,” with multiple copies checked out almost 100 times, and that doesn’t even include the ebook checkouts. “The Midnight Library” came out in 2020, but its popularity actually increased throughout 2021 and 2022 and is still going strong.

No. 2 was “The Maid” by Nita Prose, a mystery designed to warm your heart. It also was the most popular book in 2022 that was actually published in 2022. Rounding out the podium at No. 3 was “The Lincoln Highway,” Amor Towles’ 2021 follow-up to the mega-blockbuster, “The Gentleman from Moscow.”

How about nonfiction? Cookbooks are always popular, but they didn’t take the top spot this year. Counting backwards, at No. 5 was Ali Slagle’s “I Dream of Dinner (So You Don’t Have To).” No. 4 was the oh-so-practical “Home Ec for Everyone.” No. 3 was “Half-Baked Harvest Every Day,” and No. 2 was “More Mediterranean: 225+ New Plant-forward Recipes,” which should be good for those healthy New Year’s resolutions. The No. 1 nonfiction book was Brene Brown’s “Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience.” Is it self-help? Pop psychology? Something else? I’m not sure, but I am sure it’s popular at the library.

Our most popular movie of 2022 was the sci-fi, “Dune,” a visually stunning film based on Frank Herbert’s best-selling book originally published in 1965. Close behind was “Encanto,” a family favorite (and Pixar film). No. 3 was “Ghostbusters: Afterlife,” and No. 4 was “No Time to Die,” the last James Bond movie starring Daniel Craig. Rounding out the top five was “Spider Man: No Way Home.” And just so you know, “Dune: Part Two” is scheduled to come out in theaters later in 2023.

You might be able to guess the most popular television series. Multiple seasons of “Yellowstone” dominated the top 5. The second most popular series went off the air in 1994, but recently a generous patron donated all seven seasons of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” to the library and they’ve been flying off the shelves. And while it isn’t quite as old, the 2005-13 sitcom. “The Office,” is also very popular among library patrons.

What about documentaries, you ask? The top documentary of last year was “The Hidden Life of Trees” (based on a best-selling book) and No. 2 was “Get Back,” the recent Beatles documentary.

We hope you were able to read (and watch) a few of these in 2022.

We’re definitely looking forward to more great books, movies, and television shows in 2023, and you can be sure to find them at Neill Public Library.

Owens is the director of the Neill Public Library.