Alongside the textbooks and scholarly titles most of us will encounter at some point in our college career, Clapp Library now holds a diverse and expanding collection of recreational reading (aka “Rec Reads”) –– a gem of a collection hidden in plain sight. Recent purchases to the collection include the 2022 and 2023 winners of Barnes and Noble’s Book of the Year award, as well as the International Book of the Year from the 2024 TikTok Awards.
For the students who encountered Clapp’s Recreational Reading collection prior to the library’s ongoing renovation, it may have been a bit underwhelming. I remember wanting to participate in the annual Goodreads reading challenge during my first year at Wellesley in 2022. However, I was surprised that Clapp did not offer a wide array of ‘fun’ fictional books. I saw popular titles like “The Selection” and “Hunger Games: Catching Fire”, but almost no newly published books. During conversations with Wellesley students, I discovered that many felt the same way. Some redirected me off-campus to the Wellesley Free Library and Wellesley Books for a fix of recreational reads. Some were unaware that we had an on-campus recreational reading section at all.
But what is a recreational reading area, really? Clapp Library’s Resource Acquisitions Specialist, Kayla Valdivieso, described the Recreational Reading collection as a resource for our Wellesley community to interact and relax with popular and fun reads which represent a variety of voices and experiences. From fiction and nonfiction to graphic novels (including the full collection of the “Heartstoppers” series) and manga, Clapp’s Rec Reads has expanded despite the temporary shutting of the library’s physical doors. Located in the Mods until Fall 2025, Clapp continues to offer borrowable books (most of us just have to walk a bit farther). I personally utilize the Rec Reads section to revive my tired, braindead self after reading countless fascinating (though hard to digest) scientific and economic papers. I find it refreshing to be able to read fifty pages of a fiction book in the same time that it would have taken me to read six pages of a research article. I let the storytelling take over with my recreational reading, allowing my brain to go on autopilot for a bit.
During our conversation, Valdivieso mentioned that out of the many new titles that the library purchased for the Rec Reads collection, she is most excited for “True Biz” (2022) by Sara Novic. This YA novel takes place at a boarding school for Deaf students, highlighting the use of cochlear implants, the evolution of Black ASL, experiences of children with Deaf parents, and more. Moving forward, Valdivieso hopes to purchase new titles every month for the Rec Reads collection. Already available are best-sellers such as “Lessons in Chemistry” by Bonnie Garmus (2022 B&N Book of the Year), “The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store” (2023 B&N Book of the Year), “Remarkably Bright Creatures” (Wellesley Book Club general pick for the month) and a collection of TikTok-famous romance novels by Emily Henry.
If you would like to see your favorite titles amongst the Wellesley College Rec Reads collection, Valdivieso recommends that students share their interests with the library using this form. The form is also available in QR format on the Rec Reads shelf in the Mods (room M406, right across from the thesis carrels). Currently, there are fifty newly-acquired titles available, ready to be borrowed by any Wellesley student looking to enjoy a cozy read over some hot chocolate this fall!
Contact the editor responsible for this story: Ivy Buck
