How is BookBrowse Different from NoveList?

BookBrowse makes an affordable alternative or compliment for NoveList and NoveList Plus. For librarians wondering about the difference between BookBrowse and NoveList and Novelist Plus, below we share some of the differences, but first, here is what one of our subscribing librarians who uses both has to say:

"We have access to Novelist Plus through our NC Live subscription, but whereas Novelist requires staff to learn a controlled vocabulary to make the most of it, the categories and content in BookBrowse are so much easier to access because they don't use a complex controlled vocabulary. I'm really excited for our staff to be able to use BookBrowse as a readers advisory tool. They already use the free version as a resource for collection development, but a subscription will be a new level of usefulness for them."
— Laura McPherson, County Librarian, Ashe County Public Library

Focus & Purpose

• BookBrowse: A curated resource that helps engaged readers discover books they'll love with in-depth reviews, book club resources, and beyond-the-book articles.
• NoveList: A database-driven reader advisory tool primarily for library staff to help patrons find books based on themes, genres, and appeal factors.

Depth of Content

• BookBrowse: Carefully selected books with long-form reviews, author interviews, and detailed book club discussions.
• NoveList: Covers a wide range of books with shorter, metadata-driven descriptions.

Read-Alikes

• BookBrowse: Hand-selected by experts, providing thoughtful reasoning for each recommendation.
• NoveList: Algorithm-driven, based on metadata (pace, tone, subject).

Book Club & Community Resources

• BookBrowse: Ideal for book clubs, offering discussion guides, themed reading lists, and beyond-the-book articles.
• NoveList: Provides discussion questions but focuses more on searchability.

Target Audience

• BookBrowse: Built for readers and book clubs first, used by many libraries as a patron resource and for readers' advisory.
• NoveList: Designed for librarians as a readers' advisory tool.

User Experience

• BookBrowse: Engaging, magazine-like browsing with curated selections along with database-style filtering. Users can browse some resources without logging in with a library card.
• NoveList: Database-style filtering with appeal terms, themes, and subjects. Log in required.

Company Size and Focus

• BookBrowse: Small, employee-owned company with a focus on reader engagement.
• NoveList: Owned by a billion-dollar conglomerate focused on a variety of data products.

Which Should You Choose?

• If you want a database tool primarily used by library staff, NoveList is a great fit.
• If you want an engaging, reader-friendly experience for patrons, book clubs, and staff, BookBrowse offers a curated alternative that encourages deeper engagement.
• Use both! Many subscribing libraries receive Novelist through their consortia or cooperative, but also subscribe to BookBrowse.

If you would like to experience the differences for yourself, click here to get a quote and sign up for a free trial.