We recap the most popular genres at the La Crosse Library in 2025, the most checked out books, whether paper can keep up with eBooks and more with the library's Lindsay Schmitt and Bill Ives.

While thrillers remain the most popular genre overall because they are "fast and satisfying," Schmitt said, the single most checked-out book — for the second consecutive year — was Kristin Hannah’s historical fiction novel, The Women.

The La Crosse Library's top 5 most popular books of 2025 were:

1. The Women by Kristin Hannah

2. Great, Big, Beautiful Life by Emily Henry

3. Spirit Crossing by William Kent Krueger

4. Nightshade by Michael Connelly

5. The Tenant by Freida McFadden

The episode also explored the rise of "genre-blending," including the popularity of "cozy fantasy" and the "romantasy" trend — which Bill jokingly referred to as "fairy smut".

Of the surprising things we learned, like how library staff have no required reading list, Schmitt also noted that eBooks are not even close to more popular than print. People are checking out the real thing three to four times more than digital in La Crosse.

Getting into another digital style, Ives settled the debate on whether listening to audiobooks is considered "reading." He noted that while it doesn't utilize the same eye muscles, scientific studies show that listening to a story activates the same parts of the brain as physical reading—particularly the areas responsible for imagination and processing oral storytelling.

Other topics discussed were some of the not-so-traditional things the library does, like checking out chainsaws, and how both kids and adults can utilize the library as a "third space" with all kinds of different programming.