The most borrowed books from the library

De La Salle University’s (DLSU) Learning Commons houses thousands of books and documents. Students go to this haven of learning for several reasons: to take advantage of the numerous resources, to look for quiet places to study, or to just hang out with friends. But mostly, people come for the books. Have you ever wondered which library books are the most popular among DLSU students?

The Menagerie gives you the top ten most borrowed fiction and nonfiction books in the DLSU library. Check them out and see if they do deserve to be on the list!

Nonfiction

Textbooks are a necessity for students. But most of us borrow books instead of buy them. The top ten nonfiction books are your floating subjects staples.

1. Understanding Politics: Ideas, Institutions & Issues by Thomas M. Magstadt

Magstadt is a name you’d hear most often in your floating subjects years. Magstadt’s detailed work is on-point and leaves no questions unanswered. No wonder your POLSCI professors recommend him.

2. Politics by Andrew Heywood

Like Magstadt, Heywood is quite a famous name, too. Andrew Heywood has penned numerous books about politics, so it’s no wonder that this book made it to the list. ‘Politics’ by Heywood gives the readers an overview of what politics is and how relevant it is to society.

3. A World History by William H. McNeill

Of course, you can’t graduate college without learning, or even reviewing, your history. William H. McNeill’s ‘A World History’ tells the story of the four different civilizations in the most informative way possible. It’s like a storybook—only with tons of background research involved.

4. An Introduction to Principles of Economics by Karl E. Case and Ray C. Fair

You may have taken Economics back in high school, but it doesn’t stop there. This book makes it to the list because of how well it’s written, and you’ll probably have to deal with it in your floating economics subjects.

5. Economic Development by Michael P. Todaro and Stephen C. Smith

So you were probably asked to refer to ‘An Introduction to Principles of Economics’ and were also told to have a copy of ‘Economics Development’ by Todaro and Smith. The two authors discuss and explain the key concepts and factors when it comes to economic development.

6. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary edited by Raymond E. Brown, Joseph A. Fitzmyer, Roland E. Murphy; foreword by Carlo Martini

Your TRED profs will know this book, which gives readers detailed interpretations of the Bible, for sure. If you’re looking for explanations to your long overdue unanswered questions about the Word of God, this book will give you just that.

7. Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association

Being a research institution, DLSU students and professors, produce hundreds of research papers and reports every term. Now, a research isn’t legitimate if you don’t have your citation list. The default citation form of DLSU is APA. The format can get quite specific, so it’s best to consult the manual and double check your work before you pass that term paper!

8. Anthropology by Carol R. Ember, Melvin Ember and Peter N. Peregrine

Carol R. Ember, Melvin Ember, and Peter N. Peregrine give you a scientific discussion on the different aspects of anthropology. If you’re only taking up one small part of anthropology, you’ll be able to find it in the chapters of this book.

9. Sociology by John J. Macionis

John Macionis lets you borrow his lens to see what he sees in the world of sociology. The book gives you a background and interprets studies about human behavior.

10. International Law by Antonio Cassese

Cassese breaks down concepts on international law and explains how they work as a whole. With his knowledge, students (especially those from the International Studies department) will most definitely be able to learn more than a thing or two when reading this book.

Fiction

Long breaks? No problem! Don’t have a copy of the book you’ve been dying to read? No problem! The Learning Commons is abundant with classic literary pieces. Browse the bookshelves and you’ll probably find a book that tickles your fancy.

1. A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks

At the very top of this list is the tear-jerking novel-turned-movie by one of the best romance genre writers of all time. In this novel, a rebellious and popular teenager befriends a quiet girl after asking her to be his date for a school dance. After many events, they start to fall in love, but a secret the girl is keeping threatens their relationship. Doesn’t that remind you of your high school days?

2. Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Love a mystery? This book is for you. What is interesting about this novel is that the events of the story are not told in a chronological order and have a somewhat journalistic feel to it. It tells the events leading up to and after the murder of a man named Santiago Nasar.

3. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

By far one of the most recognizable and beloved series of all time, the Harry Potter series is about a boy discovers a world filled with magic after finding out about his past. In the Chamber of Secrets, the boy named Harry Potter is a young and bright-eyed second year enrolled in the wizard school Hogwarts. He must solve the mysteries of Hogwarts and is forced to make tough choices no 12-year-old should make.

4. Message in a Bottle by Nicholas Sparks

In this novel, when a woman finds a letter hidden in a bottle from a man named Garrett for Catherine, she embarks on a journey to find the man. This journey affects her profoundly.

5. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

This classic Russian novel is famous for its controversial nature: a literature professor enters into a sexual relationship with a young girl after becoming a stepfather.

6. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling

The fourth book in the Harry Potter series will leave you with more questions than answers. In it, Harry must now face dangerous challenges when he is chosen as a champion for the Triwizard Tournament. Each challenge is more dangerous than the last, and not all is what it seems.

7. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by J. K. Rowling

Another book from the Harry Potter series makes an appearance on the most borrowed fiction books list! This time, Harry finds out about his mortal enemy’s past, Dumbledore starts warming up to him, and the heart-wrenching surprise at the end will leave you speechless.

8. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown

Written by the same notorious author who once referred to Manila as the ‘gateway to Hell,’ his first novel explores the story of a man who follows a trail of riddles and clues seemingly connected to Leonardo Da Vinci. The novel’s thought-provoking nature invokes speculation over the tiniest of details.

9. My Brother, My Executioner by F. Sionil Jose

This book by a Filipino author is the third of a five part series published in the 1970s. The series explores the experiences of two half-brothers that are pitted against each other because of their different beliefs and upbringing.

10. The Complete Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle

Recently, the Sherlock Holmes novels have started to gain popularity again after a slew of TV shows and movies based on the books. The novels revolve around the life of the world’s only consulting detective, Sherlock Holmes, through the eyes of his best friend and confidante, John Watson. Together, they solve mysteries that only Sherlock Holmes can solve, turning his intellectual prowess and knack for deductive reasoning into a potent tool for justice.

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The next time you stop by The Learning Commons, whether to study or to just read a book while waiting for your next class, pick up a book that’s on the list. These books are the most borrowed for a reason. It’s time to see – or in this case, read – why.