diff --git a/news/patch_read_lists.rst b/news/patch_read_lists.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..51b8760f4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/news/patch_read_lists.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+**Added:**
+
+* <news item>
+
+**Changed:**
+
+* <news item>
+
+**Deprecated:**
+
+* <news item>
+
+**Removed:**
+
+* <news item>
+
+**Fixed:**
+
+* Changed how the reading-list builder fetches the references from Crossref so that it only fetches each needed reference once.
+
+**Security:**
+
+* <news item>
diff --git a/regolith/builders/readinglistsbuilder.py b/regolith/builders/readinglistsbuilder.py
index 40a867a1f..b69aa5805 100644
--- a/regolith/builders/readinglistsbuilder.py
+++ b/regolith/builders/readinglistsbuilder.py
@@ -41,6 +41,22 @@ def latex(self):
         """Render latex template"""
         rc = self.rc
 
+        # build the collection of formatted references so that we only go
+        # and fetch the formatted references once per doi
+        dois, formatted_refs = [], {}
+        for rlist in self.gtx["reading_lists"]:
+            for paper in rlist['papers']:
+                dois.append(paper.get('doi', ''))
+        dois = list(set(dois))
+        for item in ['tbd', '']:
+            if item in dois:
+                dois.remove('tbd')
+                dois.remove('')
+        for doi in dois:
+            ref_and_date = get_formatted_crossref_reference(doi)
+            formatted_refs.update({doi: ref_and_date})
+
+        # loop through the reading lists to build the files
         for rlist in self.gtx["reading_lists"]:
             listid = rlist["_id"]
             outfile_bib = listid
@@ -53,15 +69,9 @@ def latex(self):
                     doi = None
                 url = paper.get('url')
                 if doi:
-                    # if rc.verbose:
-                    #     print(f"getting {doi} for {paper.get('tite')}")
-                    ref, ref_date = get_formatted_crossref_reference(doi)
-                    # if rc.verbose:
-                    #     try:
-                    #         print(f"got ref: {ref}")
-                    #     except:
-                    #         print("obtained ref but print error")
-                    paper.update({'reference': ref, 'ref_date': ref_date, 'n': n, 'label': 'DOI'})
+                    paper.update({'reference': formatted_refs.get(doi)[0],
+                                   'ref_date': formatted_refs.get(doi)[1],
+                                   'n': n, 'label': 'DOI'})
                     n += 1
                 elif url:
                     paper['doi'] = url
diff --git a/regolith/tools.py b/regolith/tools.py
index 0e56bbeac..5a2526e40 100644
--- a/regolith/tools.py
+++ b/regolith/tools.py
@@ -1980,7 +1980,7 @@ def get_formatted_crossref_reference(doi):
 
     authorlist = [
         f"{a['given'].strip()} {a['family'].strip()}"
-        for a in article.get('message').get('author')]
+        for a in article.get('message',{}).get('author','')]
     try:
         journal = \
             article.get('message').get('short-container-title')[0]
diff --git a/tests/test_builders.py b/tests/test_builders.py
index 9a264ff1f..26741210f 100644
--- a/tests/test_builders.py
+++ b/tests/test_builders.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
     "grantreport",
     "resume",
     "review-man",
+    # reading-lists    need tests for this
     "reimb"
 ]
 db_srcs = ["mongo", "fs"]