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Books & More  | The Library's Collections | Book Lists | Authors' Page | Book Lover's Corner | Dear Reader

Have you joined BCPL's online Book Club?
Sign up for our free book club and every day you'll get a 5-minute portion of a book via email. You'll get a different book each week, a chance to chat online about the book, and you can sample two to three chapters.  There are lots of genres to choose from. No meetings. No pressure.  Just pure reading pleasure.

Check out the library's book clubs at a branch near you.  Please note that you should confirm the date, time, and availability with the branch or via the library's calendar of events ("datelines") prior to attending any activity since they are subject to change.

Other Community Book Clubs:

• African American Literature Book Club
  Online discussions of books by African American authors.

• Baltimore Book Club Meetup Group  (Local Interest)
  Local group meets monthly to discuss both fiction and non-fiction books, generally meets in a local restaurants.

• Book Discussion Guides
  From Novelist. Enter the database and then select "New Search" and scroll down to "Book Discussion Guides". Accessible from public PCs in BCPL libraries or from elsewhere with a valid BCPL library card.

• Bookreporter
  Weekly book reviews and author profiles and interviews, excerpts of new releases, literary games and contests.

• Page Turners Book Club (Local Interest)
  Local diverse group holding monthly book club meetings in and around the Catonsville area.

• Reading Group Guides
  Enhances a group's reading and discussion of a book. Includes descriptions of each book, questions, discussion topics, author biography, and sometimes a note from the author to assist the group in having a stimulating and interesting discussion.

• Sistas Speak Literature Baltimore Book Club (Local Interest)
  This diverse group of women read literary works of fiction and non-fiction for personal growth, relaxation and enjoyment.

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Book Reviews

• BCPL Unique Critiques (Local Interest)
  What is BCPL staff reading? Published 11 times a year by the Baltimore County Public Library.

• BookPage
  What's new in the world of books.

• BookWire
  The "First Place To Look For Book Information."

• Jen's Jewels Reviews
  Reviews of popular titles in romance, chick-lit, mystery and suspense from aspiring author Jennifer Vido. Check it out and maybe win copies of hot titles.

• Multicultural Book Review Homepage
  Lists reviews of multicultural literature for K-12 educators.

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Donating or Buying Used Books and Materials

Donations of gently used items in good condition and odor- and mold-free are accepted at our libraries. Libraries accept used materials but reserve the right to evaluate, sell through Better World Books, or dispose of them using the same criteria applied to our purchased material.

Withdrawn library materials and donations are for sale 24/7 online through Better World Books. Better World Books funds literacy initiatives. A percentage of the sale price is returned to the library to purchase additional materials and to fund library services.

Other local resources that may be accepting book donations and other gently used material:

• Amvets and Value Village Thrift Stores
  Located in communities throughout the country, AMVETS Thrift Stores offer quality used clothing, household goods (including books) at reasonable prices.

• Baltimore Free Store 
  Bring books, magazines, all working media including tapes, CDs, VHS, DVDs, and more,  Find more information about their warehouse, their donation days, or their Free Market events

• Baltimore Reads Book Bank
  Accepts new and gently used children’s books.

• BookHolders:
  Buy and sell used text books. 

• The Book Thing of Baltimore
  Donate books and magazines.

• Salvation Army Thrift Shops
  Their website includes information on the location and items accepted.

• Smith College Club of Baltimore
  Donation site, hours, what they accept and don’t accept

• St Vincent de Paul Society of Baltimore
  Gently used children’s books for preschoolers

• Don't forget that your nearest assisted living or retirement community, nursing home, senior center, or homeless shelter may be able to use donated materials. Search BCPL's Community Information Directory for a listing of these types of facilities.

Interested in trading or swapping books?:

• FrugalReader.com
  Simply list books you have read and want to trade for other members to request, and request books from other members that you want to read. Your requested books are mailed to you by the owner who pays the cost of shipping using low USPS Media Mail® postage rates. You reciprocate when books are requested from you.

• PaperBack Swap
  Mail a book. Get a book. Any book you request is yours to keep, share or trade. No late fees. No processing charges. No hidden charges. Every time you mail a book to another member, you can request one for yourself from over 3 Million.  NOT just paperback books: also hardbacks, audio books, textbooks and more!  Their phone number is (410) 662 5631

Find a Good Book

Use the Library's Online Reader's Advisory Tools to find a Good Book:

• Books and Authors
  This resource offers ways to explore the endless possibilities and combinations of books, authors and topics.  An "if you like" search connects readers to themes and genres that may have otherwise gone unnoticed.
   
• Dear Reader
  Become the book maven on your block and enjoy a whole suite of exciting services and features from your favorite public library including monthly newsletters on books of interest, an virtual book club, and an online forum to swap opinions on what you've been reading.
   
• Novelist Kids
  Includes picture books, children's chapter books and young adult titles. Browse book lists, or search search by instructional unit, theme or topic.
   

• Novelist Plus
  Contains full text fiction and non-fiction book reviews and book lists for all ages: children, teens and adults. Locate books to read by describing a plot or find similar titles or authors. Nonfiction genres include Adventure, Arts & Entertainment, Biography & Memoir, True Crime, Business & Money, Current Events & Politics, and Sports & Competition. Available in any Baltimore County Public Library or at home with your library card.

• Poem/Story/Essay Finder (LitFinder)(GaleNet)
  Students and can access poems, plays, speeches, short stories and more while in their local library. Accessible from public PCs in BCPL libraries or from elsewhere with a valid BCPL library card.
• Quick Look-Up: Literary Index (GaleNet)
  Search for the title or author of a literary work to locate the volumes that contain discussions of that work in Gale's Literary Criticism series. Accessible from public PCs in BCPL libraries or from elsewhere with a valid BCPL library card.

  Other Resources Include:

• Allreaders.com
  Choose a genre, and then use the detailed search engine to specify features you like, such as plot, characters, setting and style.

• Based on the Book
  A compilation of over 800 book titles, short stories, and plays that have been made into motion pictures. Maintained by Mid-County Public Library.

• BCPL's Booklists: Includes bestsellers, award winners, and genre recommendations.

• Book Browser
  Book Browser from Barnes and Noble allows you to search by subject in many areas, including fiction and non-fiction, and also by audiobook, books in Spanish, and large type. Also offers book lists.

• Genrefluent
  Book reviews, genre links and more from Diana Tixier Herald.

• Good Reads:
  With over over 1,700,000 members,  Goodreads is the largest social network for readers in the world.  A place for casual readers and bona-fide bookworms alike, Goodreads members recommend books, compare what they are reading, keep track of what they've read and would like to read, form book clubs and much more.

• If You Like...
  Search by keyword, author's name or a theme/genre. Maintained by Hennepin County Library.

• Library Thing
  Keep an online catalog of the books you have read, write book reviews, see what others have read and check out their book reviews.

• Overbooked
  Has lists, but also includes reader's advisory links.

• Reader's Advisory Links
  Annotated links to sites that suggest what to read next. Reviews, personal recommendations, and more. Provided by Overbooked.org.

• Reader’s Robot
  Search over 7,000 books by genre, keyword or appeal characteristics.

• Which Book
  Interactive database that lets you choose a book by mood and other appeal characteristics as well as character, plot and setting.

• What’s Next
  Database for searching the order of books in adult fiction series from Kent District Library.

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Libraries

• Library Organizations

  • American Library Association
    Provides leadership for the development, promotion, and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship.

  • Maryland Library Association (Local Interest)
    Founded in 1923 to promote library service in the state, it's members are library staff and trustees, library school students, libraries, and friends of libraries representing the full spectrum of librarianship in Maryland.

• Library Schools

  • Accredited Library Schools in the United States and Canada

• General Information

  • Maryland Libraries (Local Interest)
    The most complete source for catalogs and Web Pages for all public, college, university and special libraries in Maryland.

  • Maryland State Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (Local Interest)
    Provides comprehensive library services to the eligible blind and physically handicapped residents of Maryland.

  • Library of Congress Home Page
    Browse historical collections for the National Digital Library (American Memory), visit Library Reading Rooms, access special services for persons with disabilities, and read about Library of Congress cataloging, acquisitions, and preservation operations and policy.

  • Internet Public Library
    An electronic library environment hosted by the School of Information and Library Studies of the University of Michigan. Visit various rooms and divisions including a public library.

  • National Archives and Records
    Records of the United States Government including Presidential Libraries, historical records and current government information.

  • Electronic Federal Depository Libraries
    Locate electronic federal depository libraries by state or area code.

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• Early Literacy Resources (Local Interest)
  Links to everything parents and/or caregivers need to promote reading readiness in children birth to five.

• Literacy Works, Inc. (Local Interest)
  Literacy Works, Inc., is a non-profit organization whose mission is to improve adult and family literacy. 

• National Institute for Literacy
  Current events, forums, government and other resources, grants and policies.

• The Book Thing of Baltimore (Local Interest)
  This non-profit organization takes donations and distributes them free to those who want to read.

• ProLiteracy
  A non-profit, nongovernmental, worldwide literacy organization.

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• AcqWeb
  A massive directory of publishers and vendors by subject: audio books and tapes, children's literature, rare and antiquarian books, textbooks and more.

• BookWeb™
  News and information about books, bookstores, authors, the First Amendment, links to thousands of bookstores across the country, and the latest news about books and the book industry. Sponsored by the American Booksellers Association.

• Loganberry Books
  This site has a stumpers section where you can search the archives by keyword if you can remember details about a book but not the title or author. Mostly for children's books.

♠ Indicates local interest         ♥ Connects to the catalog

This page is provided by the Baltimore County Public Library, Towson, Maryland USA.
The text version of this page was last revised on 06 November 2009.
The graphics version of this page was last revised on 06 November 2009.
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