How to Find Your Next
Favorite Book?
The Library staff are happy to make title suggestions, please ask us! The resources listed below will also help you pick your next favorite read. For book suggestions or assistance with any of these resources, please email or call the Information Desk at 978-399-2304.
Author Alerts – Get notified by email or text message when any member library of the Merrimack Library Valley Consortium orders new titles by your favorite authors or performers.
BookBrowse – Looking for your next great read? Find it at BookBrowse! Search by theme, read-alikes, book club resources, articles, reviews and much more.
Book Club Kits – The easy way to have a book club! Choose from over 300 titles for adults, teens, and children. Each kit contains 15 paperback copies of the book and a discussion guide in an easy-to-carry canvas tote bag. Kits circulate for 6 weeks and can be reserved up to two years in advance. Visit our catalog (type Book Club Kits in the keyword search and remember to search all MVLC libraries) to browse titles.
BookPage – Read the online version of the popular magazine. Learn about all the latest releases, and read interviews with your favorite authors. You can also subscribe to their enewsletter to get recommendations for your favorite genres!
Commonwealth Catalog– The Commonwealth Catalog extends your search beyond your local library’s resources. In one easy step, you can search through millions of items at participating libraries across Massachusetts to find the books, DVDs, and music you’re looking for. Make a request and it will be delivered right to your local library for quick pickup.
Dear Reader Online Book Clubs – With 5 minutes a day and an email address, you can join one (or more!) of DearReader’s FREE online book clubs! Looking for a great book? Would you like to sample a book before you commit to checking it out? How does it work? Every week we sample a new book. Monday through Friday, a quick 5 minute read is delivered to your email box for you to peruse with your morning coffee. At the end of Friday’s read, the ending page number is given, so when you pick up the book from the library, you know where you left off. (There is also a link on the emails to quickly and easily reserve the book from the library.) There’s a book club for just about everyone — fiction, non-fiction, romance, mystery, science fiction, audio, business, teen, good news, horror, and pre-publication (be the first to see these soon-to-be-released books).
Fantastic Fiction – On this site you’ll find pages for over 50,000 authors, with books listed in chronological order and grouped within series. Every page is kept up to date, making sure the latest books and anything upcoming – often long before they’re announced on the author’s own website – are listed. You can check out all the new releases on the New Books and Coming Soon pages. And if you fancy reading a brand new author, with their first book out, you’ll see their books on the New Authors page.
Interlibrary Loan – Can’t find what you are looking for through our catalog or the Commonwealth Catalog? The Library can borrow items (books, articles, etc.) from Libraries outside of our Consortium and even from libraries in other states through Interlibrary Loan. Call the Information Services Desk at 978-399-2304 or email Charles Schweppe at cschweppe@westfordma.gov to submit a request.
Library Book Clubs – Looking to join a book club? The Library offers a variety of book clubs for adults. New members are always welcome!
Neighborhood Book Clubs Support – If you are part of a Book Club and would like the Library to request multiple copies of your titles to put on hold, email Charles Schweppe at cschweppe@westfordma.gov to submit a request. There are many book clubs in town who request books through the Library. If you have any questions, please call the Information Services Desk at 978-399-2304.
Novelist – Are you looking for your next great read? NoveList is for you! Browse through thousands of titles by genre, audience, award winners, and appeal factors. If you’ve enjoyed a particular title recently, NoveList can recommend similar titles or authors so that you never have another reading dry spell.
Purchase Request- If you would like to request that the library purchase a specific title, please complete and submit our Purchase Request Form .
“What Shall I read next?” Newsletters – Sign-up to receive an online Newsletter of the newest titles in all your favorite genres (History, Mysteries, Travel Literature, etc. Place a hold right from the newsletter!
Wowbrary! The library offers weekly email alerts that showcase our newest items. The alert features the latest bestsellers, movies, music, audiobooks, children’s titles and more purchased by the library. Quickly review and reserve the newest items from the convenience of your computer or mobile device.