What do I read next? We’re here to help
With so many books published each month – and so many great ones in our collection – it can be overwhelming when you’re looking for your next read.
We’re here to help with that! In fact, helping readers find their next favorite book is probably the favorite part of the job for many of our staff.
Where to start? Ask us! We’ve all got favorites, and we see so many books circulating that we have a good sense of what we call “readalikes” – so if you like A, you may well like B. If you can’t make it into the library, you can email us at info@keyslibraries.org, call your local branch or reach us on Ask a Librarian, the free chat, text or email service. Monroe County librarians staff it from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Saturday. And if we’re not available, there’s a good chance a librarian elsewhere in the state can help you.
If you prefer to do this online, all our resources on books and media are collected here. You can start with the library catalog. It lists every book we own – and those that are on order so you can place hold requests. If you look at a title you liked, you will also see a “you may also like” feature that suggests similar reads that are in our collection. For example, if you click on Swamp Story by Dave Barry, you’ll get a list of suggested reads:
For ebooks and eaudiobooks, visit our Overdrive site and download via the Libby app – it’s super-easy to select, download and return there. Overdrive and Libby both recommend similar titles – that are available to borrow! – to help you find more when you like a book, or place a hold.
Want to read some professional reviews before trying out a title? Books and Authors has you covered, with reviews from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and more. You can search by genre, author and more, like lists of books that have won awards, like the Pulitzer, the Edgars and many, many more.
Want a book but it’s not in our collection? Suggest a purchase! We’re always glad to hear about what our patrons want to read. If it’s an older book not in our collection, you can request it by Inter-Library loan – here’s how you can do that online, through the catalog. Or if you have questions, ask us in person, by phone or email.