Are you looking for your next great read? We can help! Visit us in person, explore reading recommendations online, join an in-person or online book discussion, get recommendations on Facebook, tune in to our televised book club segments, and more. Get started here!
Sunday Nights on Facebook
Join us on Sunday nights at 8:30pm on Facebook for Currently Reading. Enjoy this hour during which book enthusiasts share favorite books and offer suggestion about what to read next. Find out about the books that have everyone talking.
Wednesday Mornings – Indy Now Book Club
The Library helps host a ‘book club’ on the Indy Now Morning Show with Ryan and Jillian on Fox59. Tune in at 10 a.m. every other Wednesday. Catch book recommendations and IndyPL program highlights from your own local librarians. Re-watch segments you have missed and see book lists of the books mentioned in each segment.
In-Person & Online Book Discussions
Do you love talking about books? Join one of our book discussions or book clubs available both in-person and online.
Online Reading Recommendations
NovelList and NovelList K-8 are online services that offer reading recommendations. Browse both fiction and nonfiction, read-alike suggestions, series information, reviews, and lists of recommended and award-winning books for adults, teens and kids. Learn how to start on this video tutorial. Also try Book Connections which includes a “find the right book for you” feature.
Would you prefer one-on-one help? Call or ask a Library staff member at any of our locations or call, text, or email ask-a- librarian.
Make a selection from one of the book lists below created by our staff of avid readers. You can also follow our staff’s most recently published lists on the library catalog home page. Don’t miss our If You Like… suggestions that cover all the favorite genres like science fiction, graphic novels, romance, and more. Finally, don’t miss What We’re Reading Teens and What We’re Reading Kids.
Asian American Romance Novels
Celebrate Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month with some serious study … of swoony storylines! This list features Asian American and Asian Canadian writers and main characters – find a new favorite!
Listen with Liz – May 2024
I love nonfiction audiobooks. This is a totally random list of titles I listened to in April 2024. Titles are listed in alphabetical order.
Yom Hashoah – Holocaust Memorial Day
The Holocaust was the largest manifestation of antisemitism in recent history. Yom Ha Shoah reminds us of the horrors that Jews and other persecuted groups faced: forced labor, starvation, humiliation, and torture, which often resulted in death. It was a systematic effort to wipe out an entire population from the face of the earth. Many area Jewish communities in May will commemorate Yom Ha Shoah with music, and the story of survivors.
The Jewish Community library has a large collection of Fiction and Non-Fiction books about the Holocaust. The Library is part of the IndyPL Shared System. Our Library will send books to regular IndyPL cardholders if you request it and choose an IndyPL pick up location. We share items all year. We are also open for browsing most Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Celebrating Nurses (National Nurses Week: May 6th-May 12th)
Nurses have a profound impact on their community. This booklist presents a short compilation of books about these courageous and dedicated individuals (both past and present). It also provides resources for those who find themselves inspired to follow in their footsteps. In conjunction with this booklist, there will be a display celebrating nurses at Central Library during the month of May. Consider dropping by to write a note of encouragement or thanks to one of our local heroes!
Let love be our cry : Mandisa 1976 – 2024
On April 18, 2024 Mandisa died in her home in Nashville. If you have taken a walk through Indianapolis on a sunny day, there is a good chance you have heard someone playing her songs out loud in the hopes of spreading feelings of unity, peace and love.
Jewish American Biographies and Memoirs
In May, we celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month. Here are some biographies and memoirs that we’ve got at the library!
Tension- Filled Historical Romances to Read in Honor of Bridgerton Season 3
Bridgerton Season 3 is less than a month away from being released! However, for those who can’t wait that long (especially after watching all the press of Nicola Coughlan and Luke Newton), we’ve compiled a list of books to tide you over.
A Paris Romance
Known to some as the City of Love, Paris provides the perfect backdrop for romance in these featured novels. And yes, most of them have the Eiffel Tower on the cover. Obviously the most romantic spot in Paris!
Jewish and Kosher Cuisine
To know a culture is to know its food. Here is a collection of cookbooks that celebrate Jewish culture and cuisine. You’ll find traditional favorites and kosher meals as well as modern recreations for those looking to meet vegan or paleo diets. Whether you’re looking for inspiration for your next Shabbat dinner, wanting to recreate a favorite Pesach dish, or interested in trying out Jewish foods for the first time, these cookbooks will guide your culinary journey into foods, flavors, and customs from all over the world.
Fiction Originally Written in Korean
The month of May marks Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Celebrate with these English translations of works that were originally published in Korean. Books on this list are in no particular order.
In My "Romantasy" Era
Romance + Fantasy = Romantasy! This new and exciting genre will make your heart skip a beat and your mind soar like the wings of a dragon. These books are full of swoon-worthy dialogue, intense battles, and, of course, a little bit of magic.
Fiction Originally Written in an Asian Language
Celebrate Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in May with these titles that were originally written in an Asian language. Books on this list are in no particular order.
Fiction by Malaysian Authors
If you’re looking to explore titles by Asian authors this Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, check out these fiction books by Malaysian and Malaysian American authors.