Need a good book recommendation? The New York Public Library is always ready to help you find that next great read. And if you need a hand finding that book you read when you were 12...the one with a blue cover and a bear in it...but you can't remember the title...you can start by checking out our blog posts, Finding a Book When You've Forgotten Its Title and How Many Librarians Does It Take to Find a Forgotten Book?

But don't stop there: NYPL also provides access to many online resources available to anyone seeking something new to read, readalikes, or just looking for a book you vaguely remember but hope to find again. All of these online resources are available from home with a valid NYPL card!

1. What's New

If you're the type of reader who is always on the search for new books coming out by new authors and old faves then the Books & Authors database is for you! As soon as you click on this online resource you will see a plethora of suggested reads. Books & Authors is organized in a way where you can browse by award-winning titles, experts' picks, genre, and even books chosen by crowdsourcing. A unique feature that really makes this resource stand out is its Who, What, Where, When section. You can enter anything from a city to the age of the character you want to read about and Books & Authors will find books matching that criteria. This was also a very helpful  tool used by librarians to find books during Title Quest.

2. Readalikes

All readers have had the experience of finishing a great book and hoping they can find 100 more just like it. The Books In Print database, among many other fantastic features, can help you find books similar to all of your favorites! This resource includes over 7 million titles for American books, audio books and film, as well as 12 million international titles. This resources allows you to enter the title of a book that you love and it will populate a list of readalikes. But it does much more than that: You can also browse books that have just hit the bookshelves, see what's on the bestsellers' lists, the most popular titles, as well as reviews, annotations and biographies for your favorite authors.

3. Authors

Have you recently discovered an author you absolutely love? Whether the author was writing five or 5,000 years ago, we have some incredible online resources to help you discover their entire repertoire of work, as well as biographies, essays and reviews. The  Contemporary Authors database includes information for more than 100,000 authors, and not just fiction and nonfiction, but poets, playwrights, and even screenwriters. The Dictionary of Literary Biography database, will not only help you find other works by your favorite authors covering all genres and time periods, but includes detailed biographies and subject guides that will lead you to other similar authors.

4. Book Reviews

Some people rely on word of mouth to find what to read next, others like to walk through the aisles of the library and see which covers catch their eye, but many people rely on the tried-and-true method of reading book reviews. The Book Review Index Online database provides 5 million citations and access to over 600,000 full-text book reviews. Just type in the title of a book and a list of all its reviews is right there for you!

5. One Stop

Perhaps you've been in a book rut, and it has been awhile since you have found exactly what you are looking for, if this is the case try Artemis Literary Sources. This one online resource searches across seven databases covering topics from author biographies to literary criticism. The databases included are: Contemporary Authors Online, Dictionary of Literary Biography, Gale Virtual Reference Library, Literature Criticism Online, Literature Resource Center, Something About the Author Online, and Twayne's Authors Series. This is a great place to start when you're not exactly sure what you are looking for. You will have options from thousands of literary resources right at your fingertips!

On-Location Bonus!

If you are on-site at any New York Public Library location and are looking for your next book, take a seat at one of our computer terminals or go to the Articles and Databases page on your own device and check out the NoveList Plus database. This online resource was created with the sole purpose of helping readers find new reads. You can browse by genre, awards and even moods, such as "richly detailed and compelling" or "heartwrenching and character-driven." NoveList also provides reading recommendation lists for all ages!

Remember these resources are all available at the New York Public Library and most from home with your New York Public Library card and PIN number. So explore these online resources and then get reading!