Books, Reading, & Libraries

General

eLibrary - Free audiobooks, eBooks & comics, magazines & newspapers, audio/video picture books for children, and more, from Overdrive/eLibraryNJ, Hoopla, Freading, and LOTE4Kids. Overdrive/eLibraryNJ audiobooks and ebooks & magazines (as well as online classes and IndieFlix) are also available on the Libby app. You'll need a South Plainfield library card to access our eLibrary.

Recommended Reading Lists - The South Plainfield Public Library staff has put together dozens of reading lists for kids, tweens & teens, and adults to help you find books you'll enjoy; new lists are added regularly. The lists cover popular fiction & non-fiction genres/subjects, seasonal & holiday themes, favorite authors & series, and more. If you see a book on one of the lists that interests you, just click on the *CHECK CATALOG* button and request it!

NovelList Readers Advisory Novelist - Have you found a book you like, and want to read other books like it? Do you enjoy international spy thrillers, romances set during the Renaissance, or mysteries with a food theme? NoveList helps you find new books to read based on books you've already read or topics in which you are interested. NOTE: You'll need to enter your name, library card barcode number, and PIN to start. (EBSCOhost)

Select Reads eNewsletters - Select Reads newsletters deliver reading recommendations based on your unique personal interests straight to your computer or mobile device. Includes books, audiobooks, dvds, and music! Sign up for a newsletter on one of the popular topics listed under MONTHLY NEWSLETTERS, or click on the MY SELECT READS tab to create personalized alerts based on any topic you choose! Click on any book title in the listing for a book description, author bio, and GoodReads reviews. On the AUTHOR CHECK page you can sign up to get email alerts on your favorite authors too! (Replaces NextReads.)

Authors Guild Member Profiles - Brief profiles of hundreds of authors, with contact info and links to their websites, arranged A to Z.

Author Interviews - see AUTHOR INTERVIEWS, below.

Book Arts Web - Extensive links to material on bookbinding, conservation, repair, printmaking, and other book-related arts (pages updated 2018 - 2024; by Peter D. Verheyen, Syracuse University Library). Another good resource on book arts is the Guild of Book Workers [Archived page; expect broken links] (last updated 2011; non-profit organization). Dartmouth College offers an online Book Repair Manual which explains how to do simple book repairs. Written for librarians, but useful for anyone wanting to repair an injured book. Includes a related page of Book Preservation FAQ.

Book Buying - see IndieBound, below.

Book Donations - See Where to Donate: Books (South Plainfield Public Library).

Book Fairs and Festivals (Book TV) VIDEO - Coverage of book fairs and festivals from across the country (C-SPAN). For information about hundreds of upcoming book events in the US and around the world, see List of Important Book Fairs, Festivals and Conferences (African American Literature Book Club).

Books on Screen - 'Each month, our Books on Screen feature spotlights movies, television shows, miniseries and specials that are based on books of various genres - including novels, memoirs, comics, children's books, short stories and poetry - along with the latest DVD releases' (BookReporter.com). See also Select Reads eNewsletters.

CENSORED: Wielding the Red Pen [Archived page] - An online historical exhibit which 'hopes not so much to judge censors and censorship but instead to provoke questions' about whether there are any situations where restrictions on materials or ideas might be justified or appropriate. Click on 'Walk Through the Exhibit' to get started (University of Virginia). See also Banned and Challenged Books (American Library Association).

Coming Soon - Information about a large selection of books that will be released in the coming months; books are those likely to be of interest to general readers. Includes fiction and non-fiction. (From BookReporter.com)

Diversity Literature - See GENRE / DIVERSITY LINKS, below. For children, see HOMEWORK LINKS: Books - Multicultural Literature

Genre Literature - See GENRE / DIVERSITY LINKS, below.

History of the Library UPDATED LINK! [Archived page] - A brief history of libraries from ancient Mesopotamia through the 20th century (History Magazine). See also A History of US Public Libraries (Digital Public Library of America).

IndieBound - As an alternative to buying books from that enormous online retailer or big box store, why not support your local indie bookstore by shopping online via IndieBound? Enter your zip code in the 'Buy at Local Store' box to find an independent bookstore near you and a link to purchase through its website. Bookshop.org is another online book-buying alternative. You can choose a specific local bookstore to receive the full profit off your order. Otherwise, your order will contribute to an earnings pool that will be evenly distributed among independent bookstores (even those that don't use Bookshop); all orders are fulfilled through Ingram.

International Literature - See World Literature, below.

Literary Traveler - For those interested in exploring locales from the world of literature, this site offers informative and interesting articles about writers and creative artists, and the places they lived and traveled. Links and other resources are included.

Lost Titles, Forgotten Rhymes: How to Find a Novel, Short Story, or Poem Without Knowing its Title or Author - 'Locating a novel, short story, or poem without knowing its title or author can be very difficult. This guide is intended to help readers identify a literary work when they know only its plot or subject, or other textual information such as a character's name, a line of poetry, or a unique word or phrase.' (Library of Congress). For children's books, see also Loganberry Book Stumpers, below.

Read.gov VIDEO - Brought to you by The Center for the Book, Read.gov features Author Webcasts, Booklists, Awards, the National Book Festival, and more. (Library of Congress)

Reading Group Guides - Offers advice on starting and running a reading group (click on For Book Groups in the menu bar), with book recommendations, reading guides, interviews, recipes, and more. Most of the reading group guides provided here are contributed by each book's publisher (From BookReporter.com). See also Starting a Book Club (American Library Association). Most major publishers now offer reading group guides for books they publish; go to the publisher's website and find the webpage for the specific title you're interested in to see if there's a reading group guide. For classics, see also student-oriented sites offering study / discussion questions such as Spark Notes (Barnes & Noble) or Cliffs Notes. If you're interested in joining a local reading group, the South Plainfield Library hosts a monthly Book Discussion Group for Adults.

World Literature: Words Without Borders - Aims to 'cultivate global awareness by expanding access to international writing and creating a bridge between readers, writers, and translators.' See also GENRE / DIVERSITY LINKS, below.

WorldCat® - Search for books, CDs, DVDs, and other materials in over 10,000 libraries worldwide. When you find the item you want, enter your zip code to find it in the libraries nearest to you. Now you can also register for a free account and create lists of favorites you find when searching (OCLC / WorldCat). If you want a book or other material which the South Plainfield Public Library doesn't own, you can request it using our Interlibrary Loan service.

AUTHOR INTERVIEWS:

AND SOME OTHER LITERARY SITES YOU MIGHT LIKE:

Booklists, Awards, Reviews, & Genres

Children's & Teens' Books and Reading

LOTE4Kids digital picture books in world languages LOTE4Kids: An online collection of audio/video picture books in World Languages, created for children to enjoy books and learn language through the magic of storytelling. Thousands of books in over 60 languages from the comfort of home, with English translations to help develop multilingual reading and listening skills. LOTE4Kids has a blog NEW! with posts about play-based learning, bilingual books, multiligualism, sign language, and related topics.

Find new books based on books you like! Novelist K-8 is a great online resource for helping parents and kids find that next great fiction read. NoveList K-8 Plus also provides access to thousands of nonfiction titles designed to support the curriculum and kids' pleasure reading. Created especially for kids, it has a colorful, graphic-rich homepage and is very easy to use. Hundreds of hand-crafted Recommended Reads reading lists created for teens and kids will excite even the most reluctant of readers. NOTE: You'll need to enter your name, library card barcode number, and PIN to start.

SelectReads Select Reads newsletters deliver reading recommendations based on your unique personal interests straight to your computer or mobile device. Sign up for a newsletter on one of the popular topics listed under MONTHLY NEWSLETTERS, or click on the MY SELECT READS tab to create personalized alerts based on any topic you choose! Select Reads includes Book Recommendations Newsletters for Babies & Toddlers, Children's Books, Ages 4-8, Ages 9-12, Teens, and lots more.

Click here for South Plainfield Public Schools Summer Reading Info

Adolescent Literacy VIDEO - Information and resources for parents and educators of 'struggling adolescent readers and writers', grades 4 - 12. Includes themed booklists, Book Finder Q&A, reading discussion guides, author interviews, video presentations, blog, and more. (WETA Public Television)

ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults - Yearly recommendations of the best fiction for teens. The page includes links to many additional Young Adult Book Awards and Booklists including Best Nonfiction for Young Adults; use the lefthand menu to choose and award category listed under Book Awards & Book/Media Lists. See Best Books for Young Adults archive, 1996 - 2010 for earlier selections. See also ALA's Notable Children's Books, above. (American Library Association)

ALA Children's Book & Media Awards - Links to various lists of award-winning books and media, from the Association for Library Service to Children. Includes all the Newbery and Caldecott Medal winners, and ALA's lists of Notable Children's Books. (American Library Association)

Asia Society: Kids Book Lists - 'A carefully curated list of contemporary fiction books about the Asian and Asian American experience,' designed to 'spark your child's interest in the people, history, experience, and food of Asia!' For babies through high school age.

Babies & Books - Our selected links to resources that can help you share the joy of reading with your child and prepare them for learning to read.

Booklists, Awards, Reviews, & Genres - Includes many listings with books for children & teens, including ALA's Notable Books, BookTrust Book Lists, and others.

Children's Book Council (CBC) Book Search - Search for children's books by keyword, or browse by age, format, genre, and more. The site also offers Reading Lists on a number of themes. The CBC website also has a Diverse Books and Resources page featuring links to publishers with diversity collections, and diversity booklists created by the CBC & other organizations.

Children's Classics Online - The Baldwin Project and Gateway to the Classics offer an extensive online collection of children's literature texts for works in the public domain in the United States (first published before 1923). NOTE: Advertisements for printed editions of books are prominently displayed at the top of the some pages. Rosetta Project is a large collection of antique children's books reproduced online, complete with original illustrations. You can browse alphabetically by title or by age group.

Choices Reading Lists - Annual lists of favorite recent books chosen by children, young adults, and teachers. (International Literacy Association and the Children's Book Council)

Common Sense Media Book Reviews - Independent age-based reviews of books for kids & teens. Reviews include information about quality, educational value, positive messages, violence, sex, drugs/drinking/smoking, consumerism, and other issues that may be of concern to parents. (Non-profit organization)

De Colores: The Raza Experience in Books for Children - Reviews children's and young adult books about Raza peoples. Embodied in La Raza is the blood of Inca, Maya, Mexica, Tolteca, Zapoteca, and hundreds of other Indigenous peoples. This blog contains critical reviews, poems, 'living stories,' and essays setting the work in cultural, historical, and contemporary contexts. NOTE: Most recent post is from 2022 (a collaborative project of educators, librarians and other contributors).

Diversity Books - Many of the sites listed in this section include diversity booklists. See also HOMEWORK LINKS: Books - Multicultural Literature. For adults, see Genre / Diversity links, above.

Get Ready to Read VIDEO - Free online materials for parents and educators to help preschoolers get ready to learn to read. Includes a screening tool, activities, checklists, video, advocacy guides, and related resources in English, Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, and Korean. (National Center for Learning Disabilities et al.)

Good Comics for Kids - A blog created by a group of librarians, parents, and writers, covering kids' comics (for readers from birth to age 16) through a mix of news, reviews, interviews, and previews. (School Library Journal)

Horn Book - This companion site to the Horn Book magazine and guide to books for children & young adults includes author & illustrator interviews, booklists & reviews, and more.

I'm Your Neighbor Books - Recommended children's books featuring dozens of new immigrant cultures and groups, from Afghani to Zimbabwean. You can browse books by setting, theme, or cultural groups represented (Kate Cutko, Library Director at Bowdoinham Public Library, et al.). Many other sites listed in this section include diversity booklists. For related sites, see HOMEWORK LINKS: Books - Multicultural Literature.

International Children's Digital Library - 'A digital library of outstanding children's books from all over the world... that help children to understand the world around them and the global society in which they live. The materials... reflect similarities and differences in cultures, societies, interests, and lifestyles of peoples around the world.' Books are presented in the original languages in which they were published; for children ages 3 - 13 (University of Maryland, Internet Archive, et al.). See also HOMEWORK LINKS: Books - Multicultural Literature.

KidLit TV AUDIO VIDEO - Author & artist interviews, reading along, audio podcast, and more!

KidStuff Books & Stories - Selected reading and story links for young children (ages 9 and under). (South Plainfield Public Library)

Learn to Read: Starfall.com AUDIO INTERACTIVE - Free materials designed to inspire a love of reading and writing. Useful for pre-k through second grade; suitable for home-schooling. Best viewed with a high-speed (cable or DSL) internet connection. See also Read Today: Play & Learn.

Loganberry Books Stumpers - [NOTE: There is a fee to submit a new question] 'Have you forgotten the title of your favorite children's book? ...Submit your memory here, and see if anyone else remembers your book, or better yet, knows the title and author!' You can search or browse the archives for free to see if your question has already been answered. See also Lost Titles, Forgotten Rhymes, above.

Multicultural Books - See HOMEWORK LINKS: Books - Multicultural Literature.

NPR's 100 Must-Reads For Kids 9-14 [Archived page] - In 2013, NPR polled its audience and consulted an expert panel to compile a list of 100 favorite books for kids age 9-14. There is also a similar list for young adults, NPR's 100 Best-Ever Teen Novels [Archived page], compiled in 2012. See also annual 'Best Books' lists from NPR and The New York Times [Subscription required].

Picturing Books - Explores various aspects of picture books, including design principles, color theory, artistic style, picture book timeline, glossaries, quotes, and more. There is a fee for using the picture book database, but other resources are free; by librarian Denise I. Matulka. See also Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art: Making Art With Children, and Children's Book Art: Techniques and Media (University of Minnesota).

Reach Out and Read: Resources for Families NEW! VIDEO - Selected resources that can help you help your children navigate through the challenges of early childhood. Includes booklists, videos, activities, and more. (Non-profit organization)

Read Across America: Find Your Book - Recommended books for elementary, middle school, and teen readers. Read Across America: Books by Theme offers recommended books that showcase diversity. (National Education Association)

Read Kiddo Read - Selected lists of great reads for kids age 0-8, age 6+, age 8+, and age 10+. (By bestselling author James Patterson et al.)

Reading is Fundamental (RIF) - Apps, activity calendars, booklists, and enrichment activities to foster learning in school and at home.

Reading Rockets - 'A wealth of reading strategies, lessons, and activities designed to help young children learn how to read and read better.' Includes Reading Tips for Parents of babies through third graders, available in English, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Haitian Creole, Hmong, Korean, Navajo, Russian, Tagalog, and Vietnamese; there are also articles with reading tips for parents of children with disabilities (WETA Public Television, U.S. Department of Education et al.). See also PBS Parents: Literacy for parents of kids up to age 8.

Series & Sequels - See What's Next®: Books in Series database of Kent District Library NEW!, Young Adult Books in Series & Sequels (Bettendorf Public Library), or our NoveList readers' advisory tool [SP library card required].

Social Justice Books - Selected lists of multicultural and social justice books for children, YA, and educators (Teaching for Change; non-profit organization).

Storyberries - Online children's books, stories, fairy tales, and audio stories, plus book reviews and more.

Storytime Themes - Get inspired and discover suggested books, activities, and crafts with hundreds of storytime ideas on themes such as animals, everyday things, multi-cultural, people, science, special days, and more (Association of Children's Librarians of Northern California).

Themed Book Reviews - Children's book lists published weekly on a variety of themes, with short descriptions of each book listed (International Literacy Association). See also Read and Shine Themed Reading Lists (Children's Literature Comprehensive Database Company) and Recommended books from ALSC (Association for Library Service to Children).

World Book Day NEW! VIDEO - Activities, advice, and resources to help you enjoy sharing stories together as a family every day of the year. Includes Share a Story Corner videos, free audiobooks, reading recommendations, and more. World Book Day was created by UNESCO on 23rd April 1995. (A registered UK charity sponsored by National Book Tokens)

Libraries & Literacy

Friend Your Library Friends of the South Plainfield Public Library serve as advocates for the development, expansion and improvement of library collections, facilities and services to patrons. Promoting library excellence is the most important item on the Friends' agenda. Learn more about supporting libraries: I Love Libraries, Public Library Funding Myths & Realities, and State of America's Libraries 2024 UPDATED!.

Adult Basic Education and Literacy - See Adult Basic Education & Literacy Training in New Jersey and related links.

American Library Association - National association dealing with library and library-related issues.

Friends of the Library - See Friends of the South Plainfield Public Library, and United for Libraries, below.

Government Libraries [Link opens a PDF] - A directory of specialized libraries at federal agencies, departments, and research centers; includes addresses, phone numbers, and links & email addresses where available (published in 2023). New Jersey State Library Resources include the New Jersey State Publications Digital Library, along with materials about New Jersey from non-official sources, covering local history, genealogy, newspapers, photographs, postcards, and more. Government Publications at Rutgers is a guide to the government documents collection (both U.S. and N.J.) in the Alexander Library at Rutgers. Click here for a list of all federal depository libraries.

Library Journal - News, features, and reviews from the library world.

Library of Congress Online Catalog - The Library of Congress Online Catalog contains over 20 million catalog records for books, serials, manuscripts, maps, music, recordings, images, and electronic resources in the Library of Congress collections. Search the catalog by keyword, subject, title, author, ISBN. Click here for e-Resources / online databases.

Library Gateway - Links to hundreds of public and academic library catalogs throughout the U.S. and around the world (last updated in 2023; Library of Congress). See also WorldCat®, below.

Literacy and Adult Basic Education - See Literacy Volunteers of Plainfield and related links.

NJ Libraries - Websites, Online Catalogs - A comprehensive set of links to NJ libraries, including both college and public libraries; from the NJ State Library. See also Government Libraries. For links and phone numbers of public libraries in Central New Jersey, see MURAL.

NJ Library Association - State association dealing with library and library-related issues.

School Library Journal - Book reviews, articles, and other resources on school libraries. You can use the site to search for articles, but most articles are only available to subscribers.

United for Libraries [Paid membership required] - Resources and services for library Friends, Trustees, and Foundations across the country to increase and enhance their efforts on behalf of libraries of all types (American Library Association). To support the South Plainfield Public Library, please consider joining Friends of the South Plainfield Public Library.

U.S. Government Libraries - See Government Libraries.

WorldCat® - Search for books, CDs, DVDs, and other materials in over 10,000 libraries worldwide. When you find the item you want, enter your zip code to find it in the libraries nearest to you. Now you can also register for a free account and create lists of favorites you find when searching (OCLC / WorldCat). If you want a book or other material which the South Plainfield Public Library or another LMxAC member library doesn't own, you can request it using our Interlibrary Loan service.

Literature

Free eBook downloads for your PC or eBook reader! FREE EBOOK DOWNLOADS from eLibraryNJ [SP library card required] - Download free eBooks in ePUB format to read on your PC or eBook reader! Choose from a great collection of bestsellers, mysteries, classics, biographies, and lots more, plus a huge collection of magazines! eLibraryNJ ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines are also available on the Libby app. NOTE: You'll need a valid South Plainfield Library Card to check out eBooks from the current eBooks collection. You can find even more free public domain eBooks to download at Project Gutenberg (described below).

Free eBooks from Freading™ [SP library card required] - Try out our Freading eBook Service! Freading allows us to increase the size and diversity of our collection by offering access to tens of thousands of books for free download! The Freading collection offers eBooks in a wide range of genres & subjects, including Fiction & Literature, Romance, Mystery, Biography & Autobiography, Business & Economics, Comics & Graphic Novels, Computers, Crafts & Hobbies, Foreign Language Study, Health & Fitness, History, House & Home, Self-help, Travel, True Crime, and much more! Freading works on any device supported by Adobe Digital Editions. Freading's free mobile apps are available for Apple devices, Android devices, and Kindle Fire.

Free audiobook downloads! FREE AUDIOBOOK DOWNLOADS from eLibraryNJ [SP library card required] - Download free audiobooks to transfer to your MP3 player or burn to a CD! Choose from a great collection of bestsellers, mysteries, classics, biographies, history, and lots more! eLibraryNJ now includes OverDrive MP3 Audiobooks which can be transferred to a wide range of devices, including iPod®, iPhone™, and iPod Touch! eLibraryNJ ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines are also available on the Libby app. NOTE: You'll need a valid South Plainfield Library Card to download audiobooks.

Hoopla digital media Hoopla! [SP library card required] digital media service allows you to borrow audiobooks, ebooks, and comics, as well as movies, music, and TV shows to enjoy on your computer, tablet, phone or TV! With no waiting, titles can be streamed immediately, or downloaded to phones or tablets for offline enjoyment later. Hoopla mobile apps are available for Apple devices, Android devices, and Kindle Fire. NOTE: You'll need a valid South Plainfield Library Card to use Hoopla.

NovelList Readers Advisory NoveList [SP library card required] - Have you found a book you like, and want to read other books like it? Do you enjoy international spy thrillers, romances set during the Renaissance, or mysteries with a food theme? NoveList helps you find new books to read based on books you've already read or topics in which you are interested. NOTE: You'll need to enter your name, library card barcode number, and PIN to start. (EBSCOhost)

Project Gutenberg: Classics Online - 'The oldest producer of free electronic books on the Internet'; contains e-texts of tens of thousands of classic titles produced by tens of thousands of volunteers. Includes the Harvard Classics. Project Gutenberg eBooks are available in Kindle, ePUB, HTML and plain text; public domain audiobooks are available through LibriVox. You can also browse by category / topic. Go to 'BROWSING OPTIONS' on the SEARCH page to browse special categories (movies, sheet music, audio and more) and different languages. Project Gutenberg is part of the Internet Archive Books collection UPDATED LINK! which includes millions of open-access books. Standard eBooks 'takes ebooks from sources like Project Gutenberg, formats and typesets them using a carefully designed and professional-grade style manual, fully proofreads and corrects them, and then builds them to create a new edition that takes advantage of state-of-the-art ereader and browser technology.' Standard eBooks are available in a variety of formats (a volunteer-driven, not-for-profit project). See also Online Books Page (University of Pennsylvania) and Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) Open Bookshelf. The Mason OER Metafinder will simultaneously search up to 2 dozen open educational resources (OERs) for freely-available electronic texts and other educational materials (George Mason University). If you like eBooks, don't forget to check out South Plainfield Public Library's free digital Audiobooks, eBooks & Comics, and Magazines & Newspapers [SP library card required].

Classic Short Stories - E-texts of classic short stories by dozens of writers including Wharton, Twain, Hawthorne, Poe, Mansfield, de Maupassant, Kipling, Saki, Garcia Marquez, Chekhov and others.

Free eBooks: The 5 Best Websites for Free eBooks - Visit the sites listed here to find e-books you can download for free (Goodwill Community Foundation, Inc.). If you like eBooks, don't forget to check out South Plainfield Public Library's free eBook downloads [SP library card required].

LibriVox Classic Audio Books AUDIO - Free recordings of classic books, to download in mp3 or ogg format. Books are recorded by volunteer readers, so the quality of readings will vary. If you like audio books, don't forget to check out South Plainfield Public Library's free audiobook downloads AUDIO [SP library card required]. We offer a wide variety of commercially recorded audiobooks including both classics & recent bestsellers, fiction & nonfiction.

Listen to Genius AUDIO - Hundreds of free downloadable audio selections from the world of classic literature, read by award-winning professional narrators. Includes short stories and poetry, as well as excerpts from novels, biography, philosophy, drama, history, science, travel and more. You can browse audios by author name or subject; most audios are 10 - 20 minutes in length (Redwood Audiobooks). Lit to Go AUDIO is a free online collection of stories, poems, books, and plays in mp3 (audiobook) format. 'You can download the files to your mp3 player and listen on the go, listen to the mp3 files on your computer, view the text on a webpage and read along as you listen, or print out the stories and poems to make your own book.' Recordings range from short poems to full-length novels; site also includes themed collections (University of South Florida). For more audiobooks you can download free from eLibraryNJ (Overdrive), check out South Plainfield Public Library's free audiobook downloads [SP library card required].

Poetry Foundation AUDIO - Poetry news, poet profiles, reviews, and other articles on poetry and culture, plus a collection of more than 3,000 contemporary and classic poems in English by more than 250 poets. You can search for poems by keyword, or use the Poetry browse page to find poems by topic (including occasions & holidays), form, period, and/or region. See also Poetry Archive AUDIO, Poets.org: Academy of American Poets AUDIO (use the browse poems page to find poems by occasion, theme, and/or form), Poetry at the Library of Congress AUDIO VIDEO, and PennSound AUDIO.

Project Gutenberg: Classics Online - See listing above.

Public Domain Review AUDIO VIDEO - 'An online journal and not-for-profit project dedicated to the exploration of curious and compelling works from the history of art, literature, and ideas.' Includes a large collection of public domain texts, images, films, and audio recordings, as well as essays about public domain works.

Rare Book Room - Offers book lovers a chance to look through some of the world's rarest books, each page digitally photographed in high resolution. A line of arrow icons runs above the top of each page image; click on the icon on the farthest left to zoom in for a closer view. If you've ever longed for a glimpse of the original 1455 Gutenberg Bible, here's your chance!

Shakespeare Links - Our selection of the best websites on Shakespeare, including texts, plot summaries, criticism, and more.

Publishers and Small / Independent Presses

Community of Literary Magazines and Presses - Includes a searchable directory of member publishers.

New Pages - 'News, information and guides to independent bookstores, independent publishers, literary periodicals, alternative periodicals, independent record labels, alternative newsweeklies and more.' Also lists writing contests, calls for submissions, and other resources for writers.

Special Needs

Assistive Media UPDATED LINK! [Archived page] AUDIO - 'Audio access to reading materials for anyone with a reading access barrier. Talented volunteers record magazine articles and other short works which are then available for download or podcast.' Articles are from 2005 - 2019; non-profit organization. For free downloads of audiobooks, see South Plainfield Public Library's audiobook downloads [SP library card required] page.

Bookmark: Disability and Children's Books - Information, book reviews, and advice on all aspects of children's books, reading and disability issues, for parents, teachers, librarians and others. (Non-profit organization, UK: Booktrust)

Bookshare - An accessible online library for people with a qualifying vision, physical, or learning disability which prevents them from reading traditional print materials. Bookshare® is FREE for qualified U.S. students and schools through an award from the U.S. Department of Education; non-students and other organizations pay a low fee. (Beneficent Technology, Inc.)

Described & Captioned Media Catalog (DCMP) VIDEO - Described and captioned educational media is available to students who are deaf, blind, hard of hearing, visually impaired, or deaf-blind. Thousands of accessible videos are available to students, their families, and the professionals who serve them. Users who qualify can search by keyword, browse by topic and subtopic, and browse by Common Core and state standards. There are no user-registration or service fees. Individuals must be deaf, blind, hard of hearing, visually impaired, or deaf-blind (or the parent of a child with a disability) to register for service.

Disability in Kidlit [Archived page] - Offers articles, reviews, interviews, and discussions on the portrayal of disability in middle grade and young adult literature. It examines this topic from various angles, and always from the disabled perspective; all contributors have a disability. (2013 - 2018)

Homebound Library Delivery - The South Plainfield Public Library's Edith Goodrich Homebound Delivery Program provides delivery and pick-up of Library materials to any South Plainfield resident who cannot come to the Library because of illness or disability. Items are selected based on your requests and preferences. See the Homebound Library Delivery page for additional information.

Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped - A national network of cooperating libraries lending braille and audio materials, by postage-free mail, to eligible visually or physically handicapped borrowers in the United States. Includes books and magazines. Find audio, braille, and print/braille books for preschool through grade 8 from the NLS Kid Zone. See NLS Reference Materials for a list of all the services and materials offered by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS). Locally, the South Plainfield Public Library offers audio books, large print books, and homebound delivery. Call us at (908) 754-7885 for more information.

Reading Tips for Parents of Children with Disabilities - Advice about reading for parents of children with Speech and Language Problems, ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Hearing Loss or Deafness, Low Vision or Blindness, Intellectual Disabilities, and Cerebral Palsy. See also Literacy Tips for Parents of Children with Learning Disabilities (Reading Rockets, WETA Public Broadcasting)