We’re fortunate to have patrons who really love to read, listen to audiobooks, and watch great series and movies. Sometimes it can be hard to figure out what’s next, especially now that there are so many choices available. Here’s a collection of resources to help you discover new books to listen to or read and new films or TV programs to watch.
If you’d like further assistance finding something to read/listen/watch, we can help! Click here to complete a form for staff assistance.
If you’d like to know more about how to request items online, watch our video about how to use the Minerva & MaineCat library catalogs.
STAFF FAVORITES
WHAT TO READ NEXT
Our New Books
Take a look at FCL’s newest additions on our New Items page. Clicking on any of the sections on our New Items page will take you to a list of those items in Minerva. And you can click on any one of those titles to place a hold request for yourself.
CloudLibrary
As a member of the Maine Infonet Download Library, FCL gives you access to thousands of ebooks and audiobooks via CloudLibrary.
Book Recommendations & Reviews
- NoveList Plus is a great resource from the Digital Maine Library that lets you browse reading suggestions by genre and also helps you find read-a-like suggestions based on the authors, books, and series that you’ve enjoyed, and handy printable lists of series books in order.
- Book Browse – non-members can access many reviews and sign up for free e-newsletters
- Book Riot
- GoodReads – helps you find new books to read and helps you track books that you’ve read and ones that you want to read
- Indie Next – monthly lists of the top books at independent bookstores
- Library Reads – monthly top picks from librarians across the U.S.
- NPR Books
- New York Times Book Review
- Each week, this site has printable PDF versions of the newest New York Times Adult Hardcover Best Seller lists. You’ll find the current year’s lists plus historic lists dating back to 1931.
- What Should I Read Next
WHAT TO LISTEN TO NEXT
Our New Audiobooks
Take a look at FCL’s newest adult & youth audiobooks on our New Items page. Clicking on any of the sections on our New Items page will take you to a list of those items in Minerva. And you can click on any one of those titles to place a hold request for yourself.
CloudLibrary
As a member of the Maine Infonet Download Library, FCL gives you access to thousands of ebooks and audiobooks via CloudLibrary.
Audiobook Recommendations & Reviews
If you’re a audiobook fan, you know which attributes are most important to you. Good narrators are key. You might also have preferences about solo readers vs. casts of narrators, regional accents, pacing, and other characteristics that make you love an audiobook. Here are a couple of resources to help you navigate the many audiobook options that are available.
Audiofile Magazine is based in Portland, Maine. Even without a paid subscription to the print magazine, there is a lot of free content on their site, including reviews, profiles of Golden Voices narrators, and Earphones Awards winners. They also have free email newsletters.
The Audie Awards “recognize distinction in audiobooks and spoken word entertainment” and are sponsored by the Audio Publishers Association. Their site includes lists and reviews of multiple categories of Audie-winning audiobooks since 1996.
WHAT TO WATCH NEXT
Our New Videos
Take a look at FCL’s newest DVDs/Blu-rays on our New Items page. Clicking on any of the sections on our New Items page will take you to a list of those items in Minerva. And you can click on any one of those titles to place a hold request for yourself.
Kanopy
Browse Kanopy, FCL’s on-demand video streaming service featuring independent, international, classic, and documentary films. Click here to learn more.
Free Videos & Resources
FCL and other Minerva libraries do try to purchase (when available) some DVDs of films or series that only appear on paid streaming channels or cable – so someday, hopefully soon, you might be able to check them out from a library.
Even though it feels like a lot of films and TV shows are only on paid cable or streaming services, there are still some free resources available.
PBS Video offers an assortment of videos in genres including; dramas, indie films, home & how-to’s, history, food, culture, arts and music, local videos, and more. Here are some familiar PBS programs that offer at least some free videos:
- Masterpiece usually has their most recent episode online and also has a great podcast called Masterpiece Studio with interviews and behind the scenes info.
- American Experience
- Nova
- Frontline
- Nature
- Austin City Limits
- American Masters
- POV
- Independent Lens
PBS has another channel called World, which includes great long-form domestic & international documentaries, programming on national issues, and Stories From the Stage.
Popcorn Flix lets you watch free films & televisions shows but they are interrupted by advertisements. You won’t find new top films & TV but their offerings do include some great classics.
With a free Vudu account, you can access a lot of popular TV shows and movies that are free to watch with ads.
Film News and Reviews
Entertainment resources such as the ones below are often a good way to keep up-to-date with what’s popular now and what new shows and movies are coming out soon.
- Entertainment news & review sites like: NPR TV, NPR Movies, BBC Culture, Entertainment Weekly, and Variety.
- Rotten Tomatoes is a great way to see a number of film & TV reviews from different sources at the same time.