New Library Catalog Preview
We are launching a new catalog on February 10 and would like your feedback. Preview the new catalog and take the survey ›
(Lit)erary
-
Stories of More Woe
William Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet, it could be said, has got it all. The play is deceptively simple; boy meets girl, they fall in love, and a series of unfortunate events involving their families’ long-standing blood feud leads to boy and girl’s tragic deaths. It’s easy to see why it so often appears on high school English curricula. It’s got everything teens love: relatable protagonists, parents who don’t understand,
-
From the Director, January 2025
Your Library Offers Unlimited Value in the New Year Welcome to a new year with your library! January is a time to look ahead and plan for a successful year, and your OCLS library card can help you do just that – often in surprising, money-saving ways. If you’re paying for newspapers, magazines, audiobooks or
-
Q&A with Author Nicholas Sparks
Nicholas Sparks is one of the world’s most beloved authors, and we are honored to welcome him as our next Lillian Louise Pharr Signature Author Series featured author. Sparks’ books, including titles such as The Notebook, A Walk to Remember and Nights in Rodanthe, have sold over 105 million copies in more than 50 languages worldwide. His…
-
From the Director, December 2025
The Best Books You May Have Missed in 2025 December is a great time to relax with a book, and book clubs, blogs, celebrities and newspapers are releasing their Best Books lists for 2025 – a fun way to find your next book. I love discovering new authors and I find as much time as
-
From the Director, August 2025
Back to School With Your Library August is here and for kids and families in Orange County that means gearing up to go back to school. Your Orange County Library System has resources, classes and events to get students back in the learning mindset and strengthen their academic skills. On Monday, August 4, 11 a.m.,
-
Book Recommendations: Botanical Horror
Climate change may be scary… but these horror stories are even more daunting! In honor of Earth Day (April 22nd) this month, I’ve compiled a list of botanical horror novels that will surely have you question the power of nature. Don’t Let The Forest In by CG Drews High school student Andrew Perrault finds refuge
-
My Tuesday with Billy
While Florida has housed its fair share of renowned poets over the years, few have reached the heights of mainstream popularity as former United States Poet Laureate Billy Collins. Billy has called Winter Park his home since 2008. From 2008 to 2015, he was the senior distinguished fellow of the Winter Park Institute, which hosts
-
Children’s Book Recommendations: Growing Families
Siblings Day is celebrated on April 10. This year, staff member Ethan shares his family’s book recommendations that help parents and children prepare for a new family member. Is your family growing and you want to prepare the little one(s) in your life for the new addition? Do you want to help them navigate these
-
Learning How to Write Poetry for Kids
Does your child want to be a poet, but doesn’t know how to do it? These children’s book recommendations will help you get their creative juices flowing in no time. Regardless, if they are a beginner or have been writing poetry for a while, these books will both teach them that reading and writing poetry
-
From the Director, April 2025
Connecting Through Culture and Community Being connected to our community and building connections within our community are essential to the strategic plan that Orange County Library System unveiled in October. Since then, we’ve worked hard to find engaging and exciting ways to help our community unite with new ideas and experiences – online, in-person and
About
From book recommendations to pop culture discussions, the Orange County Library System wants you to join the conversation with library staff about the world around us.
Featured Blog Posts
Tags
100 year celebration account activities adult fiction art author author interview authors black history month book recommendations books checked out items children children's books computers crafts digital digital media DIY family fees friends of the library from the director history holds home delivery interview library library staff local wanderer melrose center mobile movies music music national library week our history speaks volumes OverDrive preschool reading requesting reservations searching summer reading program YA books
