Reader Services
Welcome to the Reader Services Department:
Janine Walsh (Department Head), Christina Crocker, Aaron Berkowitz, Michael Realmuto, Susan Saskin, and Dalal Fatoush welcome you to the Reader Services Department Website of the EMPL web page. Our job is to provide you with books for the adult circulating collection, to keep the collection up-to-date, and to provide book discussions, working closely with the Public Relations Department. We publicize interesting aspects of the collection and just help to make EMPL the vital and exciting place it is!
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Want to know what the hottest new book releases will be? Check out Reader Services’ reviews of forthcoming books at our “Coming Soon to Our Library” blog and be the first to reserve these soon to be in demand titles!
THANK YOU TO ALL THE PARTICIPANTS OF THE 2025 EAST MEADOW PUBLIC LIBRARY SUMMER READING CLUB!
CLICK HERE FOR THE BOOK BUZZ/SHOUT ‘N SHARE LIST
CLICK HERE FOR THE SUMMER READING CLUB’S MOST READ BOOKS
CLICK HERE FOR PICTURES OF THE SUMMER READING CLUB PARTY
PLEASE REMEMBER TO THANK AND PATRONIZE OUR GENEROUS DONORS. CLICK HERE FOR THE LIST
In a reading rut? Want to broaden your book choices? Join the EMPL Reader Services 2025 Reading Challenge.
The reading challenge is a chance to shake up your reading habits and to explore all that The Reader Services Department offers by completing reading and non-reading challenges throughout the year. Those who participate will be invited to a party in January of 2026 where there will be prizes, refreshments, a book buzz, and a chance to share the titles read during the year. The Basic Reading Challenge consists of twelve, one for each month of the year. Complete the challenge within that month and get entered to win a prize. Unsure you can read a book a month? Don’t worry, there is a lot of flexibility in the challenge so you can participate no matter how much you read. Feeling ambitious? Complete our Extra Reading Challenges and/or our non-reading Bonus Challenges and increase your chance at winning our Grand Prize. You may read whatever you want as long as it meets the challenges. Not sure of what to read? We will have suggestions for you all through the year and a discussion forum online where you can get ideas or share what you are reading. Participate either online or by submitting your completed challenges in person at the library. Program is open to all with a Nassau Library Card.
Register now online or in the library. For more information and for a list of the challenges, click on this link.
INSTRUCTIONS ON SUBMITTING READING CHALLENGES AND COMPLETING NON-READING CHALLENGES
INSTRUCTIONS ON EDITING/MAKING CHANGES TO YOUR READING CHALLENGES/BOOK REVIEWS
To complete a challenge, please submit the title and author of book you read, the date completed, how it fits the challenge and rate the book on a scale of 1 to 5 stars. For nonreading challenges tell us the date completed and how you fulfilled the challenge.
READING CHALLENGE GOODREADS PAGE – This is the place to discuss the reading challenges. You can recommend books, ask for suggestions or discuss the book you are reading for the challenge. If you are not a member of Goodreads you must create an account at goodreads.com . After joining, you will receive an e-mail asking you to verify your e-mail address – please do so by clicking the link provided. After you log into Goodreads, click on this link – EMPL Reading Challenge Page and select Join Group. You can also find our page by clicking on Community at the top of the Goodreads page. Select Groups and type EMPL in the seach box. Select EMPL Reader Services Reading Challenge 2025 and click Join Group.
Enjoy Bonus Borrows more often! Bonus Borrows will be available the last seven days of each month. Choose from these select titles without using your monthly borrows! No borrows? No problem! Titles in hoopla’s Bonus Borrows program don’t count against your limit. Enjoy hoopla all month long! Click here for more information.
The library is open, but here is another way to get books!
Looking for eBook/audiobook suggestions? We’ve created some new and exciting lists to help you find your next read. From bestsellers to self-help, there’s a wide variety of topics to explore. Sign in to Nassau Digital Doorway by selecting East Meadow from the list of libraries and then log in using your East Meadow Library card barcode. Or you can sign in using your OverDrive account or with Facebook. Happy browsing!
Nassau Digital Doorway Now Has Magazines!
RBdigital Magazines have moved to OverDrive and can be accessed by using the Libby app. If you aren’t able to use Libby or libbyapp.com, you can use the library’s OverDrive website. Full-color digital magazines are available for anytime, anywhere reading on desktops, mobile devices, and apps. You can access over 3,000 digital magazines with a rolling 3 years of back issues (where available). There are no magazine checkout limits, so you can borrow as many as you like. This collection of popular digital magazines includes both new and backlist titles. Rolling Stone, Glamour, Vogue, Newsweek, and Esquire are just a few of the titles we have to offer.
A valid East Meadow Public Library card is required to access the digital magazines through OverDrive.
Please click here for information regarding the RBdigital transition to Libby.
Libby for Amazon Fire tablets – Libby is now available to download from the Amazon Appstore.
READER SERVICES PROGRAMS
EVENING BOOK DISCUSSION
December 8, 2025 at 7:00 p.m.
Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan
Register online by clicking on this link, or by calling 516-794-2570, option 3.
The eBook version of Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan can be accessed through the Nassau Digital Doorway. The eAudio can be accessed here. Additionally, both the eBook and eAudio are available through hoopla.
It is 1985 in a small Irish town. During the weeks leading up to Christmas, Bill Furlong, a coal merchant and family man faces into his busiest season. Early one morning, while delivering an order to the local convent, Bill makes a discovery which forces him to confront both his past and the complicit silences of a town controlled by the church. An international bestseller, this book is a deeply affecting story of hope, quiet heroism, and empathy from one of our most critically lauded and iconic writers.
Discussion guide for Small Things Like These.
March 16, 2026 at 7:00 p.m.
More or Less Maddy by Lisa Genova
Registration details to be announced.
The eBook version of More or Less Maddy can be accessed through the Nassau Digital Doorway. The eAudio can be accessed here.
Maddy Banks is just like any other stressed-out freshman at NYU. Between schoolwork, exams, navigating life in the city, and a recent breakup, it’s normal to be feeling overwhelmed. It doesn’t help that she’s always felt like the odd one out in her picture-perfect Connecticut family. But Maddy’s latest low is devastatingly low, convincing her to go on an antidepressant. She begins to feel good, dazzling good in fact, and she soon spirals high into a wild and terrifying mania that culminates in a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. As she struggles to find her way in this new reality, navigating the complex effects bipolar has on her identity, her relationships, and her life dream, Maddy will have to figure out how to manage being both too much and not enough.
Discussion guide for More or Less Maddy.
BESTSELLER DISCUSSION GROUP
January 20, 2026 at 2:00 p.m.
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
Registration details to be announced.
The eBook version of Lessons in Chemistry can be accessed through the Nassau Digital Doorway. The eAudio can be accessed here.
Chemist Elizabeth Zott is not your average woman. In fact, Elizabeth Zott would be the first to point out that there is no such thing as an average woman. But it’s the early 1960s and her all-male team at Hastings Research Institute takes a very unscientific view of equality. Except for one: Calvin Evans; the lonely, brilliant, Nobel-prize nominated grudge-holder who falls in love with–of all things–her mind. True chemistry results. But like science, life is unpredictable. Which is why a few years later Elizabeth Zott finds herself not only a single mother, but the reluctant star of America’s most beloved cooking show Supper at Six. Elizabeth’s unusual approach to cooking (“combine one tablespoon acetic acid with a pinch of sodium chloride”) proves revolutionary. But as her following grows, not everyone is happy. Because as it turns out, Elizabeth Zott isn’t just teaching women to cook. She’s daring them to change the status quo.
Discussion guide for Lessons in Chemistry.
April 14, 2026 at 2:00 p.m.
The Measure by Nikki Erlick
Registration details to be announced.
The eBook version of The Measure can be accessed through the Nassau Digital Doorway. The eAudio can be accessed here. Additionally, both the eBook and eAudio are available through hoopla.
A luminous, spirit-lifting novel that asks: would you choose to find out the length of your life? Eight ordinary people. One extraordinary choice. It seems like any other day. But today, when you open your front door, waiting for you is a small wooden box. The contents of this mysterious box tells you the exact number of years you will live. From suburban doorsteps to desert tents, every person on every continent receives the same box. In an instant, the world is thrust into a collective frenzy. Where did these boxes come from? What do they mean? Is there truth to what they promise? As society comes together and pulls apart, everyone faces the same shocking choice: Do they wish to know how long they’ll live? And, if so, what will they do with that knowledge?
Discussion guide for The Measure.
IT’S A MYSTERY!
Mystery/Thriller Book Club
February 9, 2026 at 7:00 p.m.
The Busybody Book Club by Freya Sampson
Registration details to be announced.
The eBook version of The Busybody Book Club can be accessed through the Nassau Digital Doorway. The eAudio can be accessed here.
They can’t even agree on what to read, so how are they going to solve a murder? Having recently moved from London to a small Cornish seaside village, Nova Davies started a book club at the local community center, but so far it’s a disaster. The five members disagree on everything, and to make matters worse, a significant sum of money is stolen during one of the meetings, putting the much-loved community center at risk. Suspicion for the theft falls on book club member Michael, especially when he disappears and a dead body turns up at his house. While trying to locate Michael, solve the murder and recover the stolen money, each of them has their own secrets to protect. But despite the danger closing in, they won’t rest until they’ve cracked the case and gotten everyone safe at home with a book, where they belong.
Discussion guide for The Busybody Book Club.
May 18, 2026 at 7:00 p.m.
All Good People Here by Ashley Flowers
Registration details to be announced.
The eBook version of All Good People Here can be accessed through the Nassau Digital Doorway. The eAudio can be accessed here.
A journalist uncovers her hometown’s dark secrets when she becomes obsessed with the unsolved murder of her childhood neighbor–and the disappearance of another girl twenty years later. Everyone from Wakarusa, Indiana, remembers the infamous case of January Jacobs, who was discovered in a ditch hours. Margot Davies was six at the time, the same age as January–and they were next-door neighbors. In the twenty years since, Margot has grown up, moved away, and become a big-city journalist. But she’s always been haunted by the feeling that it could’ve been her. And the worst part is, January’s killer has never been brought to justice. When Margot returns home to help care for her uncle after he is diagnosed with early-onset dementia, she feels like she’s walked into a time capsule. Then news breaks about five-year-old Natalie Clark from the next town over, who’s gone missing under circumstances eerily similar to January’s. Margot vows to find Natalie and to solve January’s murder once and for all.
Discussion guide for All Good People Here.
READ ‘N SHARE – Read a good book recently?
Talk about it with other book lovers!
Read ‘n Share Titles – August 2025
Read ‘n Share Titles – August 2024
Read ‘n Share Titles – August 2023
Read ‘n Share Titles – August 2022
Read ‘n Share Titles – August 2021
Read ‘n Share Titles – February 2021
Read ‘n Share Titles – July 2020
Read ‘n Share Titles – April 2020
YOUR NEXT READ
Let the Reader Services Department along with the assistance of the library staff help you find your next book to read. Click here to fill out the online form with your preferences and we will build you a customized list of recommended titles.
If you read any of the recommended books or choose not to read them, please send us feedback by clicking here and completing the online form.
These are the books we have read and recommend. Look for new reviews monthly!
To check the Online Public Access Catalog for the current availability of these books, please click here. Once you have gotten into the catalog, limit your search to the East Meadow location.
EMPL’s Bookshelf: Click here to view all of our reviews. Click on book cover or title to see the full review.
Click here for the Women of the Supreme Court bibliography. All of these titles can be found on the Nassau Digital Doorway.
If you would like to recommend a title, please click here.
Have you tried NoveList, our online readers’ advisory tool? NoveList is a wonderful database to help you find fiction books based on your preferences. You can search the database by entering a title or author that you like, or you can even describe the type of book that you would like to read and NoveList will present you with a list of books that match your preferences.
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NASSAU DIGITAL DOORWAY
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ONLINE BOOK CLUB – TO BE ANNOUNCED |
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GOOD READS (Google Directory Readers Advisory Search) |
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IT’S A MYSTERY! MYSTERY/THRILLER BOOK CLUB Love a good mystery? Join our mystery/thriller book club as we delve into both the classics and latest releases of the genre. Click here to see a complete list of all of the books that we have discussed in our mystery/thriller series. |
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ON THE BEDSIDE TABLE Welcome to the East Meadow Public Library’s new Book Blog where you will find book reviews, new services, a calendar of our book programs and lots more. We’re looking forward to your comments, questions, and suggestions. Hope you enjoy reading what we’re writing! |
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ON YOUR MARK Every month, members of the Library staff pick three books that they loved, which are printed on their personal bookmarks. If you like their picks, you can look for their bookmarks next month. It’s one more way to match the right book with the right reader. On your mark, get set, go find your favorite read! |
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BEST SELLERS CLUB By joining our Best Sellers Club you will be automatically placed on the reserve list for the latest fiction by your favorite authors. Click here for more details regarding this esteemed program. |
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BOOK CLUB IN A BINDER Welcome to the Book Club in a Binder Program, brought to you by the East Meadow Public Library. Click here for more details regarding this exciting new program that will be coming soon. |
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BESTSELLER DISCUSSION GROUP Join us for our new daytime book group where we will discuss bestselling books. This discussion group will usually start at 1:30 PM. Click here for a listing of the books to be discussed and meeting dates. If you would like to see a complete list of all of the books that we have discussed in our Bestseller Discussion Group, please click here. |
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EVENING BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP The library has a book discussion group that meets at 7:00 PM. Book selections are made with the assistance of Reader Services librarian Donna Ballard, and copies of the book may be reserved at the Reference Desk. Anyone interested in joining the group can just come and join us, no registration is needed. If you have any questions, please call Donna Ballard at 794-2570, ext.1236. Click here for a listing of the books to be discussed and meeting dates. If you would like to see a complete list of all of the books that we have discussed in our Evening Book Discussion Group, please click here. |
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LARGE PRINT BOOKS Our library has one of the largest collections of large print books in the county. We are proud of our holdings and know that you will find exactly what you are looking for. If you don’t find the book you want, please have a librarian check our large basement holdings. Click here for a sample of some of our newest large print titles. |
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HOMEBOUND SERVICES Mary-Ellen Fosso, our Community Services Librarian, provides library services for homebound residents. For patrons physically unable to come to the library, we offer a homebound program to deliver books to you. If you are eligible (a doctor’s note will be required) please contact us for further information. |
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MAGAZINE COLLECTION We have over 100 circulating magazines in our Browsing Room collection, featuring popular titles such as People, Modern Bride, Time, and Entertainment Weekly. |
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NEW BOOKS, MOVIES, MUSIC, AND AUDIOBOOKS IN COLLECTION Check out the latest titles in the Reader Services 2025 book, movie, music, and audiobook collection. |
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BOOK LISTS BY SUBJECT Bibliographies prepared by the Reader Services Staff. |
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BOOKS AND READING LINKS Useful websites for book lovers. |
Contact our Reader Services Department at readers@eastmeadow.info.
