There are 73 upcoming classes.
ELKS Excellent Reads
Date: 05/13/25Time: 12:30pm - 1:30pm
Branch: Elkridge Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Join us to discuss The Cemetery of Untold Stories by Julia Alvarez
Eclectic Evenings Meeting (Online)
Date: 05/13/25Time: 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Branch: Online Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Read and discuss a wide array of fiction and nonfiction titles.
2nd Tuesdays, 7-8 pm
Join for a discussion of the following title:
May 13: The Cliffs by J. Courtney Sullivan (e-book | e-audio)
Please register with an email address to receive an immediate registration confirmation with a link to join the class/event. This email will also contain the dial-in information if you wish to participate by telephone.
Copies of the discussion title are available for pickup from the Central Branch; ask for a copy at the Customer Service desk.
Warning Graphic Content (Online)
Date: 05/13/25Time: 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Branch: Online Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Read and discuss a wide array of graphic novels. 2nd Thursdays 7 - 8 pm.
May 13 One Hundred Tales by Osamu Tezuka
June 12 I Hate This Place by Kyle Starks
July 10 No/One by Kyle Higgins and Brian Buccellato
August 14 Made in Korea by Jeremy Holt
September 11 Ghost Omnibus by Erik Luke AND Ghost Vol 1: In The Smoke and Din by Kelly Sue Deconnick
October 9 Bad Gateway by Simon Hanselmann
November 13
Please register with an email address to receive an immediate registration confirmation. You will receive the link to the online class in the confirmation email. This email will also contain as the dial-in information if you wish to participate by telephone.
Title is available via hoopla
Maryland Libraries Together Discussion - "Free For All: The Public Library" (Online)
Date: 05/13/25Time: 7:00pm - 8:15pm
Branch: Online Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: History & Genealogy
Description:
Learn how public libraries shaped the country and continue to be a sanctuary for Americans everywhere. Watch Free for All: The Public Library at a local screening, or online via MPT at your convenience, and then participate in a community-driven discussion about the documentary. This discussion takes place on Zoom. Register with an email address to receive the link to join the discussion.
Free for All: The Public Library tells the story of the quiet revolutionaries who made a simple idea happen. From the pioneering women behind the “Free Library Movement” to today's librarians who service the public despite workingin a contentious age of closures and book bans, meet those who created a civic institution where everything is free and the doors are open to all.
Free for All: The Public Library premieres on Independent Lens on Tuesday, April 29th, 2025. Watch online, or attend a local screening:
WESTERN MARYLAND
- Tuesday, April 8 @ 5pm: Free For All: The Public Library Screening @ Frostburg Library | RSVP
- Friday, April 11 @ 12pm: Free For All: The Public Library Screening @ South Cumberland Library | RSVP
- Wednesday, May 21 @ 5pm: Free For All: The Public Library Screening @ Ruth Enlow Library | RSVP
CENTRAL MARYLAND
- Thursday, April 3 @ 6pm: Free For All: The Public Library Screening @ Fallston Library | RSVP
- Saturday, April 5 @ 2pm: Free For All: The Public Library Screening @ Abingdon Library | RSVP
- Wednesday, April 9 @ 2pm: Free For All: The Public Library Screening @ Baltimore County Public Library, Pikesville Branch | RSVP
- Wednesday, April 9 @ 6:30pm: Free For All: The Public Library Screening @ BCPL, Cockeysville Branch | RSVP
- Wednesday, April 9 @ 6pm: Free For All: The Public Library Screening @ Enoch Pratt Free Library | RSVP
- Wednesday, April 9 @ 6:30pm: Free For All: The Public Library Screening @ Joppa Library | RSVP
- Saturday, April 12 @ 1pm: Free For All: The Public Library Screening @ Edgewood Library | RSVP
- Saturday, April 26 @ 2:30pm: Free For All: The Public Library Screening @ Aberdeen Library | RSVP
- Saturday, April 26 @ 10:30am: Free For All: The Public Library Screening @ Norrisville Library | RSVP
- Wednesday, April 30 @ 6pm: Free For All: The Public Library Screening @ Bel Air Library | RSVP
- Monday, May 5 @ 7pm: Free For All: The Public Library Screening @ Howard County Public Library, Central Branch | RSVP
- Wednesday, May 7 @ 6pm: Free For All: The Public Library Screening @ Michael E. Busch Annapolis Library | RSVP
CAPITAL REGION
- Tuesday, April 29 @ 5pm: Free For All: The Public Library Screening @ Fairmount Heights Branch Library | RSVP
EASTERN SHORE
- Tuesday, April 8 @ 2:00pm: Free For All: The Public Library Screening @ Ocean City Library | RSVP
- Tuesday, April 8 @ 6:30pm: Free For All: The Public Library Screening @ Cecil County Public Library, North East Branch | RSVP
- Friday, April 11 @ 9am: Free For All: The Public Library Screening @ Talbot County Free Library | RSVP
- Friday, April 11 @ 2pm: Free For All: The Public Library Screening @ Leonardtown Library | RSVP
- Saturday, April 12 @ 11am: Free For All: The Public Library Screening @ Queen Anne's County Library, Kent Island Branch | RSVP
- Saturday, May 24 @ 1pm: Free For All: The Public Library Screening @ Charlotte Hall Library | RSVP
SOUTHERN MARYLAND
The program is made possible through a partnership with Maryland Libraries Together and Howard County Library System.
The Walters Art Museum: If Books Could Kill
Date: 05/14/25Time: 1:00pm - 2:00pm
Branch: Online Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: History & Genealogy
Description:
This class is a part of the HCLS' Museum@The Library series.
The rich, jewel-like colors of manuscript illuminations can be dazzling—and dangerous. For centuries, highly toxic materials such as lead, arsenic, and mercury were used by scribes, artists, and bookbinders to create handmade books and to illuminate their pages. If Books Could Kill casts light on the hidden dangers of manuscripts within the Walters’ rich collection and reveals the delicate science behind recognizing those toxic materials and handling them safely today.
This unique manuscript exhibition presents 24 rarely displayed examples of toxic books and materials from around the globe while delving into the human stories behind the manuscripts. It also explores the scientific processes used by the Walters’ Conservation Scientist to test the books and the methods used by the Walters’ Head of Books and Paper Conservation to safely handle and preserve these beautiful but dangerous treasures.
This virtual tour is presented by Lynley Anne Herbert, the curator of this incredible exhibit and Dr. Annette S. Ortiz Miranda, the conservation scientist at The Walters Art Museum.
Lynley Anne Herbert is the Robert and Nancy Hall Curator of Manuscripts and Rare Books at the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore. As curator of a collection containing nearly 1,000 manuscripts and 3,500 rare printed books spanning time and place, her research and exhibition projects have ranged from the twelfth-century St. Francis Missal, to a 19th-century prayerbook woven out of silk, and a unique fourteenth-century lace-cut Book of Hours. In addition to researching and displaying the existing collection, she has also worked to grow it, helping acquire new books such as a seventeenth-century illuminated Lutheran treatise, a woman’s illuminated Neogothic Missal, Spanish Colonial books printed by women, confession manuscripts created and used by Deaf students in 19th century Netherlands, and most recently, a group of 19th-centurty embossed books for the blind.
Dr. Annette S. Ortiz Miranda is the conservation scientist at The Walters Art Museum, where she leads the Museum's lab for scientific analysis. Before joining the Walters, she worked as a postdoctoral researcher at Northwestern University's Center for Scientific Studies in the Arts in Chicago and as a conservation scientist at the National Gallery of Denmark (SMK). Her research interests include identifying and characterizing artists' materials and techniques, and the understanding of their degradation patterns. Beyond her work at the Walters, Annette is part of the Board of Governors of the Centro de Conservación y Restauración de Puerto Rico (CENCOR), the elected Assistance Chair of the Research and Technical Studies (RaTS) group of the American Institute for Conservation (AIC) and part of the leadership of the ACerS: Art, Archaeology & Conservation Science group.
Credit: Mors (Death), Confession Book of a Deaf Student
Carel (Flemish), Belgium (Kortrijk?), ca. 1819
Watercolor and ink on paper, Museum purchase with funds provided by the W. Alton Jones Foundation Acquisition Fund, 2023, acc. no. W.962, fol. 43r
Please register with an email address to receive an immediate registration confirmation with a link to join the class/event. This email will also contain the dial-in information if you wish to participate by telephone.
The UnBook Reading Group
Date: 05/14/25Time: 6:30pm - 8:00pm
Branch: Off Site
Age group: Adults
Program type: Community Events
Description:
The UnBook Reading Group
Connect with a community of readers without the stress of assigned reading! Bring the book of your choice, read silently in a comfy spot at Backwater Books. Then, wrap up the evening by sharing something interesting about what you read in an open literature-related discussion! No purchase required to participate. This group meets at Backwater Books in Old Ellicott City.
2nd Wednesdays @ 6:30 - 8 pm.
6:30-7:15 pm quiet reading time
7:15 - 8 pm - discuss books (optional - you may chose to just listen or continue reading)
Please register with an email address to receive email reminders and updates.
For more information, please contact [email protected]
Mystery Book Club (in-person)
Date: 05/14/25Time: 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Branch: Savage Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Analyze and discuss a wide array of mystery novels from sleuths to spies. 2nd Wednesdays, 7-8pm.
March 12: Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto
April 9: Zero Days by Ruth Ware
May 14: Happiness Falls by Angie Kim
To attend online, register here: https://howardcounty.librarycalendar.com/event/mystery-book-club-virtual-263169
This session is part of HCLS' AAPI Heritage Month celebration series. Please click here to find more classes and events for all ages.
Mystery Book Club (online)
Date: 05/14/25Time: 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Branch: Online Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Analyze and discuss a wide array of mystery novels from sleuths to spies. 2nd Wednesdays, 7-8 pm.
March 12: Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto
April 9: Zero Days by Ruth Ware
May 14: Happiness Falls by Angie Kim
To attend in-person at the Savage Branch, register here: https://howardcounty.librarycalendar.com/event/mystery-book-club-savage-263160
This session is part of HCLS' AAPI Heritage Month celebration series. Please click here to find more classes and events for all ages.
Between the Lines: An Intersectional Book Club
Date: 05/16/25Time: 5:00pm - 6:00pm
Branch: Off Site
Age group: Adults
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Between the Lines is a space for readers who want to make an effort to read, highlight, and discuss layered stories. We'll discuss our chosen book, and then look closer into the context that makes the book relevant to all of us, exploring, in community, the ways that fiction can help us see our world more clearly.
Drop by before 5 pm to grab a drink or snack from Brewing Good, then join us to discuss the layers in our book of the month! We focus on works that address more than one perspective, in an effort to use literature to better understand the world around us.
Join us the second Friday of the month from 5-6 pm.
March - Cantoras
April - Act Your Age, Eve Brown
May (third Friday) - How Much Of These Hills Is Gold
June (third Friday) - Hell Followed With Us
July - True Biz
August - The Sculptor
*Registration is optional. Register if you wish to receive email reminders and updates about this event and similar events.
Mostly Historical Fiction
Date: 05/19/25Time: 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Branch: Miller Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
We read and discuss historical fiction from a wide-range of time periods and settings—everything from ancient Greece to 1970s Hollywood so far. We occasionally read other genres as well.
May 19: The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion by Fannie Flagg
Jun 16: By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult
Jul 21: The River We Remember by William Kent Krueger
Ask for a copy of the book at the Research Kiosk on the second floor, beginning 4 weeks before the discussion date. Supply of books is limited.
New member registration is preferred, not required.
We meet on the third Monday of each month at 2:00 pm, unless the library is closed.
Reads of Acceptance (Online)
Date: 05/19/25Time: 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Branch: Online Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Race, Equity & Inclusion
Description:
This month's book will be The Emperor and the Endless Palace by Justinian Huang.
Discuss LGBTQ-related books and make new friends in a queer- & trans-affirming group setting. All identities and all ages (18+) are welcome.
Copies of the discussion title can be requested through our online catalog, or picked up from the Central Branch (ask for a copy at the Customer Service desk)
This session is part of HCLS' AAPI Heritage Month celebration series. Please click here to find more classes and events for all ages.
Asian American Literature Book Club (Online)
Date: 05/19/25Time: 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Branch: Online Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Race, Equity & Inclusion
Description:
Join our monthly discussion of Asian American literary titles.
- Dec. 16 2024 Stay True: a memoir by Hua Hsu
- Jan. 27 2025 Lies and Weddings: a novel by Kevin Kwan
- Feb. 24 2025 Happiness Falls by Angie Kim
- Mar. 17 2025 Late Bloomers by Deepa Varadarajan
- Apr. 21 2025 While Time Remains by Yeonmi Park
- May 19 Memory Piece by Lisa Ko
Registered customers should place a hold request on the title using their library card in order to receive a copy to read before the discussion.
Availability of physical copies is not guaranteed.
This session is part of HCLS' AAPI Heritage Month celebration series. Please click here to find more classes and events for all ages.
Please register with an email address to receive an immediate registration confirmation with a link to join the class/event. This email will also contain the dial-in information if you wish to participate by telephone.
Author Works: Spitfires: American Women who Flew in the Face of Danger during WWII
Date: 05/19/25Time: 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Branch: Miller Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Race, Equity & Inclusion
Description:
Memorial Day Remembrance
A bold and soaring work of history . . . whip-smart, deeply researched, and beautifully written.” -Jonathan Eig, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of King: A Life
The heart-pounding true story of the daring American women who piloted the most dangerous aircraft of World War II through the treacherous skies of Britain.
They were crop dusters and debutantes, college girls and performers in flying circuses-all of them trained as pilots. Because they were women, they were denied the opportunity to fly for their country when the United States entered the Second World War. But Great Britain, desperately fighting for survival, would let anyone-even Americans, even women-transport warplanes. Thus, twenty-five daring young aviators bolted for England in 1942, becoming the first American women to command military aircraft.
In a faraway land, these “spitfires” lived like women decades ahead of their time. Risking their lives in one of the deadliest jobs of the war, they ferried new, barely tested fighters and bombers to air bases and returned shot-up wrecks for repair, never knowing what might go wrong until they were high in the sky. Many ferry pilots died in crashes or made spectacular saves. It was exciting, often terrifying work. The pilots broke new ground off duty as well, shocking their hosts with thoroughly modern behavior.
With cinematic sweep, Becky Aikman follows the stories of nine of the women who served, drawing on unpublished diaries, letters, and records, along with her own interviews, to bring these forgotten heroines fully to life. Spitfires is a vivid, richly detailed account of war, ambition, and a group of remarkable women whose lives were as unconventional as their dreams.
Becky Aikman is the author of two books of narrative nonfiction: her memoir, Saturday Night Widows, and Off the Cliff: How the Making of Thelma & Louise Drove Hollywood to the Edge. A former journalist at Newsday, Aikman has written for the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, and other publications. She lives in New York.
Books will be available for sale and a book signing will take place after the talk.
Bas Bleu Book Discussion Group
Date: 05/21/25Time: 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Branch: Miller Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Bas Bleu, French for “bluestocking,” refers to an intellectual or literary woman. We read a variety of literary fiction, and all are welcome – not just bluestockings!
Join us for a discussion of the following books:
Wednesday, May 21 - The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon
Wednesday, June 18 - North Woods by Daniel Mason
Wednesday, July 16 - Sandwich by Catherine Newman
Nonfiction Book Club (in-person)
Date: 05/21/25Time: 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Branch: Savage Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Join the Nonfiction Book Club to share your thoughts on a varied array of Nonfiction selections.
- March 19 - Airplane Mode: An irreverent history of travel by Shahnaz Habib
- April 16 - I Am Code: An artificial intelligence speaks, poems by code-davinci-002
- May 21 - Another Appalachia: Growing up queer and Indian in a mountain place by Neema Avashia
This listing is for the in-person session, but this book discussion group meets in hybrid format so you may attend either online via Zoom or phone, or in person at the Savage Branch. We meet in the Savage Studio, near the teen area. View the online sessions for Spring here: https://howardcounty.librarycalendar.com/event/nonfiction-book-club-online-298553
Interested customers should place a hold request on the title using their library card in order to receive a copy to read before the discussion. Availability of physical copies is not guaranteed.
For additional assistance in obtaining this title, please email [email protected]
This session is part of HCLS' AAPI Heritage Month celebration series. Please click here to find more classes and events for all ages.
Nonfiction Book Club (online)
Date: 05/21/25Time: 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Branch: Online Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Join the Nonfiction Book Club to share your thoughts on a varied array of Nonfiction selections.
- March 19 - Airplane Mode: An irreverent history of travel by Shahnaz Habib
- April 16 - I Am Code: An artificial intelligence speaks, poems by code-davinci-002
- May 21 - Another Appalachia: Growing up queer and Indian in a mountain place by Neema Avashia
This listing is for the online session, but this book discussion group meets in hybrid format so you may attend either online via Zoom or phone, or in person at the Savage Branch. We meet in the Savage Studio, near the teen area. If you would like to attend online, please register to receive the Zoom link.
View the in-person sessions for Spring here: https://howardcounty.librarycalendar.com/event/nonfiction-book-club-person-298547
Interested customers should place a hold request on the title using their library card in order to receive a copy to read before the discussion. Availability of physical copies is not guaranteed.
For additional assistance in obtaining this title, please email [email protected]
This session is part of HCLS' AAPI Heritage Month celebration series. Please click here to find more classes and events for all ages.
Noontime Books-*RESCHEDULED from May 15th* IN PERSON
Date: 05/22/25Time: 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Branch: Central Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Join us for an in person discussion of The Many Daughters of Afong Moy by Jamie Ford, 12pm May 22nd, 2025 at the Central Branch.
Registered customers may place a hold request on the title using their library card in order to receive a copy to read before the discussion. Additional copies are available at the Central Branch Customer Service desk.
Availability of physical copies is not guaranteed.
For additional assistance in obtaining this title, please email Wendy Camassar.
Nonfiction Addiction Book Club (In-Person)
Date: 05/22/25Time: 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Branch: East Columbia Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Community Events
Description:
Explore the genre of nonfiction and join our discussions on third Thursdays!
May 22: Lost In the Valley of Death by Harley Rustad
Please register with an email address to receive an immediate registration confirmation.
This is a hybrid book club that meets both in-person at East Columbia Branch (this listing) and online via Zoom. To register for our online Zoom session please follow this LINK.
E-books & e-audiobooks available via Overdrive/Libby
Physical copies of the current month book club choice will be kept behind the customer service desk at East Columbia branch. Please stop by and ask for your copy.
Availability of physical copies is not guaranteed.
Nonfiction Addiction Book Club (Online)
Date: 05/22/25Time: 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Branch: Online Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Culture & Language
Description:
Explore the genre of nonfiction and join our discussions on third Thursdays!
May 22: Lost In the Valley of Death by Harley Rustad
This is a hybrid book club that meets both online via Zoom (this listing) and in-person at East Columbia Branch. To register for in-person session please follow this LINK.
*E-books and E-Audiobooks available via Overdrive/Libby
Physical copies of the current month book club choice will be kept behind the customer service desk at East Columbia branch. Please stop by and ask for your copy.
Please register with an email address to receive an immediate registration confirmation. You will receive the link to the online class in the confirmation email. This email will also contain as the dial-in information if you wish to participate by telephone.
Thursday Next
Date: 05/22/25Time: 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Branch: Elkridge Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Join us to discuss The Wedding People by Alison Espach
Good Reads Book Club (In-Person)
Date: 05/23/25Time: 1:00pm - 2:00pm
Branch: East Columbia Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Community Events
Description:
Looking for thought-provoking reads and engaging discussions? Join us for lively conversations in a welcoming atmosphere.
May 23: Our Missing Hearts Celeste Ng
E-books & e-audiobooks available via Overdrive/Libby
Physical copies of the current month book club choice will be kept behind the customer service desk at East Columbia branch. Please stop by and ask for your copy.
Availability of physical copies is not guaranteed.
Registration recommended but not required
In Other Worlds SFF Book Club (In-Person)
Date: 05/28/25Time: 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Branch: East Columbia Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Culture & Language
Description:
Welcome science fiction & fantasy enthusiasts and other intrepid readers!
Discuss a wide-array of SFF movies (quarterly on 2nd Wednesdays) and books (monthly on 4th Wednesdays)
May 28: Blighted Stars by Megan O'Keefe
Jun 25: Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami
Jul 23: The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carrisa Broadbent
Please register with an email address to receive an immediate registration confirmation.
This is a hybrid book club that meets both in-person at East Columbia Branch (this listing) and online via Zoom. To register for our online Zoom session please click HERE.
E-books & e-audiobooks available via Overdrive/Libby
Physical copies of the current month book club choice will be kept behind the customer service desk at East Columbia branch. Please stop by and ask for your copy.
Availability of physical copies is not guaranteed.
In Other Worlds SFF Book Club (Online)
Date: 05/28/25Time: 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Branch: Online Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Culture & Language
Description:
Welcome science fiction & fantasy enthusiasts and other intrepid readers!
Discuss a wide-array of SFF movies (quarterly on 2nd Wednesdays) and books (monthly on 4th Wednesdays)
May 28: Blighted Stars by Megan O'Keefe
Jun 25: Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami
Jul 23: The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carrisa Broadbent
Please register with an email address to receive an immediate registration confirmation. You will receive the link to the online class in the confirmation email. This email will also contain as the dial-in information if you wish to participate by telephone.
This is a hybrid book club that meets both online via Zoom (this listing) and in-person at East Columbia Branch. To register for our in-person session please follow this LINK.
E-books & e-audiobooks available via Overdrive/Libby
Physical copies of the current month book club choice are kept behind the customer service desk at East Columbia branch. Please stop by and ask for your copy.
Availability of physical copies is not guaranteed.
Romance Reads (Online)
Date: 05/28/25Time: 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Branch: Online Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Love to read romance novels? Do you need an escape from reality? Join the Romance Reads Book Discussion!
Discuss books by a different romance author each month with other fellow romance readers. You will "zoom" away with new authors and books to add to your wish list of books to read!
For this session, we will be focusing on books by the author Helen Hoang Please read any book of your choice by Helen Hoang.
Please register with an email address to receive an immediate registration confirmation. You will receive the link to the online class in the confirmation email.
This email will also contain the dial-in information if you wish to participate by telephone.
Veterans Book Group 2025 (Online)
Date: 06/01/25Time: 1:30pm - 3:00pm
Branch: Online Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Race, Equity & Inclusion
Description:
Veterans, both active and retired military, are invited to this online discussion series. During five monthly facilitated sessions, discussions center on military experiences and a unique set of readings, which may include classics, fiction, memoirs, poetry, short stories, articles, and essays. The readings relate in some way to military experiences or offer a veteran’s perspective.
Participants are encouraged to attend all sessions. Registration is open to veterans/active duty only, please.
All reading materials are provided. Space is limited.
1st Sundays; February 2 - June 1 from 1:30 - 3:00 pm. Online.
The Veterans Book Group is moderated by David Owens. David Owens is a Navy veteran who served for six years onboard two U.S. Navy warships. Owens attended the U.S. Naval Academy and now runs a small media content production business based in the D.C. metropolitan area. Owens loves to read and, even more so, enjoys the discussions and camaraderie of the veteran book groups!
The Veterans Book Group is coordinated statewide by Maryland Humanities and is presented locally in partnership with Howard County Library System.
Reading Selections:
February 2: Red Platoon by Clinton Romesha
March 2: The Fine Art of Camouflage by Lauren Kay Johnson
April 6: The Special Prisoner by Jim Lehrer
May 4: Attack on the Liberty by James Scott
June 1: In Pharaoh’s Army by Tobias Wolff
Image credit: Generated using AI
Please register with an email address to receive an immediate registration confirmation with a link to join the class/event. This email will also contain the dial-in information if you wish to participate by telephone.
Questions? Please email [email protected].
Read. Think. Talk.
Date: 06/02/25Time: 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Branch: Elkridge Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Join us for a discussion of books that explore humans, and their conditions.
On June 2nd we will discuss The Trees: A Novel by Percival Everett.
.
Adult Summer Reading Showcase 2025 (Online)
Date: 06/03/25Time: 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Branch: Online Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
This summer, we’re celebrating 85 years of HCLS—and what better way to mark the occasion than with amazing books and a community-wide reading adventure?
Join our HCLS Instructors for a live session of fiction and nonfiction recommendations, a guided look at the Adult Summer Reading 2025 list, tips on how to join the summer reading competition, and a preview of birthday-worthy events throughout the season.
Register & attend to be entered into a drawing for a bundle of VIP DECK tickets (valid with ticket only) to Merriweather Post Pavillion!
Registration required. Register to receive link to join our event!
Spies, Lies, and Alibis Book Discussion Group
Date: 06/03/25Time: 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Branch: Miller Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
We focus on spies, espionage, and world intrigue, alternating both classic and contemporary fiction and nonfiction, from the twentieth century and beyond.
Join us for discussion of the following titles:
Tuesday, June 3 - The Dirty Tricks Department: Stanley Lovell, the OSS, and the Masterminds of World War II Secret Warfare by John Lisle
Tuesday, July 1 - The Eighth Sister by Robert Dugoni
Tuesday, August 5 - Rogue Heroes: The History of the SAS, Britain's Secret Special Forces Unit That Sabotaged the Nazis and Changed the Nature of War by Ben Macintyre
Books on Tap (book club)
Date: 06/04/25Time: 6:00pm - 7:15pm
Branch: Off Site
Age group: Adults
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Books on Tap reads across a wide variety of genres and points of view. Since we meet in the community, you are responsible for reserving the following titles for each meeting. Most are available in electronic formats, too.
June: Starling House by Alix Harrow
July: One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
August: Summer Break
Hush-Hush: A Quiet Reading Group
Date: 06/04/25Time: 7:00pm - 8:15pm
Branch: Miller Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Bring a book and enjoy one hour of peace, quiet, and reading, with an optional fifteen minutes of mingling at the end. There is no assigned reading and no pressure to socialize. All readers are welcome. Please check in at the second-floor kiosk when you arrive.
Registration preferred.
ELKS Excellent Reads
Date: 06/10/25Time: 12:30pm - 1:30pm
Branch: Elkridge Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
We will be discussing The Housemaid by Frieda McFadden
The UnBook Reading Group
Date: 06/11/25Time: 6:30pm - 8:00pm
Branch: Off Site
Age group: Adults
Program type: Community Events
Description:
The UnBook Reading Group
Connect with a community of readers without the stress of assigned reading! Bring the book of your choice, read silently in a comfy spot at Backwater Books. Then, wrap up the evening by sharing something interesting about what you read in an open literature-related discussion! No purchase required to participate. This group meets at Backwater Books in Old Ellicott City.
2nd Wednesdays @ 6:30 - 8 pm.
6:30-7:15 pm quiet reading time
7:15 - 8 pm - discuss books (optional - you may chose to just listen or continue reading)
Please register with an email address to receive email reminders and updates.
For more information, please contact [email protected]
Nonfiction Book Club (online)
Date: 06/11/25Time: 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Branch: Online Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Join the Nonfiction Book Club to share your thoughts on a varied array of Nonfiction selections.
- June 11 - The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater
- July 16 - The Plant Hunter: A scientist's quest for nature's next medicine by Cassandra Leah Quave
- August 20 - In My Time of Dying: How I came face to face with the idea of an afterlife by Sebastian Junger
This listing is for the online session, but this book discussion group meets in hybrid format so you may attend either online via Zoom or phone, or in person at the Savage Branch. We meet in the Savage Studio, near the teen area. If you would like to attend online, please register to receive the Zoom link.
View the in-person sessions for Summer here: https://howardcounty.librarycalendar.com/event/nonfiction-book-club-person-324774
Interested customers should place a hold request on the title using their library card in order to receive a copy to read before the discussion. Availability of physical copies is not guaranteed.
For additional assistance in obtaining these titles, please email [email protected]
This session is part of HCLS' Pride Month celebration series. Please click here to find more classes and events for all ages.
What's On Your Shelf? Fiction and Nonfiction Book Chat
Date: 06/12/25Time: 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Branch: Miller Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Community Events
Description:
Share fiction and/or nonfiction titles that are on your bookshelf and we will share titles from our shelves. If you don't have a title to share, find inspiration in what others recommend and start building your reading list.
Readers also have the opportunity to ask for recommendations or to ask our instructors questions about books, reading, and the library. Previous discussion topics have included book donations, Little Free Libraries, and Goodreads (the world's largest website for readers and book recommendations).
Warning Graphic Content (Online)
Date: 06/12/25Time: 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Branch: Online Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Read and discuss a wide array of graphic novels. 2nd Thursdays 7 - 8 pm.
June 12 I Hate This Place by Kyle Starks
July 10 No/One by Kyle Higgins and Brian Buccellato
August 14 Made in Korea by Jeremy Holt
September 11 Ghost Omnibus by Erik Luke AND Ghost Vol 1: In The Smoke and Din by Kelly Sue Deconnick
October 9 Bad Gateway by Simon Hanselmann
November 13
Please register with an email address to receive an immediate registration confirmation. You will receive the link to the online class in the confirmation email. This email will also contain as the dial-in information if you wish to participate by telephone.
Title is available via hoopla
Asian American Literature Book Club (Online)
Date: 06/16/25Time: 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Branch: Online Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Race, Equity & Inclusion
Description:
Join our monthly discussion of Asian American literary titles.
- Mar. 17 2025 Late Bloomers by Deepa Varadarajan
- Apr. 21 2025 While Time Remains by Yeonmi Park
- May 19 Memory Piece by Lisa Ko
- Jun. 16 Private Equity: a memoir by Carrie Sun
- Jul. 21 The Emma Project by Sonali Dev
- Aug 18 The Kamogowa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashiwai
Registered customers should place a hold request on the title using their library card in order to receive a copy to read before the discussion.
Availability of physical copies is not guaranteed.
Please register with an email address to receive an immediate registration confirmation with a link to join the class/event. This email will also contain the dial-in information if you wish to participate by telephone.
Bas Bleu Book Discussion Group
Date: 06/18/25Time: 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Branch: Miller Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Bas Bleu, French for “bluestocking,” refers to an intellectual or literary woman. We read a variety of literary fiction, and all are welcome – not just bluestockings!
Join us for a discussion of the following books:
Wednesday, June 18 - North Woods by Daniel Mason
Wednesday, July 16 - Sandwich by Catherine Newman
Wednesday, August 20 - Help Wanted by Adelle Waldman
Between the Lines: An Intersectional Book Club
Date: 06/20/25Time: 5:00pm - 6:00pm
Branch: Off Site
Age group: Adults
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Between the Lines is a space for readers who want to make an effort to read, highlight, and discuss layered stories. We'll discuss our chosen book, and then look closer into the context that makes the book relevant to all of us, exploring, in community, the ways that fiction can help us see our world more clearly.
Drop by before 5 pm to grab a drink or snack from Brewing Good, then join us to discuss the layers in our book of the month! We focus on works that address more than one perspective, in an effort to use literature to better understand the world around us.
Join us the second Friday of the month from 5-6 pm.
June (third Friday) - Hell Followed With Us
July - True Biz
August - The Sculptor
September - The Great Divide
October - The Office of Historical Corrections
November - Fire Exit
*Registration is optional. Register if you wish to receive email reminders and updates about this event and similar events.
The Reading Cafe (Book Discussion Group)
Date: 06/24/25Time: 1:00pm - 2:00pm
Branch: Glenwood Branch
Age group: Adults, Everyone
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Join us for a lively, in-person book discussion!
April 29: Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty by Anderson Cooper
May 27: Sandwich by Catherine Newman
June 24: What We Carry by Maya Lang
In Other Worlds SFF Book Club (In-Person)
Date: 06/25/25Time: 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Branch: East Columbia Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Welcome science fiction & fantasy enthusiasts and other intrepid readers!
Discuss a wide-array of SFF movies (quarterly on 2nd Wednesdays) and books (monthly on 4th Wednesdays)
Jun 25: Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami
Jul 23: The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carrisa Broadbent
This session is part of HCLS' Pride Month celebration series. Please click here to find more classes and events for all ages.
Please register with an email address to receive an immediate registration confirmation.
This is a hybrid book club that meets both in-person at East Columbia Branch (this listing) and online via Zoom. To register for our online Zoom session please click HERE.
E-books & e-audiobooks available via Overdrive/Libby
Physical copies of the current month book club choice will be kept behind the customer service desk at East Columbia branch. Please stop by and ask for your copy.
Availability of physical copies is not guaranteed.
In Other Worlds SFF Book Club (Online)
Date: 06/25/25Time: 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Branch: Online Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Welcome science fiction & fantasy enthusiasts and other intrepid readers!
Discuss a wide-array of SFF movies (quarterly on 2nd Wednesdays) and books (monthly on 4th Wednesdays)
Jun 25: Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami
Jul 23: The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carrisa Broadbent
This session is part of HCLS' Pride Month celebration series. Please click here to find more classes and events for all ages.
Please register with an email address to receive an immediate registration confirmation. You will receive the link to the online class in the confirmation email. This email will also contain as the dial-in information if you wish to participate by telephone.
This is a hybrid book club that meets both online via Zoom (this listing) and in-person at East Columbia Branch. To register for our in-person session please follow this LINK.
E-books & e-audiobooks available via Overdrive/Libby
Physical copies of the current month book club choice are kept behind the customer service desk at East Columbia branch. Please stop by and ask for your copy.
Availability of physical copies is not guaranteed.
Romance Reads (Online)
Date: 06/25/25Time: 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Branch: Online Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Love to read romance novels? Do you need an escape from reality? Join the Romance Reads Book Discussion!
Discuss books by a different romance author each month with other fellow romance readers. You will "zoom" away with new authors and books to add to your wish list of books to read!
For this session, we will be focusing on books by the author Maya Banks. Please read any book of your choice by Maya Banks.
Please register with an email address to receive an immediate registration confirmation. You will receive the link to the online class in the confirmation email.
This email will also contain the dial-in information if you wish to participate by telephone.
Books on Tap (book club)
Date: 07/02/25Time: 6:00pm - 7:15pm
Branch: Off Site
Age group: Adults
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Books on Tap reads across a wide variety of genres and points of view. Since we meet in the community, you are responsible for reserving the following titles for each meeting. Most are available in electronic formats, too.
July: One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
August: Summer Break
Hush-Hush: A Quiet Reading Group
Date: 07/02/25Time: 7:00pm - 8:15pm
Branch: Miller Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Bring a book and enjoy one hour of peace, quiet, and reading, with an optional fifteen minutes of mingling at the end. There is no assigned reading and no pressure to socialize. All readers are welcome. Please check in at the second-floor kiosk when you arrive.
Registration preferred.
Global Reads
Date: 07/07/25Time: 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Branch: Miller Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Read and discuss a wide range of fiction and non-fiction books on different cultures around the world as well as immigrant fiction.
1st Mondays; 7- 8 pm.
Join for a discussion of the following titles:
July 7: The Glassmaker by Tracy Chevalier
August 4: The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies by Alison Goodman
September 1: No Meeting (Labor Day)
Ask at the customer service desk for a copy of the book, beginning 4 weeks before the discussion date.
Read. Think. Talk.
Date: 07/07/25Time: 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Branch: Elkridge Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Join us for a discussion of books that explore humans, and their conditions.
On July 7th we will discuss Adrift: America in 100 Charts by Scott Galloway.
.
The UnBook Reading Group
Date: 07/09/25Time: 6:30pm - 8:00pm
Branch: Off Site
Age group: Adults
Program type: Community Events
Description:
The UnBook Reading Group
Connect with a community of readers without the stress of assigned reading! Bring the book of your choice, read silently in a comfy spot at Backwater Books. Then, wrap up the evening by sharing something interesting about what you read in an open literature-related discussion! No purchase required to participate. This group meets at Backwater Books in Old Ellicott City.
2nd Wednesdays @ 6:30 - 8 pm.
6:30-7:15 pm quiet reading time
7:15 - 8 pm - discuss books (optional - you may chose to just listen or continue reading)
Please register with an email address to receive email reminders and updates.
For more information, please contact [email protected]
What's On Your Shelf? Fiction and Nonfiction Book Chat
Date: 07/10/25Time: 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Branch: Miller Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Community Events
Description:
Share fiction and/or nonfiction titles that are on your bookshelf and we will share titles from our shelves. If you don't have a title to share, find inspiration in what others recommend and start building your reading list.
Readers also have the opportunity to ask for recommendations or to ask our instructors questions about books, reading, and the library. Previous discussion topics have included book donations, Little Free Libraries, and Goodreads (the world's largest website for readers and book recommendations).
Warning Graphic Content (Online)
Date: 07/10/25Time: 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Branch: Online Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Read and discuss a wide array of graphic novels. 2nd Thursdays 7 - 8 pm.
July 10 No/One by Kyle Higgins and Brian Buccellato
August 14 Made in Korea by Jeremy Holt
September 11 Ghost Omnibus by Erik Luke AND Ghost Vol 1: In The Smoke and Din by Kelly Sue Deconnick
October 9 Bad Gateway by Simon Hanselmann
November 13
Please register with an email address to receive an immediate registration confirmation. You will receive the link to the online class in the confirmation email. This email will also contain as the dial-in information if you wish to participate by telephone.
Title is available via hoopla
Between the Lines: An Intersectional Book Club
Date: 07/11/25Time: 5:00pm - 6:00pm
Branch: Off Site
Age group: Adults
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Between the Lines is a space for readers who want to make an effort to read, highlight, and discuss layered stories. We'll discuss our chosen book, and then look closer into the context that makes the book relevant to all of us, exploring, in community, the ways that fiction can help us see our world more clearly.
Drop by before 5 pm to grab a drink or snack from Brewing Good, then join us to discuss the layers in our book of the month! We focus on works that address more than one perspective, in an effort to use literature to better understand the world around us.
Join us the second Friday of the month from 5-6 pm.
June (third Friday) - Hell Followed With Us
July - True Biz
August - The Sculptor
September - The Great Divide
October - The Office of Historical Corrections
November - Fire Exit
*Registration is optional. Register if you wish to receive email reminders and updates about this event and similar events.
Nonfiction Book Club (online)
Date: 07/16/25Time: 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Branch: Online Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Join the Nonfiction Book Club to share your thoughts on a varied array of Nonfiction selections.
- June 11 - The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater
- July 16 - The Plant Hunter: A scientist's quest for nature's next medicine by Cassandra Leah Quave
- August 20 - In My Time of Dying: How I came face to face with the idea of an afterlife by Sebastian Junger
This listing is for the online session, but this book discussion group meets in hybrid format so you may attend either online via Zoom or phone, or in person at the Savage Branch. We meet in the Savage Studio, near the teen area. If you would like to attend online, please register to receive the Zoom link.
View the in-person sessions for Summer here: https://howardcounty.librarycalendar.com/event/nonfiction-book-club-person-324774
Interested customers should place a hold request on the title using their library card in order to receive a copy to read before the discussion. Availability of physical copies is not guaranteed.
For additional assistance in obtaining these titles, please email [email protected]
Noontime Books--IN PERSON
Date: 07/17/25Time: 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Branch: Central Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Join us for an in person discussion of We Solve Murders by Richard Osman on July 17th, 2025, at 12pm at the Central Branch.
Registered customers may place a hold request on the title using their library card in order to receive a copy to read before the discussion. Additional copies are available at the Central Branch Customer Service desk.
Availability of physical copies is not guaranteed.
For additional assistance in obtaining this title, please email Wendy Camassar.
Light but not Fluffy
Date: 07/17/25Time: 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Branch: Miller Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Read and discuss light-hearted books that will make us smile. The books will talk about love, hope, and grace. They will include humor, and perhaps some snark, to spice things up. It will be fun! Join us.
3rd Thursdays: 2 - 3 pm
Join for a discussion of the following titles:
Jul 17: Mrs. Quinn's Rise to Fame by Olivia Ford
Aug 21: The Guncle by Stephen Rowley
September 18: The Wedding People by Allison Espach
Ask at the Adult Research Kiosk on second floor for a copy of the book, beginning 4 weeks before the discussion date.
Registration is preferred, not required.
Asian American Literature Book Club (Online)
Date: 07/21/25Time: 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Branch: Online Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Race, Equity & Inclusion
Description:
Join our monthly discussion of Asian American literary titles.
- Mar. 17 2025 Late Bloomers by Deepa Varadarajan
- Apr. 21 2025 While Time Remains by Yeonmi Park
- May 19 Memory Piece by Lisa Ko
- Jun. 16 Private Equity: a memoir by Carrie Sun
- Jul. 21 The Emma Project by Sonali Dev
- Aug 18 The Kamogowa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashiwai
Registered customers should place a hold request on the title using their library card in order to receive a copy to read before the discussion.
Availability of physical copies is not guaranteed.
Please register with an email address to receive an immediate registration confirmation with a link to join the class/event. This email will also contain the dial-in information if you wish to participate by telephone.
In Other Worlds SFF Book Club (In-Person)
Date: 07/23/25Time: 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Branch: East Columbia Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Welcome science fiction & fantasy enthusiasts and other intrepid readers!
Discuss a wide-array of SFF movies (quarterly on 2nd Wednesdays) and books (monthly on 4th Wednesdays)
Jul 23: The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carrisa Broadbent
Please register with an email address to receive an immediate registration confirmation.
This is a hybrid book club that meets both in-person at East Columbia Branch (this listing) and online via Zoom. To register for our online Zoom session please click HERE.
E-books & e-audiobooks available via Overdrive/Libby
Physical copies of the current month book club choice will be kept behind the customer service desk at East Columbia branch. Please stop by and ask for your copy.
Availability of physical copies is not guaranteed.
In Other Worlds SFF Book Club (Online)
Date: 07/23/25Time: 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Branch: Online Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Welcome science fiction & fantasy enthusiasts and other intrepid readers!
Discuss a wide-array of SFF movies (quarterly on 2nd Wednesdays) and books (monthly on 4th Wednesdays)
Jul 23: The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carrisa Broadbent
Please register with an email address to receive an immediate registration confirmation. You will receive the link to the online class in the confirmation email. This email will also contain as the dial-in information if you wish to participate by telephone.
This is a hybrid book club that meets both online via Zoom (this listing) and in-person at East Columbia Branch. To register for our in-person session please follow this LINK.
E-books & e-audiobooks available via Overdrive/Libby
Physical copies of the current month book club choice are kept behind the customer service desk at East Columbia branch. Please stop by and ask for your copy.
Availability of physical copies is not guaranteed.
Romance Reads (Online)
Date: 07/23/25Time: 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Branch: Online Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Love to read romance novels? Do you need an escape from reality? Join the Romance Reads Book Discussion!
Discuss books by a different romance author each month with other fellow romance readers. You will "zoom" away with new authors and books to add to your wish list of books to read!
For this session, we will be focusing on books by the author Grace Burrowes. Please read any book of your choice by Grace Burrowes.
Please register with an email address to receive an immediate registration confirmation. You will receive the link to the online class in the confirmation email.
This email will also contain the dial-in information if you wish to participate by telephone.
Read. Think. Talk.
Date: 08/04/25Time: 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Branch: Elkridge Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Join us for a discussion of books that explore humans, and their conditions.
On August 4th we will discuss The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories by Ken Liu.
.
Between the Lines: An Intersectional Book Club
Date: 08/08/25Time: 5:00pm - 6:00pm
Branch: Off Site
Age group: Adults
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Between the Lines is a space for readers who want to make an effort to read, highlight, and discuss layered stories. We'll discuss our chosen book, and then look closer into the context that makes the book relevant to all of us, exploring, in community, the ways that fiction can help us see our world more clearly.
Drop by before 5 pm to grab a drink or snack from Brewing Good, then join us to discuss the layers in our book of the month! We focus on works that address more than one perspective, in an effort to use literature to better understand the world around us.
Join us the second Friday of the month from 5-6 pm.
June (third Friday) - Hell Followed With Us
July - True Biz
August - The Sculptor
September - The Great Divide
October - The Office of Historical Corrections
November - Fire Exit
*Registration is optional. Register if you wish to receive email reminders and updates about this event and similar events.
The UnBook Reading Group
Date: 08/13/25Time: 6:30pm - 8:00pm
Branch: Off Site
Age group: Adults
Program type: Community Events
Description:
The UnBook Reading Group
Connect with a community of readers without the stress of assigned reading! Bring the book of your choice, read silently in a comfy spot at Backwater Books. Then, wrap up the evening by sharing something interesting about what you read in an open literature-related discussion! No purchase required to participate. This group meets at Backwater Books in Old Ellicott City.
2nd Wednesdays @ 6:30 - 8 pm.
6:30-7:15 pm quiet reading time
7:15 - 8 pm - discuss books (optional - you may chose to just listen or continue reading)
Please register with an email address to receive email reminders and updates.
For more information, please contact [email protected]
Warning Graphic Content (Online)
Date: 08/14/25Time: 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Branch: Online Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Read and discuss a wide array of graphic novels. 2nd Thursdays 7 - 8 pm.
August 14 Made in Korea by Jeremy Holt
September 11 Ghost Omnibus by Erik Luke AND Ghost Vol 1: In The Smoke and Din by Kelly Sue Deconnick
October 9 Bad Gateway by Simon Hanselmann
November 13
Please register with an email address to receive an immediate registration confirmation. You will receive the link to the online class in the confirmation email. This email will also contain as the dial-in information if you wish to participate by telephone.
Title is available via hoopla
Asian American Literature Book Club (Online)
Date: 08/18/25Time: 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Branch: Online Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Race, Equity & Inclusion
Description:
Join our monthly discussion of Asian American literary titles.
- Mar. 17 2025 Late Bloomers by Deepa Varadarajan
- Apr. 21 2025 While Time Remains by Yeonmi Park
- May 19 Memory Piece by Lisa Ko
- Jun. 16 Private Equity: a memoir by Carrie Sun
- Jul. 21 The Emma Project by Sonali Dev
- Aug 18 The Kamogowa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashiwai
Registered customers should place a hold request on the title using their library card in order to receive a copy to read before the discussion.
Availability of physical copies is not guaranteed.
Please register with an email address to receive an immediate registration confirmation with a link to join the class/event. This email will also contain the dial-in information if you wish to participate by telephone.
Nonfiction Book Club (online)
Date: 08/20/25Time: 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Branch: Online Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Join the Nonfiction Book Club to share your thoughts on a varied array of Nonfiction selections.
- June 11 - The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater
- July 16 - The Plant Hunter: A scientist's quest for nature's next medicine by Cassandra Leah Quave
- August 20 - In My Time of Dying: How I came face to face with the idea of an afterlife by Sebastian Junger
This listing is for the online session, but this book discussion group meets in hybrid format so you may attend either online via Zoom or phone, or in person at the Savage Branch. We meet in the Savage Studio, near the teen area. If you would like to attend online, please register to receive the Zoom link.
View the in-person sessions for Summer here: https://howardcounty.librarycalendar.com/event/nonfiction-book-club-person-324774
Interested customers should place a hold request on the title using their library card in order to receive a copy to read before the discussion. Availability of physical copies is not guaranteed.
For additional assistance in obtaining these titles, please email [email protected]
Noontime Books--IN PERSON
Date: 08/21/25Time: 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Branch: Central Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Join us for an in person discussion of The Mighty Red by Louise Erdrich on August 21st, 2025, 12pm at the Central Branch.
Registered customers may place a hold request on the title using their library card in order to receive a copy to read before the discussion. Additional copies are available at the Central Branch Customer Service desk.
Availability of physical copies is not guaranteed.
For additional assistance in obtaining this title, please email Wendy Camassar.
Romance Reads (Online)
Date: 08/27/25Time: 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Branch: Online Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Love to read romance novels? Do you need an escape from reality? Join the Romance Reads Book Discussion!
Discuss books by a different romance author each month with other fellow romance readers. You will "zoom" away with new authors and books to add to your wish list of books to read!
For this session, we will be focusing on books by the author Sherry Thomas. Please read any book of your choice by Sherry Thomas.
Please register with an email address to receive an immediate registration confirmation. You will receive the link to the online class in the confirmation email.
This email will also contain the dial-in information if you wish to participate by telephone.
The UnBook Reading Group
Date: 09/10/25Time: 6:30pm - 8:00pm
Branch: Off Site
Age group: Adults
Program type: Community Events
Description:
The UnBook Reading Group
Connect with a community of readers without the stress of assigned reading! Bring the book of your choice, read silently in a comfy spot at Backwater Books. Then, wrap up the evening by sharing something interesting about what you read in an open literature-related discussion! No purchase required to participate. This group meets at Backwater Books in Old Ellicott City.
2nd Wednesdays @ 6:30 - 8 pm.
6:30-7:15 pm quiet reading time
7:15 - 8 pm - discuss books (optional - you may chose to just listen or continue reading)
Please register with an email address to receive email reminders and updates.
For more information, please contact [email protected]
Warning Graphic Content (Online)
Date: 09/11/25Time: 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Branch: Online Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Read and discuss a wide array of graphic novels. 2nd Thursdays 7 - 8 pm.
September 11 Ghost Omnibus by Erik Luke AND Ghost Vol 1: In The Smoke and Din by Kelly Sue Deconnick
October 9 Bad Gateway by Simon Hanselmann
November 13
Please register with an email address to receive an immediate registration confirmation. You will receive the link to the online class in the confirmation email. This email will also contain as the dial-in information if you wish to participate by telephone.
Title is available via hoopla
Between the Lines: An Intersectional Book Club
Date: 09/12/25Time: 5:00pm - 6:00pm
Branch: Off Site
Age group: Adults
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Between the Lines is a space for readers who want to make an effort to read, highlight, and discuss layered stories. We'll discuss our chosen book, and then look closer into the context that makes the book relevant to all of us, exploring, in community, the ways that fiction can help us see our world more clearly.
Drop by before 5 pm to grab a drink or snack from Brewing Good, then join us to discuss the layers in our book of the month! We focus on works that address more than one perspective, in an effort to use literature to better understand the world around us.
Join us the second Friday of the month from 5-6 pm.
June (third Friday) - Hell Followed With Us
July - True Biz
August - The Sculptor
September - The Great Divide
October - The Office of Historical Corrections
November - Fire Exit
*Registration is optional. Register if you wish to receive email reminders and updates about this event and similar events.
Noontime Books--IN PERSON
Date: 09/18/25Time: 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Branch: Central Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Join us for an in person discussion of Playground by Richard Powers on September 18th 12pm at the Central Branch.
Registered customers may place a hold request on the title using their library card in order to receive a copy to read before the discussion. Additional copies are available at the Central Branch Customer Service desk.
Availability of physical copies is not guaranteed.
For additional assistance in obtaining this title, please email Wendy Camassar.
The UnBook Reading Group
Date: 10/08/25Time: 6:30pm - 8:00pm
Branch: Off Site
Age group: Adults
Program type: Community Events
Description:
The UnBook Reading Group
Connect with a community of readers without the stress of assigned reading! Bring the book of your choice, read silently in a comfy spot at Backwater Books. Then, wrap up the evening by sharing something interesting about what you read in an open literature-related discussion! No purchase required to participate. This group meets at Backwater Books in Old Ellicott City.
2nd Wednesdays @ 6:30 - 8 pm.
6:30-7:15 pm quiet reading time
7:15 - 8 pm - discuss books (optional - you may chose to just listen or continue reading)
Please register with an email address to receive email reminders and updates.
For more information, please contact [email protected]
Warning Graphic Content (Online)
Date: 10/09/25Time: 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Branch: Online Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Read and discuss a wide array of graphic novels. 2nd Thursdays 7 - 8 pm.
October 9 Bad Gateway by Simon Hanselmann
November 13
Please register with an email address to receive an immediate registration confirmation. You will receive the link to the online class in the confirmation email. This email will also contain as the dial-in information if you wish to participate by telephone.
Title is available via hoopla
Between the Lines: An Intersectional Book Club
Date: 10/10/25Time: 5:00pm - 6:00pm
Branch: Off Site
Age group: Adults
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Between the Lines is a space for readers who want to make an effort to read, highlight, and discuss layered stories. We'll discuss our chosen book, and then look closer into the context that makes the book relevant to all of us, exploring, in community, the ways that fiction can help us see our world more clearly.
Drop by before 5 pm to grab a drink or snack from Brewing Good, then join us to discuss the layers in our book of the month! We focus on works that address more than one perspective, in an effort to use literature to better understand the world around us.
Join us the second Friday of the month from 5-6 pm.
June (third Friday) - Hell Followed With Us
July - True Biz
August - The Sculptor
September - The Great Divide
October - The Office of Historical Corrections
November - Fire Exit
*Registration is optional. Register if you wish to receive email reminders and updates about this event and similar events.
Noontime Books--IN PERSON
Date: 10/16/25Time: 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Branch: Central Branch
Age group: Adults
Program type: Book Clubs
Description:
Join us for an in person discussion of Real Americans by Rachel Khong on October 16, 2025 at12pm at the Central Branch.
Registered customers may place a hold request on the title using their library card in order to receive a copy to read before the discussion. Additional copies are available at the Central Branch Customer Service desk.
Availability of physical copies is not guaranteed.
For additional assistance in obtaining this title, please email Wendy Camassar.
