Are you looking for your next great read? We can help! Visit us in person, explore reading recommendations online, join an in-person or online book discussion, get recommendations on Facebook, tune in to our televised book club segments, and more. Get started here!
Sunday Nights on Facebook
Join us on Sunday nights at 8:30 p.m. on Facebook for Currently Reading. Enjoy this hour during which book enthusiasts share favorite books and offer suggestion about what to read next. Find out about the books that have everyone talking.
Indy Now Book Club
Catch book recommendations and Library program highlights from your own local librarians once a month on the Indy Now Morning Show with Ryan and Jillian on Fox59. The show airs at 10 a.m. on Wednesdays. Browse our past appearances.
In-Person & Online Book Discussions
Do you love talking about books? Join one of our book discussions or book clubs available both in-person and online.
Online Reading Recommendations
NovelList and NovelList K-8 are online services that offer reading recommendations. Browse both fiction and nonfiction, read-alike suggestions, series information, reviews, and lists of recommended and award-winning books for adults, teens and kids. Learn how to start on this video tutorial. Also try Book Connections which includes a “find the right book for you” feature.
Would you prefer one-on-one help? Call or ask a Library staff member at any of our locations or call, text, or email ask-a- librarian.
Make a selection from one of the book lists below created by our staff of avid readers. You can also follow our staff’s most recently published lists on the library catalog home page. Don’t miss our If You Like… suggestions that cover all the favorite genres like science fiction, graphic novels, romance, and more. Finally, don’t miss What We’re Reading Teens and What We’re Reading Kids.
Choose one of these outstanding books by authors whose writing is made unique and compelling by the ancestry they trace to Spain, Mexico, Central America, South American or other Spanish-speaking country in the Caribbean. Read one, listen to one, suggest one for your book club, or read one to your child or class!
U.S. Women’s Labor Activism
Throughout American history, women have always been at the forefront of fighting for workers’ rights and safety. Here are some books and documentaries that the library has available.
Stab That Wool! (Needle Felting)
Needle Felting… what’s that about? There are a TON of books about these topics, and it can be overwhelming so I’ve taking some time to identify which books you might like best.
Want to try hands-on? Check out the 2 different class options at the end of the list coming to a branch near you in Fall 2025 (3D Needle Felting & Needle Felt Painting).
The After Effects of 9/11
The attacks of September 11th, 2001 wounded the American people. The significant losses of life and traumatic experiences were felt across the country and world. From New York City to the Pentagon to rural Pennsylvania, these events will be remembered and memorialized forever.
Further, this pain and terror also had massive effects on America foreign and domestic policy, started international wars, and saw major increases of Islamophobia. These books share the tragic events of 9/11 as well as the multitude of consequences from the actions taken in response.
About the Heart
There’s so much to know about the human heart — how it has been understood through time in various cultures and how to keep (or restore) healthy heart/cardiovascular function. Explore the books in this list to deepen your understanding and enhance your health.
Libros de Negocios en Español – Talleres para Pequeñas Empresas (Small Business Series)
La Serie de Pequeñas Empresas (Small Business Series) de este año incluye dos talleres en español
El lunes, 8 de septiembre: Aprovechando las Redes Sociales para el Crecimiento Empresarial
El lunes, 15 de septiembre: Máscrecimiento, menos estrés: Impulsa tu negocio con el poder de la Inteligencia Artificial
Obtener más información e inscribirse en los talleres
Aquí se presenta una lista de libros en español para propietarios de pequeñas empresas que ofrecemos en la Biblioteca Pública de Indianápolis
Latine Fantasy
Check out a sampling of fantasy novels – with a bit of mythology, folklore, and magical realism – that explore Latin American worlds and cultures.
Bisexual Visibility Day Reads: Adult
September 23rd is Bisexual Visibility Day! Check out some of these reads to enjoy bisexual characters in adult fiction and nonfiction. Some are romance, others fiction, and even some fantasy. Celebrate Bisexual Visibility Day with us here at IndyPL!
Jewish and Kosher Cuisine
To know a culture is to know its food. Here is a collection of cookbooks that celebrate Jewish culture and cuisine. You’ll find traditional favorites and kosher meals as well as modern recreations for those looking to meet vegan or paleo diets. Whether you’re looking for inspiration for your next Shabbat dinner, wanting to recreate a favorite Pesach dish, or interested in trying out Jewish foods for the first time, these cookbooks will guide your culinary journey into foods, flavors, and customs from all over the world.
Pop Art
Pop Art began as a rebellion against the dominant approaches to art and culture and traditional ideas on what art should be. Artists felt that what they were taught in art school and what they saw in museums did not represent their lives and what they saw in society. Instead they turned to sources such as movies, advertising, product packaging, pop music and comic books for their imagery.
How to be a Troll
Have you been following the Governor of California as he trolls the current Federal Administration on social media? Whether you’re revelling in the schadenfreude or shaking your fist, here are some titles that explore the practice as it relates to politics.
Buried Truths, Dangerous Hearts: Romantic Suspense Novels Where Secrets Refuse to Stay Hidden
In the world of romantic suspense, love is never simple—especially when it’s entangled with lies, hidden crimes, and secrets meant to stay buried. These books blend passion and peril, proving that sometimes the past doesn’t just haunt—it kills.
Indiana and Other Midwest Poets
Explore Hoosier and other Midwest poets and writers with a flare for the written word. Join us to celebrate the landscape of Indiana poetry at Central Library on Monday, November 10 at 6 pm for Poetry Through the Lens, presented by Brick St. Poetry.
Werk It: Nonfiction Books on Drag Culture and Performance
Drag has always been more than wigs and lashes—it’s protest, play, survival, and glitter all rolled into one. This list of nonfiction works captures drag’s artistry and politics across decades and continents, from smoky backrooms to global stages. Whether you’re looking for memoir, oral history, or cultural critique, these books show why drag has always been at the beating heart of queer culture.
Author in Focus: Elif Shafak
Elif Shafak is an internationally acclaimed British-Turkish author known for her richly layered novels that weave together history, politics, mysticism, and feminism. Hailed by the Financial Times as “Turkey’s leading female novelist,” Shafak explores themes such as identity, belonging, gender, and the tension between tradition and modernity. Her work often gives voice to the silenced and marginalized, offering a deeply human lens on both personal and collective struggles across cultures and generations.
Suspense Books Featuring Older Protagonists
If you enjoyed the charm and mystery of The Thursday Murder Club, this list is for you. These suspenseful reads feature older protagonists, retirees, detectives, and unlikely heroes, who bring wit, wisdom, and a rebellious streak to crime-solving and adventure.