Topics Related to staff recommendations

Spice Up Your Winter (Ages 7-13)

Are you participating in our Kids Winter Reading program this year? Enjoy this guide of cooking/food themed titles you can download or order from us today!



Youth Ages 7-13



Lights, Camera, Cook! by Charise Mericle Harper DB089255

Writing Contest Winners

We are pleased to present the stories from the 2020 and 2021 Writing Contests in an audio format! Each of the entries were judged based on their clarity, spelling, grammar, creativity, and impact. We received so many fantastic entries and the judging process was difficult.

Adult Summer Reading List 2022

ABLS Adult Summer Reading List for 2022. This year's theme is Oceans of Possibilities.

A New Allen's List - Merry Pranksters and The Grateful Dead

Perhaps in 1964, if you are old enough; you heard about a bus painted in psychedelic colors named Furthur being driven across the country by a promising young writer named Ken Kesey. Accompanying him were an assorted group of artists, aging beatniks, writers and just people along for the journey

The Latest Allen's List

On this edition of Allen's List just in time for Saint Patrick’s Day, a few books about Ireland

The Latest Allen's List

During the late 1940s and 1950s, there was a small group of writers known as “The Beats”. Here a few books by and about The Beat writers

The Latest Allen's List

The latest Allen's List features books on foreign policy and diplomacy. It requires a combination of finesse and bluntness. An appreciation of nuance. Here are a few books by those who have either practiced the craft or books about those who done so.

Young Adult Books Set in North Carolina

In several recent blog posts, we highlighted some books with connections to North Carolina for middle-grade readers. Today, we’ll be spotlighting some young adult books set in NC, so even older readers can find stories set close to home. These books may be available through your local public library or the NC Kids Digital Library, so you can read from your own devices.