BCPL Special Collections Page
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Baltimore County Public Library
The Library's
Collections
The library's core collection of almost 1.5 million items includes books, movies, and CDs which can be found through our online catalog. Just choose how you prefer to search. Each of our catalog interfaces search the same collection; they just each do it a little bit differently...
Use Aquabrowser for a "Google" like search
Use CARLWeb for more control over your search or to make lists...
Use Kids' Catalog if you're a kid!
Books come in some pretty non-traditional formats these days and these digital formats are particularly useful for people on the go. You must have a valid library card registered at Baltimore County Public Library or at a participating Maryland library to enjoy either of these services.
Audio or "Talking" books" provide an alternative format for both fiction and non-fiction titles if you enjoy listening to your books. Talking Books come in both abridged titles (shortened) and unabridged (the full written work) flavors as well as in a couple of different formats:
Books on CD: These "talking books" are available at any BCPL branch and are great for listening to in your car or on the go.. They're free and may be held / reserved or renewed just like any book but they are not available for direct loan or to be sent through Interlibrary Loan to other library systems.
Playaways: Playaways are the newest format of audio, combining a variety of content with an easy-to-use player. All you have to do is press play to start listening immediately – there is no need for a separate player. Easily operated a single switch, each portable storyteller is loaded with one book that can be borrowed free like any other book from BCPL and returned after three weeks. Offerings include old and new titles, abridged and unabridged. Now available exclusively at the Perry Hall Branch, Playaways can be delivered and returned to any branch near you. Please note: battery and earphones are not provided.
Downloadable Audiobooks: BCPL has partnered with Ingram and Overdrive to provide our users with downloadable audio books to listen to on your PCs or portable listening devices. These titles can frequently be found in the BCPL catalog but can also be searched and checked out directly on those partners sites. Visit our Audiobook page for more details since not all downloadable audiobooks will work on all devices.
eBooks also come in lots of styles and formats but they are essentially online text versions of books to be read on your PC or on select portable reading devices. Borrow popular titles from Overdrive, Maryland's Digital eLibrary Consortium (in Adobe eBook format) to download for your online reading pleasure. Visit our eBook page for more information on using eBooks. Our online catalog also lists a small collection eReference books for your online research needs.
BCPL has a small collection of Braille board and picture books suitable for children from birth to five years and 6 to 8 years, Some titles may be found at any of our libraries. Designated collections are available at the Towson, Parkville, and Reisterstown branches. Text is in both Braille and English. These can be used by a sighted child learning to read assisted by a parent who is blind or a child who is blind learning Braille. To find Braille books in the BCPL catalog, type "Braille Books" in the catalog search box or click here.
BCPL provides you access at no charge to a variety of online databases, including magazines, journals, newspapers, automotive and engine repair, biographies, test and exam practice tests, health, business, community, encyclopedias and more. Databases are very useful for research and school assignments. Databases are available at Baltimore County Public Library branches and most are available from home, work or school through the Baltimore County Public Library home page. All you need is a library card.
Electronic Reference Books or eReference Books are similar to databases in that the content can be searched online and printed. These books do not have to be checked out or downloaded, and are always available for use either in the library or from home. Topics covered in these electronic books include World Religions, Law, Nations, Clothing and Fashion, Multicultural America, Literature, and more. You can access eReference Books online at any branch or from home with a valid library card.
Check out current releases of for both adults and children's titles available on DVD. Please see DVD policies and fees for more information about this collection since they do have lending policies that are substantially different than those established for the book collection.
Check out new DVD releases on the library's Hot Titles pages...
BCPL does its part to help secure the community. The library has engravers available for checking out. Use these to engrave your belongings such as bikes or other valuables. These devices can be placed on hold and checked out just like our books. Check to see if your branch has an engraver available or to place a hold at the branch of your choice.
The library has limited lending collections in three non-English languages. While some of these may be found at any of our branches, the following locations have designated collections:
The library also provides access to Mango which is an online language-learning system that teaches conversation skills for twelve different languages including English as a Second LanguageKorean - Cockeysville, Parkville, and Towson have fiction and non-fiction for adults and children.
Russian - Russian materials for adults and children can be found at Pikesville, Randallstown and Reisterstown. A small collection of entertainment, two-day loan DVDs in Russian for adults are available at Pikesville and Reisterstown.
Spanish - Children's books, mainly picture books, in Spanish and bi-lingual Spanish and English can be found at all branches. Catonsville, Essex, North Point, Perry Hall, and Towson have collections of Spanish fiction and non-fiction books for adults and older children and a small collection of entertainment DVDs.
All branches have a wide variety of both fiction and non-fiction large type books.
These materials are listed in the library's online catalog and can be identified by the prefix of "LT" as a part of the call number. You can also review new large type fiction and new large type non-fiction titles that have been purchased by the library by visiting our Hot Titles pages.
Legacy Web Historic Photo Collection
Browse our fascinating collection of local historic photographs on the Web. The collection contains almost 18,000 images! All aspects of life in Baltimore County for the last 130 years are contained in Legacy Web, Baltimore County Public Library's photo archive. Included are most aspects of rural living, including photographs of people, buildings, sites, and events in the Baltimore County area. Search or browse this growing archive of annotated, digitized photographs of Baltimore County as well as Baltimore magazine from 1917 to 1928. You can even buy copies of most of the photos.
Local History Room Collections
Arbutus, Catonsville, Reisterstown and Towson branches have historical materials about the local communities they serve. The local community history information consists of rare and out-of-print books, newspaper clippings, and historical prints of local sites. These materials are non-circulating and in some cases are accessible by appointment only. Please call the library to determine whether you need an appointment to view their historical collection.
Whether planning an excursion, delving into history, locating government information, answering school assignment questions, or just browsing for photographs, sports, and more, this collection includes abroad spectrum of material. All libraries have a wide variety of materials about Maryland and Baltimore County.
Towson and Catonsville branches have microfilm readers and microfilm of older and current newspapers and magazines. See the index of Microfilm for a listing of the names of newspapers and magazines available.
BCPL carries a wide variety of music on CD. These CDs can be checked out for 21 days, can be renewed, and placed on hold.
Be sure to check out the new and on order CDs at the Baltimore County Public Library's Hot Titles pages.
All libraries have current subscriptions to a few newspapers and a wide variety of magazines in print. To find out if a specific title is owned please visit or call your local library or check our online holdings list.
The Robert Joseph Wortman American Sign Language Collection of adult and children's DVDs is housed at the North Point Library. This collection covers many issues of interest to the deaf community, including teaching or learning Sign Language as well as information for the hearing parents of a deaf child. The DVDs from this special collection can be checked out, placed on hold, and renewed.
The Library has a large FREE selection of readily available video games for your enjoyment. Just click on your preferred gaming system and place a hold on the titles that you want to borrow. The game will usually be sent and waiting for you in the branch of your choice within one to two business days...An Important Notice:
In early December, we will be upgrading to a new computer system. The upgrade will take several days. Tentatively, from December 4 through December, 9 our catalog and circulation system will be offline. We apologize for the inconvenience. We are working to make the transition as smooth as possible for you.
Additional gaming resources (such as information about video game ratings, parental controls, strategies, etc) can be found on BCPL's Video Game Resources page.
Customers may borrow a limit of three games, free of charge, for up to twenty-one days. Click here to read more about the borrowing policies for video games or for more information on placing a hold.
This page is provided by the Baltimore County Public Library, Towson, Maryland USA.
The text version of this page was last revised on
19 November 2009.
The graphics version of this page was last revised on
19 November 2009.
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