We’re changing our cataloging and checkout software to a more powerful platform, which means you’re also getting a new online catalog for finding books, placing holds, and checking your account online! The new catalog will offer you lots of cool new features, including MUCH better integration with digital resources like Hoopla. In the meantime, there will be some downtime in late August when you will not be able to renew your materials online or check your account. No late fines will be charged during this transition period.

Here’s the timeline for what you can expect:

FRIDAY, AUGUST 24th
Our online catalog will close for business. This means you will not be able to check your account online, renew items, or place holds. If you need to find the location of an item while the online catalog is unavailable, please ask a BCPL staff member for help.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 24th–FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 7th
Fine freeze!!!! While we are transitioning to our new system and because you will lose online access to your account for a short period, no overdue charges will accrue during this timeframe. It is our goal to make the changeover as painless as possible, and we appreciate your patience as we work to make our system better.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 30th
We are officially switching to the new system! Most account services should be operating normally by the end of the day. Some functionality may take a little longer and the new catalog interface will still be under construction, but we believe the inconvenience of this process will be worth the wait!

Here are just a few things you can look forward to with the new system:

• Longer renewal periods on books, audiobooks, and more!
  When we go live with our new system, we are also extending our renewal period on select items. Currently, we offer up to two 14-day renewals on books, magazines, books on CD or MP3, and Playaways. In the new system, you will be able to renew these items for up to 21 days at a time as long as no one else is waiting for them. Not only does this give you the ability to keep items longer when you need to, we’re also making your due dates more straightforward and easier to keep up with.
• Keeping your checkout history!
  The new system will allow you to keep track of the materials you’ve checked out for future reference. Some of you have asked about this in the past, and we’re excited to finally say YES YOU CAN. But you don’t have to keep that history if you don’t want to; for privacy purposes, this will be a completely voluntary service. Please note, you will only be able to view your checkout history beginning with the date you opt-in to the service.
• And we really can’t say it enough: better integration with our digital resources!
  Streaming and downloadable e-books, magazines, movies, and music from most of our e-media providers will be available for check out directly from our catalog. This includes Hoopla, Kentucky Libraries Unbound, and RBdigital! There’s no need to access or search each e-media site separately—you don’t even need to know which platforms to search. You can browse the full Digital Library or search for a particular format, like Kindle or MP3. And not only can you download directly from the online catalog, if the title you want isn’t immediately available, you can also place a hold right there in the catalog—just as you would for a physical item!

Use this form to send questions or comments to our Marketing & Communications Manager.

This year at SummerQuest, we’re celebrating The Great Outdoors and encouraging our patrons to get out and get moving in the community!

Get outside!
Many of our family programs this summer are geared to encourage patrons to spend time outdoors and in their community. Too often, we spend our time online or watching television, and we forget there’s an entire world to see. So why don’t you start with BCPL’s exciting summer programs? Be sure to check out Adventures Await! with Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest, and the survivalists among you won’t want to overlook Paracord “Survival” Bracelet. Yes, the guys too. If you think bracelets are just pretty trinkets for women, this program plans to prove you wrong!

Experience Bullitt County!
Summer is the best time to put those phones and computers away and explore some new places. We’ve even made it easier for you to discover new venues! If your kiddo picks up a Kids’ Summer Adventure Guide and wins the first leg of the reading log, their prize is a fun Scavenger Hunt map of Bullitt County! Visit historical markers to learn about the county’s history and discover fun family programs outside of the Library. Adventure awaits!

Expand your mind!
If you’re a youth aged 0-21 (or the parent of one!), don’t miss the Cultural Pass—your ticket to more than 40 arts and culture venues in the Louisville Metro area. Beat the summer slump and feed your creative mind at places like Frazier History Museum, Gheens Science Hall and Rauch Planetarium, Kentucky Science Center, Louisville Zoo, Speed Art Museum, and many more!

Summer is a great time to pick up a new hobby. When the days get so hot even your hair perspires, it’s nice to have a fun activity to turn to in the comfort of air conditioning.

Learn with BCPL programs!
If you’ve ever wanted to learn the art of quilting, don’t miss June’s four-part series Picnic Quilt Camp. You’ll learn the skills needed—from concept to creation!—of crafting a nine-patch quilt. One lucky crafter will have the chance to win the final quilt in a drawing at completion! View event listings»

Storytelling is an art as old as language itself, and nowhere is better for a good tale than around a summer campfire! Join local author Kim Upton for a workshop on how to craft an entertaining story from start to finish at Campfire Storytelling, coming to all branches this summer. View event listings»

What would you do if you found yourself in a survivalist situation? If you had eight feet of paracord on your wrist, it could probably save your life! Join us for a tutorial on braiding your own Paracord “Survival” Bracelet! View event listings»

Are you intrigued by the age-old craft of calligraphy? Join local artisan and author Thomas Freese for a brief history and workshop on Calligraphy & the Quill Pen. We’ll craft our own pens from wild turkey feathers and learn some easy techniques to use them. View event listings»

There are even more awesome programs happening this summer, so be sure to check out the SummerQuest page!

Pick up a Questing Guide!
Teens and adults need mental stimulation just as much as kids do! This year, we’ve created the Questing Guide specifically for that purpose. You can choose to quest for stories, knowledge, and/or fun, and each quest you complete earns you a ticket in the Big Prize drawings at the SummerQuest Finale! Our Knowledge Quests are great for picking up some cool new smarts you can use to impress your friends. Plus, all of those great BCPL events listed above count towards prize tickets!

Thank you for your interest in being a focus group participant! We hope you’ll be able to join us to explore one of the key topics we will be focusing on in our strategic plan:

1. Children. Too many young children in our community are not prepared for kindergarten and risk falling behind in the critical elementary grades. We want to hear about your thoughts and experiences as we explore the role our library system can play in a community-wide effort to ensure our children’s educational success.

Thank you to everyone who participated in our Children’s Focus Group at Ridgway Memorial or Lebanon Junction and to everyone who registered for the group at Mt Washington, which had to be canceled due to weather. We have one additional group planned on this topic:

• MONDAY, March 26th @Hillview | 6:00 PM

2. Technology. Digital technologies are redefining the way every organization operates —and public libraries are leaders in adapting to these changes. We are looking at the role emerging technologies might play over the next few years in the way our library delivers services, and we want to hear about your experiences with new technologies and what interests you. If you have insights into new technologies or how they can improve BCPL services and access, we want to hear from you.

Thank you to everyone who participated in our Technology Focus Group at Ridgway Memorial and to everyone who registered for the group at Mt Washington, which had to be canceled due to weather. We have one additional group planned on this topic:

• TUESDAY, March 27th @Lebanon Junction | 3:00 PM

3. Programs. There is high community interest in the programs we offer—and numerous opportunities to expand them among all ages and interests. The problem is determining which programs will have the most lasting impact or fill needed gaps in our community. In this group, we will focus on how we might develop new learning experiences that are both relevant to community life and responsive to high-need areas.

Thank you to everyone who participated in our Programs Focus Group at Ridgway Memorial or Mt. Washington. No additional focus groups are planned for this topic at this time.

Each focus group session will last about an hour. 

Get ready to make, create, and experiment!
Our annual Teen Tech Week celebration has arrived. Teen Tech Week is when libraries across the county make time to showcase all of the great technology resources and services that are available to help teens succeed in school and prepare for college and beyond.

#TTW18 Events: March 4th–10th

Anime Gaming Night

Tuesday, March 6th |  4:00–7:00 PM @Mt. Washington

This month’s AGN is all about the tech! Featuring technology and sci-fi themed anime, tech-themed games like RoboCraft on STEAM, our newest 3D pens, and our Raspberry Pi retro gaming console—which was originally created by one of our library teens! Plus, teens will have the opportunity to print projects on our 3D printers and to explore their digital passion projects on library gaming laptops, now loaded with a growing collection of software!

Pop-Up Makerspace

Thursday, March 8th | 4:00–6:00 PM @Lebanon Junction

Drop in to make and create with our 3D printer, Snap Circuits, Brain Flakes, and more! Plus, play and experiment with a variety of software—Happy 3D (3D design), Roblox (game development), Audacity (podcasting), and more!—on our library gaming laptops.

Minecraft Meetup

Thursday, March 8th | 4:00–6:00 PM @Ridgway Memorial
Saturday, March 10th | 1:00–3:00 PM @ Hillview

This month’s meetup with emphasize engineering and creation using the redstone circuitry makerspace map. Plus, gamers can enjoy our Minecraft-themed stop motion kit, our Cubelets robotics kit, indie game development with Roblox, a variety of engineering kits, and more!

Teen Lounge

Tuesday, March 6th | 3:00–6:00 PM @Hillview
Wednesday, March 7th | 3:00–6:00 PM @Hillview
Thursday, March 8th | 3:00–6:00 PM @Hillview

Hang out, geek out, and mess around with library gaming laptops and a variety of technology and engineering tools. Tweens and teens are encouraged to have fun and explore with a variety of tools and supplies we’ll have on hand, but each Teen Lounge day has a theme of its own! Tech Tuesdays feature our 3D printers and pens, Makerspace Wednesdays emphasize a variety of creative and engineering kits, and Thursdays offer a teen-choice movie.

More Suggested Activities & Resources

Online Learning Tools

Treehouse is an online video and interactive learning platform that specializes in teaching people of all ages how to design and develop websites and mobile apps. Tracks include web development, web design, iOs and Android app development, WordPress development and design, game development, and various programming languages, including HTML, JavaScript, PHP, and Ruby. Find out more and request access at https://bcplib.org/treehouse/.

Suggested Reading List

BOMB by Steve Sheinkin
View in catalog | KLU E-book | KLU E-audiobook
The real life story of the race to create the world’s first atomic bomb.

THE BOY WHO HARNESSED THE WIND by William Kamkwamba
View in catalog | Hoopla E-audiobook | KLU E-book | KLU E-audiobook
A memoir of a Malawian teen who used science books in his village library to piece together a working windmill from scrap metal and spare parts. The windmill brought electricity to his home, effectively saving his family from starvation.

FEED by M.T. Anderson
View in catalog | KLU E-book | KLU E-audiobook
In Titus’s world, people connect to the internet via an implant in their brains. During a party on the moon, a hacker breaks into the feed and causes their implants to malfunction. Add a cute girl who lives without the feed, and you get a witty satire of a futuristic dystopia.

GIRL CODE by Andrea Gonzalez and Sophie Houser
View in catalog | KLU E-book
This clever memoir tells the story of two ordinary teens who became world-famous after the video game they created went viral. More than just an inspiring story, Andy and Sophie offer tips and encouragement for all girls interested in science, technology, and entrepreneurship.

ILLUMINAE by Amie Kaufman
View in catalog | KLU E-book | KLU E-audiobook
Two evil corporations go to war over a tiny planet, and teenage hacker Kady finds herself on a warship where the AI might be her enemy and the people in charge won’t admit what’s going on.

LITTLE BROTHER by Cory Doctorow
View in catalog | KLU E-audiobook
Techno-geek Marcus spends his time bypassing the “system,” and he’s good at it. When a major terrorist attack on the city causes the Department of Homeland Security to cease control and set up intrusive surveillance, Marcus decides it’s up to him to take down the government.

READY PLAYER ONE by Ernest Cline
View in catalog | KLU E-book | KLU E-audiobook
Set in an ugly dystopian future, Ready Player One tells the story of teenager Wade Watts, a gamer obsessed with a virtual utopia where hidden clues promise fame and fortune for the person smart enough to unlock them.

WARCROSS by Marie Lu
View in catalog | KLU E-book
A teenage hacker earns money chasing down people who illegally bet on the international virtual game “Warcross.” When she accidentally glitches herself into the game, the game’s creator reaches out to her with an offer she can’t refuse.

More Books + Movies

Fine Forgiveness February is back from February 1st–29th!

Do you have a pile of library books from years ago stuffed into the back of your closet? Or maybe you checked out a stack of movies, brought them back a week late, and just couldn’t face the overdue fines that racked up while you weren’t paying attention. Please don’t let those things keep you from the Library! Now is your chance to start fresh, with no late fines on your account and no judgment from us.

Every year, we bring you Fine Forgiveness February so that you can start the year off right at BCPL.  Throughout the month of February, no new charges will be accrued on overdue items as long as they are checked in before 5:00 PM on Friday, February 20th! We hope this will alleviate some of the worry that may occur throughout the month due to winter weather and road hazards.

Even better, we will also waive any pre-existing fines on your account as long as the items have been returned. If you have overdue items or fines already charged to your account, we WANT to forgive them! So bring all those long overdue items back to your favorite BCPL location, stop by the circulation desk, and request that your fines be waived. As long as your items are returned—no matter how long you’ve had them!—we’ll clear your account.

Psst… Did you know that BCPL no longer charges late fines on youth materials?! This means that borrowers of any age can check out books and audiobooks from our children’s, junior, and YA collections and they will NEVER be charged late fines on those materials—or any fines, so long as the items are returned undamaged. If you have pre-existing overdue charges for youth materials on your account, you can have those charges waived at any time.

Federal Tax Forms »
Kentucky Tax Forms »

Print Forms

A limited selection of federal tax forms and instruction booklets will be available at each BCPL location when supplies arrive in February. If the form you need is not available from BCPL and you do not wish to print the forms from the internet or file online, you can call the IRS at 1-800-829-3676 to request that federal forms are mailed to you. Kentucky state forms may be obtained from the Department of Revenue’s Taxpayer Service Center in Louisville.

Filing Assistance

Bullitt County Public Library staff are happy to help you locate or print the form you need (standard copy costs apply). However, library staff cannot tell you which form you need, prepare your taxes, or provide any other form of tax advice. Free tax-help options include the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs and AARP’s Tax-Aide program.

Five categories. Almost 600 books. Not enough librarians!

Another year of binge reading has passed here at BCPL. While we didn’t get to every awesome new book that released this year, we still managed to devour most of the ones on our list! We’ve traveled through time and space; we’ve shivered at the darkest corners of humankind; and we’ve taken journeys into the successes and failures of characters who stayed with us long after we turned the last page.

The Best of the Year lists at BCPL are a celebration of the titles we’ve read and loved—and there sure were a lot of them. So get ready for your TBR list to get substantially longer!

SCHEDULE OF ANNOUNCEMENTS

Thursday, December 28th
Staff Top 5 Lists»

Tuesday, January 2nd
Winners of the Patron Favorite Vote»

Saturday, January 6th
Best Books for Young Readers

Wednesday, January 10th
Best Books for Middle Grade/Tweens

Saturday, January 13th
Best Books for Teens

Wednesday, January 17th
Best Fiction for Adults
Update: Due to weather closings and delays, this announcement was postponed until Saturday, January 20th.

Saturday, January 20th
Best Nonfiction for Adults
Update: Due to weather closings and delays, this announcement has been postponed until Wednesday, January 24th.

Discover more BCPL Best Books of the Year lists! »