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Library Collection << Services << Your Library
- Books
- eAudiobooks
- Reference & Research Materials
- Periodicals
- Audiovisual materials
- Special Collections & Genealogy
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The Library Collection
You can borrow novels, large print books, paperbacks, picture books, videos, audiobooks, music CDs, DVDs, magazines and more. You can use reference materials such as dictionaries, encyclopedias, almanacs, genealogical material, and directories inside the library. Visit the Library's Catalog to search for specific titles. In addition to books, you can find library material in electronic format in the Library's reference databases and GALILEO .
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Books You Can Check Out
The Library owns over 750,000 books, most of which you may borrow.
- Adult fiction (primarily novels)
- Popular books recently published
- Adult non-fiction
- Large print books
- Paperbacks
For more information on books, including the latest best-seller lists, and information on popular authors, check out our book links.
- Young adult fiction (novels for grades 9-12)
- Graphic novels (story in comic book form, published as a book)
- Board books (for babies and toddlers)
- Picture books (mostly for preschoolers through 3rd grade)
- Easy Readers (for beginning readers)
- Juvenile non-fiction (for all ages)
- Juvenile fiction (chapter books for grades 2-8)
- Juvenile paperbacks (all ages)
- Large print
Check out Children's Authors & Books and Great Books for more about children's books.
Several branches have small collections of books in languages other than English. These collections include both adult and children's titles.
- Spanish: Chamblee, Brookhaven, Decatur, Doraville, Tucker
- Chinese: Chamblee, Decatur
- Korean: Chamblee
- Vietnamese: Chamblee, Clarkston
- French: Clarkston, Decatur
- Russian: Brookhaven
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eAudiobooks
Downloadable eAudiobooks are digital versions of audiobooks that are available through the Internet. Once downloaded to a desktop PC or laptop, they can be immediately used or transferred to a portable media player. Because they are available from home or the office, you have access to them 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You may download eAudiobooks from any computer outside of the library. Please refer to the eAudiobooks page for more information.
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Reference & Research Materials
Reference works are designed to be consulted for specific information rather than to be read cover to cover. All library branches have reference collections available for research, but these books may not be checked out. In addition, staff librarians maintain a list of reliable web pages categorized by subject, and can refer you to reference resources in electronic format in the Library's reference databases and GALILEO .
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Periodicals
The Library subscribes to over 400 different magazines, journals and newspapers in print. Thousands of additional journals, magazines and newspapers are available online through GALILEO and the Library's reference databases. Most back issues of magazines can be checked out, except for those housed at the Decatur Library. Decatur maintains extensive back files of periodicals available on microfilm. Equipment to read and print from microfilm is available in Decatur's reference area on the second floor.
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Audiovisual materials
You can check out audiovisual materials in the following formats:
- Videos
- Audiobooks
- Books on cassette or CD (spoken recordings of novels and stories)
- Non-fiction recordings (motivational, business, foreign language and English as a Second Language tapes, GED and SAT study guides, and other "How to..." materials)
- Read-alongs (a children's picture book and cassette recording of the same story; available at only a few branches.)
- CDs
Music CDs are available at all libraries except the Scottdale-Tobie Grant Homework Center. - DVDs
Feature films, documentaries, how-to instructional titles, educational titles for children, television mini-series, and musical performances are available at all branches except the Scottdale-Tobie Grant Homework Center.
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Special Collections & Genealogy
The Special Collections Room on the main floor of the Decatur Library houses materials by and about DeKalb County and its citizens, DeKalb County governmental activities, and Georgia history and genealogy. Because of the special nature of this collection, these items are for in-library use only. The Special Collections Room is open with the help of volunteers. If the room is locked, visitors may sign in at the Security Desk to gain entrance.
The Special Collections Room has city directories dating back to 1928. There are also journals on local history and genealogical societies.
The following materials are on microfilm:
- Early local, state and area newspapers
- Census records - 1790-1850 for various states, and 1820-1920 for Georgia
- Sanborn maps for Georgia
- Savannah Passenger Lists for 1906-1945.
A variety of resources of interest to those doing research is on microfiche, including:
- The Armiger's News
- The Heraldic Register of America
- The Family Registry Index
- Georgia Death Index 1919-1993
- Georgia Marriage Register 1964-1992
- Georgia Divorce Register 1965-1992
- Decatur Cemetery records for 1837-1979.
