The librarians at the Brooklyn Public Library have entered the digital age.

Image via Brooklyn Public Library email blastAll right, they’ve probably been there for a while considering librarians are usually pretty badass and also that the BPL tweets way more than I do. They’ve come up with a way to combine one of their tried and true services – giving personal book recommendations – with the fact that sometimes we’re too damn lazy to leave our apartments and go talk to a librarian about books.

BookMatch launched a couple weeks ago, and it’s a little form on the BPL website that you fill out to give the librarians an idea of your reading preferences. They aim to get back to you with a personal recommendation list in about a week. Since a ton of people are excited about it, it may take longer. You’ve been warned. If you are at a loss of what to read in the meantime, I’m worried for you , but then again I’m one of those people who will read the back of the cereal box in a pinch so I probably shouldn’t talk.

There are about a million “What to Read After…” lists out there, and if you’re really desperate you can always look on Amazon or Barnes and Noble at the “Customers Who Bought This Also Bought” box on a book you’ve liked. And yeah, if you’re in the mood to read something EXACTLY like what you just read, an algorithm or a “Read After…” list can help you. But a person – or at least librarians, who have superpowers – can look at a list of books you like and suggest something different that might be to your taste. They’ve even got some sample lists up already, if you’re curious. Someone asked for “Good Books with some Creepy Covers”, which I will NOT be clicking on.

I don’t exactly need any more book recommendations, considering how high my “To Read” pile is – and it already includes some BPL books that I’ve been renewing in the hopes of getting around to them. But I submitted a BookMatch request anyway, because I like librarians, and also, more books is always okay. The process feels a little dated – and the fact that the lists that are posted aren’t searchable kinda sucks – but it’s a good idea. Way to stay relevant, librarians!

Now if they could only figure out a way to deliver the books on my list without me having to leave the house. Then again, that’s what the e-book catalog is for.

VIA THE VILLAGE VOICE