Merrimack Street Construction Projects

A new sidewalk and street project in front of the Library and City Hall on Merrimack Street is underway. The project timeline extends into October, as the contractor is working in localized phases to try and minimize impacts to City Hall employees and visitors and to keep on-street parking available where possible. Visitors should pay attention to posted parking restriction dates on Merrimack Street, Market Street and Cardinal O'Connell Parkway. At times, there may be some short-term traffic and pedestrian detours or closures. For the most up to date information, visit  City Hall Project 2026 | Lowell, MA

Library Blog

The Best Books of 2023

Compiling the best books of each year is one of my favorite projects. Learning which books reviewers, critics, librarians, and booksellers love is always interesting. I find myself rooting for books, especially if they need just one more to make it to 5, 10, or 20 lists. Of course, “best” is subjective, which is evidenced by the number of titles that people from across the country (and across the pond in a few cases) selected as their favorites.

I viewed 50 lists from magazines, websites, newspapers, book review journals, awards committees, libraries, and bookstores. I like to use the same sources each year, but it doesn’t always work out. Some are now paywalled, and others were not published before my deadline or even at all. Some lists are short, with only 10 titles, while others highlight books from various genres and can be as long as 200 titles. I noticed this year that some sources list only fiction or fiction and memoirs. This limits the number of nonfiction books in the tally. 42 lists include at least one title that is distinct to that list.

Only 1 book is on at least 20 lists, which is the same as last year. Overall, I tallied 804 different titles. Of those, 544 appear on only one list. Slightly more titles are recognized on the lists in 2023 than in 2022, but fewer titles appear on 10 or more lists. The books below are the most critically acclaimed of the year, appearing on at least 10 lists.

Click on an image for more information.

Many great books were published in 2023. If you are looking for more options, click on the image below. It includes books that appear on at least 5 lists as well as staff picks. It also indicates which books are available in alternate formats such as Large Print, Audio, Overdrive/Libby, and Hoopla.

2023 Best Books Handout

You can find some of these books on display on the first floor of the library. Please note that many are checked out due to their popularity. If you would like to reserve a book, you can place a request in the online catalog, fill out a request form, or call the reference desk at 978-674-4121. Let us know if you read any of these books. If you love them, you can write a review or place them in the “Awesome Box” at the ground floor checkout desk.