Virtual bookshelves now beckon

If there’s a silver lining to the sudden need to hunker down as the novel coronavirus upends normal life, it’s that maybe — finally — you’ll have time to read. Provided you have enough books.

Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to access new reading material without leaving the house, and to stay engaged with the bookish community even as libraries and bookstores shutter their doors. Here’s a guide:

❚ Take advantage of free library resources like OverDrive

Many libraries are closed until further notice, but you can still tap into their tools — even if you don’t have a library card. OverDrive, a company that works with thousands of libraries in the U.S. and Canada, offers an “instant digital card.” Sign up and start browsing an impressive collection of e-books and audiobooks.

OverDrive makes it easy to download your picks to whatever device you prefer: Stream an audiobook on your Google Home, for example, or send a book to your tablet or e-reader. Beware that there aren’t unlimited digital copies, so there’s often a waiting list for popular titles. Once your request comes in, you’ll typically have access for seven to 21 days.

❚ Use websites that provide free books

For decades, Project Gutenberg has made copyright-free ebooks available on the internet. Don’t expect to find any current bestsellers, but there’s a rich selection of more than 60,000 older titles that you can download to your device or read in your web browser. The site’s “top 100” list includes A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, Little Women by Louisa May Alcott and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson.

❚ Attend a virtual book talk

In-person events are on hold, but bookstores are still finding creative ways for authors to engage with readers. Hilary Leichter was scheduled to talk about her new novel Temporary at Brooklyn-based Books Are Magic the same day the shop cancelled all March events, for example, so staffers pivoted to a virtual version. The shop uploaded a fun, chatty conversation with Leichter (and her ukulele) to its Instagram page.

❚ Participate in an online book club

What to do if half the fun of reading a book is talking about it? Talk from afar. Of course, no commute is too long in virtual book-club land. Aside from checking what your local library and bookstores are offering, consider more global options. The Quarantine Book Club, for example, popped up to host online discussions with authors. And the writer Yiyun Li is hosting a virtual club to discuss Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace — follow along at apublicspace.org.