Surprise Selections FAQ

Surprise Selection picked by us, inspired by you.

Return to Surprise Selection Form

How does this work?

Fill out a short form with your reading interests and choose which WCLS branch you’d like to pick up your books at. We’ll choose one book per quarter and send it to your library’s hold shelf for you to pick up (along with a few extra recommendations!). It’s just that simple – and totally free with your WCLS library card.

If you sign up in: Your first selection will arrive in:
October/November/December February
January/February/March May
April/May/June August
July/August/September November

Who can participate?

If you’re an adult reader with a Whatcom County Library System library card, you’re all set! (County resident without a card? Signing up is quick and easy – talk to staff at your WCLS library or sign up online.) While Surprise Selection is just for readers who would like titles from our adult collection, staff at any WCLS library can point you toward terrific reads that work for your kids and teens.

I’m a Bellingham Public Library patron. Is Surprise Selection open to me?

There are two library systems in our county – Whatcom County Library System (WCLS) and Bellingham Public Library (BPL). If you live outside the Bellingham city limits you tax dollars fund the Whatcom County Library System. Currently, only WCLS is offering this personalized reading service. However, our two systems are partners, so your library card works at all WCLS and BPL libraries and staff at all library branches are happy to help BPL and WCLS patrons find great books!

Looking for something different?

Switch up your selections at any time by completing a new form. Your updated choices will be reflected in the next round of selections. Or talk with staff at your favorite WCLS branch who can help you find more of what you’re looking for without waiting until your next Surprise Selection.

What If I want to cancel?

Notify staff at your library at any time if you’d like to put your enrollment on hold or stop receiving picks altogether.

Uh-oh! I didn’t pick up my Surprise Selection. Now what?

Life happens! We all forget to pick up holds from time to time. If more than 2 quarterly picks go unclaimed, however, your Surprise Selection picks will be inactivated to make room for other patrons.