Picture books are often children's first exposure to art. As galleries of artists' work—all within the pages of books—they reflect the vast variety of art mediums we find in museums. Some artists create with real-world materials like paint and pencils; others make collage or etchings. Some even work in virtual media like computer graphics, and, of course, some use a combination of tools and methods.

When my children were younger, I would check out piles of picture books to read with them—and for the pleasure of viewing the artwork. And even though my children have moved beyond picture books, I still enjoy opening these miniature exhibitions, browsing through old favorites or finding new artists.

In honor of National Picture Book Month this November, I recommend these resources: Read more about Picture Books: Extraordinary Art, Conveniently Portable

Ever wondered what it's like to be a book at the Library? So have I—and here's what I discovered. Read more about The Life of a Library Book

PHOTO: VERKEORG

Author Alert and New Arrivals, two great free services from the Library, keep you up on all the books, movies, and music as they're added to our collection. I use both of these all the time for the latest by my favorite authors and filmmakers, and they're great for personalized updates with minimal effort—I just set up my accounts, chose my preferences, and now get them automatically. These services also allow me to place holds on items as they're purchased by the Library, instead of waiting for them to hit the shelves. Read more about What's New at the Library? Always Know with Automatic Notifications