Favorite places: online resources let booklovers surf for services.

The Web is a wonderful resource for book-related information. Whether you are an author, bibliophile or small publisher, the Internet offers book information about everything from writing, publishing and publicizing your book to historical archives and sites with information about book prices. In this column, Black Issues Book Review takes an ongoing look at some of the best Web sites for information related to books.

In 1990, Grace Adams, an agent, author and editor, began compiling the free listing The Black Authors and Published Writers Directory with the names of more than 1,000 authors, publishers, producers, playwrights and consultants. In 2003, she created a companion Web site (www.bapwd.com) for the annual directory. Adams has also created an online newsletter that updates the directory daily. The Grace Company, her Rochester, Minnesota-based firm, offers distribution services for publishers. The next publication date for the directory is February 1, 2006; to order the book, go to www.bapwd.com.

Teenreads.com aims to dispel the notion that young people hate to read. The Web site, founded by Carol Fitzgerald, a former promotion and marketing executive for Mademoiselle magazine, started as part of The Book Report Network in 1996, to offer book reviews and other features for young readers. On Teenreads, young readers have a place to learn about the latest in books and share their thoughts about the books they have read. The site has also spun off other book-related sites, including www.authorsontheweb.com. The site includes information on reading groups, polls, author interviews, as well as a newsletter.

Biblio.com, one of the world's largest suppliers of used, rare and out-offprint books, now offers an online service to connect buyers and collectors with a worldwide network of independent booksellers. Launched in 2003, the site bills itself as one of the "leading sources" for these books. The site says it offers 20 million titles from 2,850 independent booksellers in 24 countries.

Africa Speaks.com/books/ is an eclectic collection of Web sites with historical, political and scientific information relating to Africa and Rastafarian culture. One of its sites says its mission is to "promote personal and global understanding and development." Africaspeaks.com offers blogs, forums, message boards and other resources on Africa. The sites include howcomyoucom for science and social issues: Trinicenter with information about Trinidad and Tobago, Pasta Times for Rastafarian news and information.

Zooba.com offers best-sellers and other books for $9.95 with free shipping. An offshoot of the Book-of-the-Month Club, it allows you to sign up by creating a personal reading list. You get the top book on your list each month for $9.95. Zooba offers brand-new, mostly hardcover editions of today's best-sellers and tomorrow's discoveries.

Selected by Writer's Digest as one of the top Web sites for writers in 2002, BookWire.com remains an invaluable resource for industry information. It's a place to promote books to librarians, publishers and booksellers. This online division of R.R. Bowker, the United States ISBN agency, also offers authors and book enthusiasts information on literary events, author tours, best-seller lists, career opportunities, book statistics and more, as well as forums for book discussions.

Writer's Digest, a leading magazine for writers, offers an online site www.writersdigest.com--with comprehensive information for writers. Updated daily, it offers tips and tools to improve your writing, get published, as well as online writing workshops, writing seminars, a book club for writers, database of writer's guidelines and a listing of resources. Its resource guide Writer's Market, www.writersmarket.com, is online with information on agents and editors. The site also sells books, back issues, subscriptions to its magazines. Ingrid Sturgis is the author of Aunties: 35 Writers Celebrate Theft Other Mother (Ballantine Books, April 2004).

WWW.BIBOOKREVIEW.COM posts BIBR articles, subscription information, advertising rates and daily updates on book industry news, literary events and other information of interest to readers, writers and literary insiders.