Monthly Archives: October 2022

It Came from the Library!

Ready to hear a scary story involving two fantastic digital resources that are perfect for instigating Halloween fun?

It was a dark and stormy-uh…morning…when the library patron walked into their local library. They were there to check-out their favorite Halloween movie. When they approached the circulation desk they saw…A LIBRARIAN! No, something scarier…a TECHNICAL SERVICES LIBRARIAN!

This feels like an overreaction.

Anyway, they asked for help finding the movie but to their horror they couldn’t quite remember the title! It was based on a book written by Anne Rice. Brad Pitt was in the movie along with…Jonah Hill? No, you’re thinking of Moneyball. Did Anne Rice write Moneyball?

The patron’s movie plans were getting slashed right before their eyes until they were reminded of IMDB.com, the exact resource they needed — linked right there on their library’s website. The Internet Movie Database provides information on films, television series, and online streaming content. The patron was able to figure out the movie they were looking for and they found information about the cast, production crew, plot summaries, trivia, ratings, and reviews!

Yeah, I remember it being a 7.5 too.

They also learned through IMDB.com that Interview with the Vampire was recently re-VAMP-ed into a TV series. That’s going on the binge watch list. As the patron was checking out, they remembered their Interview with the Vampire themed Halloween party. That’s tonight! They meant to grab a copy of the original movie soundtrack! Surely, getting ahold of this item was going to be a hassle.

Oh no! The narrator was conveniently wrong for the sake of proving a point!

The patron was reminded of hoopla, the free resource through their library where they can stream all sorts of digital media like music, audio books, e-books, movies, TV and comics. They can stream this soundtrack directly from their computer or phone! They even found some Halloween e-books to read to their children after a fun night of trick-or-treating.

The library patron left with exactly what they were looking for and more, thanks to IMDB.com and hoopla. Both of which can be found on your very own library website. Scary stories don’t usually get endings as happy as this one. What a twist!

Derek, South Park Township Library

Continue ReadingIt Came from the Library!

Better Business Bureau (BBB)

Do you ever find yourself wondering if a company is reputable or if a deal is really a scam? Maybe you want to give an end of year donation to a charity and need to know more about them. Sometimes we could benefit from tips to stay safe online or even read about celebrating Halloween on a budget.

Luckily, there is the Better Business Bureau to help with all of this and more! The BBB is a private non-profit organization that is not affiliated with any government agency. It has been in existence since 1912 continuing to offer its services to consumers free of charge.

Some of the services they offer include:

  • Search for a specific company or charity
  • Browse for a company by topic
  • File a complaint
  • Have your businesses accredited
  • Use the BBB Scam Tracker to search for or report a scam
  • Sign up for the monthly BBB electronic newsletter
  • Submit a review on a business
  • Schedule a free guest speaker for your next meeting/program
  • Get tax tips

These and many more services are available via their web site. So next time you are in need of a contractor, charity, lawyer, etc. be sure to do your homework and use the Better Business Bureau’s resources.

Lisa Akenhead – Northland Public Library

Continue ReadingBetter Business Bureau (BBB)

Attention E-Mag Readers!

Due to decreasing usage and limited titles, ACLA will be dropping our Flipster subscription as of December 31, 2022. However, there is good news for E-Magazine readers! We have two other services which offer many more titles for you to check out and flip through, digitally and on the go.

Overdrive/Libby: We currently offer over 4,000 issues of popular magazines in our Overdrive/Libby collection. Titles are always available, and there is no limit on the number you can borrow each month! Magazine issues can be checked out for up to 21 days and downloaded to a mobile device for off-WiFi enjoyment. You can find the magazine collection in the Libby app or at acla.overdrive.com.

Hoopla BingePass: A newer addition is the “BingePass” feature in Hoopla, which allows unlimited 7-day access to their magazine collection using only one of your 15 per month checkouts. So if you borrow a BingePass each week, you can have constant and unlimited access to Hoopla’s 90+ titles! Note that this is a streaming service, so an internet connection is required to read. Hoopla’s BingePass is located under the “More” section in the app or at hoopladigital.com.

Visit our eLibrary at elibrary.einetwork.net for more information, or feel free to reach out to your local library for help getting started with one of these great E-Magazine services. Happy reading!

–Heather Auman, Western Allegheny Community Library

Continue ReadingAttention E-Mag Readers!