Downloadables

Playlists made simple…

When touting our digital resources to patrons, Freegal is one of the easiest to get excited about. For district libraries, Freegal is still a pretty new service and I notice many patrons are unaware they now have access to it. Recent upgrades also make Freegal an even better resource to highlight in any patron interaction. Mentioning that Freegal requires no software to download and no wait periods is a big plus for patrons, as well. Especially as new CDs in the physical collection often have long hold lists.

Navigation is available in standard English, as well as Spanish, French, and Italian. These options are available at the bottom of the page.

Searching has been made easier, as well. In one search query, an artist and song title can be combined so users can get to content faster.

The home page also highlights popular artists graphically with headshots displayed under the week’s top albums and singles.

There’s also a nice feature that shows our system’s top 10 and the top 10 across the United States. You can find these lists linked under Most Popular at the top of the page.

Also, be sure to check out the Genres page linked from the top of the screen. This really shows how wide-ranging Freegal’s offerings are: from Barbra Streisand to Arabic pop, there are music more than 100 countries represented!

Jeff (South Park)

Continue ReadingPlaylists made simple…

Zinio Updates

Hey Folks,

There have been some recent improvements to our Zinio service that you should know about:

  • Patrons can now link to their previously checked-out magazines without checking out an additional magazine.  All they have to do is click the “start reading” link in the upper-right corner of the library collection page.
  • Patrons may now continue browsing and check out multiple magazine issues before going to their personal Zinio.com account to read them. Previously they had to toggle back and forth for each new magazine.

We’ve also rearranged the Zinio page!  The first 36 cover images are some of the more popular titles. The remaining covers are still arranged alphabetically.

zinio front page

Patrons looking for a specific title can still easily find what they are looking for using the “Title Search” box at the top of the page. This change will allow new users to immediately see the variety of titles we offer.

And lastly, did you know you (and our patrons, of course) can share articles with friends via email using the iPad Zinio app? Here’s how: http://bit.ly/1pakRt7.

Sarah (CLP)

 

Continue ReadingZinio Updates

Fizz, Boom, Read…online

Are you a secret science junkie, bubbling over with excitement about this year’s kid’s summer reading theme? If so, you probably already know that Gale’s Science in Context offers access to articles from The Science Teacher and Popular Science as well as information from a variety of other sources on hundreds of science-related topics.

The intended audience for this database is high school and above, so you probably won’t find material suited specifically for children but if you’re looking to brush up your own knowledge it’s a great resource.

BookFlix, on the other hand includes books and videos just right for an early elementary audience. By combining engaging stories (like Scaredy Squirrel) with informative texts (Backyard Wildlife: Squirrels) BookFlix offers the best of both worlds and makes learning painless. Sections on Animals and Nature

Bookflix

 

 

 

 

 

and Earth and Sky fit most obviously with the theme, but don’t overlook People and Places or even ABCs and 123s. Basic skills, after all, are the foundation of many different kinds of literacy.

Then there are TumbleBooks and OverDrive. Both offer a wide variety of children’s titles to read for information or for pleasure—and to log for summer reading. The TumbleBooks homepage highlights a variety of offerings:

Bookflix

 

 

 

 

 

 

In OverDrive, use the drop-down subject guide on the kids’ OverDrive page to find books on Science & Nature, or locate Sci-Fi & Fantasy titles.

Finally, if you have a CLP card but haven’t yet spent much time browsing through Facts on File’s Science Online this summer is the perfect opportunity to familiarize yourself with this resource. Whether you’d like to plan a program that features a science experiment on a popular topic like Forensic Science, browse a timeline that offers a glimpse of scientific discovery through the ages or view a brief video on a science-related topic, this easy to use database offers lots of different ways to explore this year’s summer reading theme.

Are there other great summer reading resources lurking online? Share them in the comments.

Lisa (CLP)

 

 

Continue ReadingFizz, Boom, Read…online

Top 7 Reasons to Use the Library Instead of Pirating Media

Woman on laptop computer with man reading bookMedia consumers prefer to get their content quick, free, and easy.  It is no secret that many of these consumers are turning to illegally downloading media through sites like The Pirate Bay.  The Institute of Policy Innovation estimated the damage piracy has done to the music industry alone at $12.5 billion.  There are a number of reasons why we should remind people that using the public library digital resources are a smarter option than downloading media illegally.

1. The Copyright Alert system is working with Internet Service Providers (including Comcast and Verizon) to identify violations.  These violations may generate alerts that could lead to the ISP slowing down a user’s connection speed. Source

2. More than 200,000 law suits against pirates have been filed since 2010. Source

3. Using library media, although free, still supports the artists and producers who are creating the content.

4. The stream of new media will dry up if its creators aren’t compensated for their work.  The quality and quantity of what is produced will shrink without a way to get paid.

5. Most of the media the library offers through OverDrive, Hoopla, Zinio, and Freegal is available just as quickly, in the convenience of your own home, as obtaining it illegally.  Although there could be a wait time if the media is checked out.

6. Piracy is illegal.

7. Library resources are free!

Dustin, Sewickley

Continue ReadingTop 7 Reasons to Use the Library Instead of Pirating Media