Tips & Tricks for ACLA Databases and Downloadables

OneClickdigital is getting a makeover!

A popular eResource will be getting an update to make finding titles easier for patrons.  OneClickdigital will be getting an update next Tuesday, February 10.  The site will be down for approximately 1 hour at 11 pm, so unfortunately you won’t be able to check out any books late at night that day! Be sure to get in your late night browsing before 11 pm.

OneClickdigital has thousands of audiobooks available right away with no waiting.  OneClick is available on Macs, PCs and on iOS (Apple) or Andorid apps.

Some books available right now on OneClick include: The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness, Ghost Ship by Clive Cussler and thousands more!

What the upgrade will entail is the following:

  • A new simplified user interface
  • It will have optimized display on computers, tablets and smartphones.
  • The only aspect of the service that is changing is the OneClickdigital website and how a patron finds content on the site.
    • The checkout, download process and the mobile apps will remain the same

Below are some screenshots of how the new interface will look:

one click

oneclick 2

oneclick3

Pam R. – Baldwin Borough Public Library

Continue ReadingOneClickdigital is getting a makeover!

eResource Challenge Lite #4

It’s time for another eResource Challenge!  Before we get to this month’s scenario, let’s wrap up the last one.  All of the responses to the challenge were thorough and informative.  If you’re a little nervous about helping patrons with investing resources it’s worth a quick look at the comments.  They will give you a good sense of some of the best tools for investment research within Morningstar and some of our other resources.  Lastly, congratulations to Mindy D., the winner of eResource Challenge Lite #3!

And now, this month’s challenge:

A patron who loves to read fantasy comes into the library. She asks you for some recommendations and a list of some of the best fantasy for the past year. She also wants to find new authors to read because none of her favorites are publishing anything new at the moment.

You know that NoveList is a great resource for finding read-alikes.  How would you go about your search? What tools does NoveList have to help you and your patron stay on top of what’s new in fantasy?  What are some of your other favorite reader’s advisory resources?

Leave your responses in the comments section below by Friday, February 6th to be eligible for a prize!

Continue ReadingeResource Challenge Lite #4

More to Stream…

You may have noticed that streaming video compatibility was added to our OverDrive site this week. Over 400 of our OverDrive videos are now available to stream.

overdrive streaming video

The best part about this change is that streaming video is compatible with many more devices than its predecessor, WMV. The streaming format will work in any web browser with HTML5 support (most major browsers). In addition, patrons using the latest version of the OverDrive app will see the option to stream their video within the app, making OverDrive video compatible with most mobile devices.

Browsing, searching, and borrowing will all remain the same.

The OverDrive help pages offer more information about getting started with streaming video.

It is important to remind patrons that streaming video is likely to consume a lot of data, so they may want to be connected to wifi when streaming. (And don’t forget to recommend Hoopla to anyone looking for a  larger selection of streaming – and downloadble! – video.)

The introduction of streaming video is good news for device compatibility, but it also means that the WMV format will soon be eliminated. In addition to WMV, OverDrive plans to sunset the WMA format. Starting on March 3, 2015 only streaming video and MP3 audiobooks will be available in OverDrive. The Digital Resources Committee will be discussing what this means for our patrons and our collections at our upcoming meeting on February 3rd. We’ll be sure to share important information about this topic in a future post.

Charmaine (CLP)

Continue ReadingMore to Stream…

Calling All Readers!

biglibraryreadOverDrive’s next Big Library Read event is coming up in March and OverDrive needs your help deciding on a title. This season’s title will be an adult nonfiction book. Browse through the contenders and cast your vote, then pass the survey along to all the book lovers you know!

Voting is open now and will run through February 1st.

For information about previous Big Library Read events, visit the OverDrive site, our one of our previous posts about OverDrive’s “global eBook club.”

Happy Voting!

Susan (Coraopolis)

Continue ReadingCalling All Readers!