Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Guest Column by Annice Sevett

 

Libraries around the country are frequently commended for their efforts to serve communities during disasters. During a pandemic, however, keeping public buildings open can threaten the health and safety of the very communities that we serve. The city closed all buildings to the public, including the library, in an effort to do our part in flattening the curve.

Although the library building is closed, our digital resources are available 24/7. Never read an eBook or listened to an audiobook? Are you looking for content to use to teach and entertain your children? Now is the perfect time to explore our digital resources. Here’s an overview of the library’s digital resource offerings that are available to you.

If you like popular authors, bestselling titles and recent publications, check out OverDrive. OverDrive offers eBooks and audiobooks for checkout. The titles on OverDrive work similar to physical books so you may have to place holds on popular titles, but there’s a large selection of titles available right away so you can get reading today. They can be read or listened to on any device, including mobile devices and computers. There’s a good selection of titles, including young adult and children’s titles. Organized by our regional library system SELCO, new titles are being added every week to meet the region’s needs during this time.

To get started with OverDrive, head to our website (www.alplonline.org) and look for the Over-Drive button on the homepage. If you have a mobile device, simply download the Libby app in your app store to get started. Don’t have a library card with us? No problem! Head to the OverDrive website and apply for an instant library card using your mobile number. This will give you access to OverDrive right away.

Another service we offer to Albert Lea Public Library card holders is Hoopla. Hoopla has eBooks, audiobooks, comics, music, movies and television series for you to download or stream. Everything you see on Hoopla is available right away and you can check out 10 items each month. Many of the titles on Hoopla are older books; however, there’s sure to be some-thing to meet your reading preferences. Once on the Hoopla website, sign up for an account with your library card number and email address for instant access to the whole catalog of titles that Hoopla has to offer.

For children, try Tumblebooks, a service that offers animated picture books, read-along chapter books, educational videos and games. The animated books are a great way for children to keep reading and learning during this time. Each title has information about reading level so you can match the titles to your child. To access Tumblebooks, start on our website and follow the link on our front page.

Even though the physical library is closed, we have a variety of great resources to meet your information needs during this time. Need assistance? Contact us through the email on our website or send us a message on Facebook, and a staff member will answer your questions.

Annice Sevett is the assistant director of Albert Lea Public Library.