After a slight mix up in the seasons – we think that winter took some time off to attend a conference somewhere in the tropics and left spring in charge – the temperature is dropping and the slush is re-solidifying into barely navigable sheets of ice. It’s just a little crazy out there.
But we have a solution!
Well, not a solution to the weather; a solution to the problem of having to go out in it. It’s called Library to Go and it lets you stay at home and check out great books whenever you want.
Library to Go is a provincially shared collection of downloadable audio and e-books. There are thousands of titles to choose from and both fiction and non-fiction are available. It’s free, it’s easy and it’s a great way to put that e-Reader you got for Christmas to good use!
All you need is a current membership at HPL to access Library to Go from your home computer. Members in good standing need only go to the HPL website at http://houston.bclibrary.ca and scroll down the home page until the Library to Go logo appears. Click on that and you will be instantly transported to a world of digital literature.
The books in Library to Go can be checked out, just like a book from the library. Once the lending period has expired, the book will too! This is because in many cases there is a single license for a title and so only one person can have it out at a time. There are, however, many “always available” titles with unlimited download capacity.
You will need to install free software on your computer in order to download the books. The links to these downloads are on the left hand side of the Library to Go home page near the bottom. They only take a minute to download and install and, once that’s done, you can check out up to five titles at a time and keep them for up to three weeks. You can also transfer them to compatible devices such as iPods, iPads, MP3 players and Kobo or Sony e-readers. A link to a list of compatible devices is available on the Library to Go home page and each title record shows icons that let you know at a glance what devices will work with it. Full tutorials, also on the home page, will guide you through the process from start to finish.
As digital editions become more and more common, some people fear that print books are going to disappear. Controversy on the pros and cons of digital publishing and what it means for the future of print books has raised debates all across library land. From managing collections to patron education to how libraries, themselves, are going to look, librarians range from excited to dubious to downright concerned about their own futures over it. What will happen is anybody’s guess, but libraries are certain to face some interesting challenges and changes in the coming years.
And not to be left out, HPL will be offering patrons the chance to experience digital books in the coming weeks. We have ordered two Kobo e-readers that will be available to patrons to borrow. Each Kobo comes with 100 classic titles and has the capacity to hold up to 900 more. Patrons will be allowed to download e-books of their own choosing. Upon return of the e-reader any patron-downloaded titles will be deleted. If a patron chooses to purchase a title and download it to the Kobo, they will do so with the understanding that it will be deleted when the e-reader is returned to the library. The Kobos will be lent out for 14 days – plenty of time to play and read!
So stay safe this winter; check out Library to Go and experience digital editions today.
But we have a solution!
Well, not a solution to the weather; a solution to the problem of having to go out in it. It’s called Library to Go and it lets you stay at home and check out great books whenever you want.
Library to Go is a provincially shared collection of downloadable audio and e-books. There are thousands of titles to choose from and both fiction and non-fiction are available. It’s free, it’s easy and it’s a great way to put that e-Reader you got for Christmas to good use!
All you need is a current membership at HPL to access Library to Go from your home computer. Members in good standing need only go to the HPL website at http://houston.bclibrary.ca and scroll down the home page until the Library to Go logo appears. Click on that and you will be instantly transported to a world of digital literature.
The books in Library to Go can be checked out, just like a book from the library. Once the lending period has expired, the book will too! This is because in many cases there is a single license for a title and so only one person can have it out at a time. There are, however, many “always available” titles with unlimited download capacity.
You will need to install free software on your computer in order to download the books. The links to these downloads are on the left hand side of the Library to Go home page near the bottom. They only take a minute to download and install and, once that’s done, you can check out up to five titles at a time and keep them for up to three weeks. You can also transfer them to compatible devices such as iPods, iPads, MP3 players and Kobo or Sony e-readers. A link to a list of compatible devices is available on the Library to Go home page and each title record shows icons that let you know at a glance what devices will work with it. Full tutorials, also on the home page, will guide you through the process from start to finish.
As digital editions become more and more common, some people fear that print books are going to disappear. Controversy on the pros and cons of digital publishing and what it means for the future of print books has raised debates all across library land. From managing collections to patron education to how libraries, themselves, are going to look, librarians range from excited to dubious to downright concerned about their own futures over it. What will happen is anybody’s guess, but libraries are certain to face some interesting challenges and changes in the coming years.
And not to be left out, HPL will be offering patrons the chance to experience digital books in the coming weeks. We have ordered two Kobo e-readers that will be available to patrons to borrow. Each Kobo comes with 100 classic titles and has the capacity to hold up to 900 more. Patrons will be allowed to download e-books of their own choosing. Upon return of the e-reader any patron-downloaded titles will be deleted. If a patron chooses to purchase a title and download it to the Kobo, they will do so with the understanding that it will be deleted when the e-reader is returned to the library. The Kobos will be lent out for 14 days – plenty of time to play and read!
So stay safe this winter; check out Library to Go and experience digital editions today.
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