By Tori Glover, PPL Outreach/Public Service Librarian
Happy Friday, everyone! Once again, Carol Ann is sharing her space with me to share my experiences with the library’s digital services (pplonline.org/digital). Let’s jump right in!
Axis 360 has many eBooks, including a good collection of newer titles. Titles are rotated frequently to keep the selection fresh. I like that it tells you right on the image of the book from the search page whether a book is available to read right then or if you need to put a hold on it to read later.
I think our easiest app to use is Hoopla. This app has just about everything except the kitchen sink! Hoopla has audiobooks, eBooks, graphic novels, movies, music, and more. I use it on my phone for audiobooks, and occasionally check out an eBook or graphic novel to read on my tablet.
Lately I have been using Hoopla to listen to the cozy mystery series Daisy Dalrymple by Carola Dunn. The series starts out in 1923 Britain with Daisy, our heroine, stumbling across one mystery after another to solve. Now, if you’re like me, the narrator of a novel can make or break it, but so far this series doesn’t disappoint.
The library also has a digital app for magazines called Flipster, which has a great selection to peruse. You can browse the current month’s issue, or even flip through back issues of magazines.
There are also links for other great resources like Consumer Reports, The Morning Sun, and Ancestry.com. Please note that Ancestry.com is the library edition, which means you have to be using a computer inside the library to access it. However, you can create an account and save your research to look at outside of the library.
Most of these resources require your Pittsburg Public Library card number and PIN. If you can’t remember these numbers or need help, call, email, or message the library for assistance.
There are even more digital options available through the Kansas State Library, but you will need a Kansas State Library card (that’s different from your PPL card). If you don’t have one, we’ll get you set up.
CloudLibrary is Kansas State Library’s audiobook and eBook app. I’ve used it for both types and find it fairly easy to use — you just need to make sure you pick the correct format (whether eBook or audio) before you download your item. Through the State Library link on our website, there are also many other services available. Click on their Online Databases tab and it will show all of the options, from car repair manuals to Britannica-Academic. You can even learn a new language with the Mango app!
If you are interested in any or all of these digital resources, we’d be glad to help you get started. We want you to enjoy the Pittsburg Public Library to its full extent and all the digital resources that it has to offer.