By Tak Sato
Our son is a library kid. From the time he started walking, my wife took him to storytime programs at area libraries. On her rotation were several nearby Cuyahoga County Public Library branches and independent public libraries such as Westlake Porter, Rocky River and Lakewood.
Through frozen tundra and scorching summer temperatures, they made their pilgrimage to borrow books, DVDs, CDs and more as he grew. Cleveland-area libraries were a hidden gem to us first-time parents.
Libraries always are evolving and often are at the forefront of embracing the digital world. Many offered e-books (electronic books) a decade before portable e-readers like Kindle became popular.
Service with a Card
Although paid streaming services like Netflix, Spotify and others are in our lexicon, have you heard of free services available at public libraries with just a library card? Some allow you to instantly download the latest issues of your favorite magazine to read on your computer, tablet or smartphone, all for free. Back issues also are available through these free library apps.
Other library apps provide free audio and electronic books downloaded directly to your computer, tablet or smartphone. You can search and download without leaving your home.
If you haven’t tried one of these free library services, you’re missing out on a hidden gem for the 21st century.
If you are pressed for time to actually set foot into your library, visit its website for starters. It is hard to miss the banner on the CCPL homepage aptly proclaiming “The digital collection. Free with your library card.”
Need more motivation? Another hidden gem at CCPL website, at least for me, is their “Resources” page listed under “Research,” where they have a comprehensive listing of digital world resources. As a CCPL patron, you can get unlimited access to free digital versions of The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.
Cleveland-area libraries have always collaborated in the real world. Now they’re collaborating in the digital world by participating in consortiums such as “CLEVNET” or “The Ohio Digital Library” to share digital collections. By offering these gems, local libraries sure shine like diamonds.
Hoopla is one of those services that all the libraries I’ve listed offer. It is the Swiss Army knife of streaming services offering movies, music, comics and more to library patrons.
While Hoopla offers a variety of streaming media types, Kanopy specializes in fine movie collections like notable documentaries, indie films and classics.
If you love magazines but not the annual subscription costs, you can tap the vast collection of magazines at CCPL or Cleveland Public Library using the Flipster app.
Overdrive services are present in many, if not all, of the libraries listed here. Offering e-books, audiobooks, movies and more, Overdrive is one of the stalwarts of digital library services.
If streaming or downloading music is what you are after, Freegal is another option.
The above apps are for smartphones and tablets. If you prefer to use a computer, go to the library website using your favorite browser (EDGE, Chrome, Firefox, etc.) to start enjoying the benefits.
Tak Sato is founder of the Cleveland-area nonprofit Center for Aging in the Digital World (empowerseniors.org). He lives happily in both the digital and real worlds with his wife and their son.
