Ferndale Library Encourages Patrons To Keep Reading (Digitally) During Closure
FERNDALE, MI -While the Ferndale Library remains closed until further notice to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 virus, staff are encouraging patrons to keep reading, albeit digitally, by utilizing the library’s array of online services. There are e-books, e-audiobooks, movies, music, and magazines available to Ferndale Library cardholders online, as well as online courses and other educational materials.
Hoopla is a digital media service that allows users to instantly borrow digital movies, music, audiobooks, and eBooks. Patrons can create an account and download the app to get started, but with Hoopla there’s a limit of five borrowed titles per month.
RBdigital provides Ferndale Library cardholders unlimited downloads from a catalog of more than 38,000 audiobooks by bestselling authors like Danielle Steel, Diana Gabaldon, and Iris Johansen. In fact, the RBdigital App provides instant access to two additional formats to search, including a variety of digital magazines like National Geographic and Cooks Illustrated, and digital comic books for all ages, from Disney titles like ‘Frozen’ and ‘Lion King,’ to full volumes of Marvel stories featuring ‘Spider Man’ and ‘The Avengers.’
Libby, by Overdrive, is another app for borrowing digital audiobooks, as well as ebooks. Libby will let you “stream” books, or they can be downloaded for offline use and read anytime, anywhere. There are a great many titles to choose from, but there will be instances where all of the “digital copies” of a popular title are currently checked-out; users can place a hold and enter onto a virtual waitlist and receive a notification once it’s available.
MeL (the Michigan Electronic Library) has TONS of resources for research, enrichment, and learning while parents have the kids home from school. MeL has dozens of databases in its eResources to find everything from standardized and career test prep to auto repair help, as well as a section for Educators with curriculum resources arranged by grade-level. You can also find fake news spotting tools, journal articles on hundreds of subjects, and much much more! So get exploring… you’ve got the time.
Beyond books and databases, Ferndale Library cardholders can also access Mango Languages and select a course on more than 70 languages, with personalized, adaptive learning experiences that help users learn at their own pace. Lynda.com, a LinkedIn Company, has LinkedIn Learning, with training videos for anyone eager to learn business, technology and creative skills to achieve personal and professional goals. For the crafters, there’s CreativeBug by Joann Fabrics & Crafts, providing unlimited access to thousands of online arts & crafts courses.
The Ferndale Library also just wrapped up the first season of its new podcast, “A Little Too Quiet,” which launched in January with an interview featuring Bird Box author Josh Malerman.
Go to www.ferndalepubliclibrary.org to get started using the online resources. Any patron who encounters issues with their library account that might keep them from using these online resources should email staff at: info@ferndalepubliclibrary.org