What do to when your library isn’t open
When COVID-19 first hit, our local library still did amazing things. You could order books online or over the phone, they’d put them in brown paper bags with your name on them, and leave them in front of the library for you to pick up.
Yeah, that lasted about a week. Then we as a country started realizing what was going on out there and all pickups ground to a halt (we still can’t return books, either, which makes my book-take-back OCD get a little itchy).
And yes, those of us who love our libraries fiercely aren’t as keen on reading electronically. I get it. But the chances are pretty good you have some kind of device at home—be it computer or tablet or phone—which will feed you library materials in an alternate format until we’re allowed to touch real books again. (And if you’re an audiobook fan? You’ll hardly miss a beat.)
Here are a few sources where you can get all types of media, any time of day; most will require a library card (but many libraries are still issuing those online, with some stipulations, such as residency).
Libby
Library-specific Libby uses an app to offer its millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and videos, but you can also use it on your computer. Some of us prefer this to squinting at the phone…just saying.
Hoopla
What’s special about Hoopla that the other devices might not offer? Why, you can stream movies via certain television apps! Cool. You can also download for later consumption, and Hoopla automatically returns items when they’re due. Not getting an overdue fee when we can barely figure out what month it is, let alone day? Yes, please.
Bookshare
Bookshare is designed for readers with special needs. Their website states, “People with dyslexia, blindness, cerebral palsy, and other reading barriers can customize their experience to suit their learning style and find virtually any book they need for school, work, or the joy of reading.”
Unlike the others on this list, Bookshare isn’t free for everyone. It’s free for U.S.-based students and schools, while non-students have to pay a $50 annual fee. You also have to supply proof from an expert that you have a disability that hinders you from reading traditional print materials; as we’re in unprecedented times, contacting Bookshare to see what kind of proof is currently acceptable might be your best bet.
OverDrive (Ratuken)
One of the first things you might notice when you’re on the OverDrive site is that it features Libby as a lender. But isn’t Libby its own entity? Well, yes. But OverDrive also has an app called Sora (Kingdom Hearts fans, rejoice!) which is designed for students and teachers.
OverDrive also offers a “classic interface” (I guess that makes them look more like real books?) and more choices in lighting, so there’s that.
Flipster (Magazines)
If you’re missing the latest issue of The Writer or find that the latest National Geographic is checked out when you’re at the actual library, Flipster will be your new best friend.
It’s not perfect, though. For instance, I went looking for AFAR—my favorite travel magazine—and didn’t find it. However, I did come across Alberta Gardener in the “Travel and Regional” section. Turn that frown upside down, reader, because this will give you a change to browse a whole new collection of magazines you never knew existed, and this helps you find different places to pitch those freelance gems you’ve been polishing/hoarding.
Of course, there are other options out there for entertainment, but the tons of titles you can find with these alone should tide you over until…whenever. Hey, maybe you’ll never want to go back to the brick and mortar version again! (That’s a joke. Please visit your library when it opens again. You are missed.)
