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Butler County libraries go digital
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Just in time for summer reading assignments and beach vacations, Cranberry Public Library is hawking to its patrons the digital alternative to the perennial paperback and stalwart hardcover.
Identified as the most-wanted books on the wish lists of library customers, ebooks became available for download from the library's website June 4. Since then, the phone and foot traffic related to digital products has been heavy.
Rachael Troianos, young adult librarian, said 54 Cranberry patrons had "checked out" ebooks in the first 72 hours they were available and numerous others have called or stopped in to inquire.
The new service even seems to be sparking an uptick in library membership. "I worked the library desk for three hours on Wednesday evening and five people had come in during that time to sign up for library cards so they could begin accessing [the new digital system,]" Ms. Troianos said.
Library Director Leslie Pallotta said, "Card holders can check out and download digital media anytime, anywhere" by visiting lamb.lib.overdrive.com.
This service is made possible through the New Castle District Library Center, which comprises libraries in Lawrence, Armstrong, Mercer and Butler counties. All of the libraries in the district will offer the ebook service.
Allegheny County library card holders have had access to ebooks since summer 2010.
Users can browse the library's website, check out with a library card and press the download button. To read the ebooks, users will need to use an Adobe Digital Edition reader. Titles will automatically expire at the end of the lending period, making late fees a thing of the past.
The library's collection of downloadable audio titles will also expand. Users will need to download free software to access the audio titles, Ms. Pallotta said.
Ms. Pallotta said electronic books for eReaders like Kindle and The Nook had been the subject of patrons' inquiries for months.
Summer library hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday; and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. The library is closed on Sunday during the summer.
First Published June 28, 2012 5:48 am
