Your library card is powerful and although it doesn’t look too smart, it can be used with your digital devices – computer, phone or tablet/ipad.
Renew, Reserve or Suggest to Buy:
No overdue fines if you renew on time. Your current list of books borrowed will show which ones can be renewed. Just click and submit and you have them for longer. (If they can’t be renewed at least you know when they’re due if you’ve lost your slip of paper)
Want a book ready for your next visit to the library or heard a review or had a friend’s recommendation? Hop on, find the book and place a hold on it or however your system describes a Reserve. You’ll see how long the queue for it is – or isn’t. Most libraries send an email when the book is ready to collect.
Want a book the library doesn’t have? If this is new many libraries will act on your ‘Suggestion to Buy’ as they know at least one person will borrow it! Older books may be available from elsewhere in New Zealand via Interlibrary Loan – which has a small cost. Ask your library.
E Resources
E Books and E Audio:
Free and easy to download and read or listen to –with the added bonus that you’ll never get an overdue fine as they return themselves! Each public library has a different arrangement. Cities have their own collections while smaller districts work together in groups that give their users a wider choice of titles. Ask what your library has to offer. Apps from different library providers eg Overdrive, Bolinda, Wheelers, each provide a different range of titles and authors eg Bolinda has more Australian and New Zealand authors.
Once you’re set up you’ll find it very simple and available to you from everywhere in the world. No need to be without a book to read while travelling and listening to audio books is a good way to spend time on a journey. Wonderful choices so very good value!
E Newspapers and E Magazines:
Many libraries have some or all of these. Look for services like Press Display bringing you today’s newspaper (and 3 months back) plus 1000s of newspapers worldwide and Zinio for 100s of Magazines.
Local resources are increasingly being digitised so you can access them remotely via your library. Some are simple lists e.g. History of Street Names in an area. Some provide an Index to materials that the library holds so you can search before to see what they have and if it’s worth visiting.
Larger cities have bigger resources – but many are free for everyone, not just that city’s residents, so explore library websites to see the treasures on offer. On great example is Auckland Libraries Heritage Images from its Special Collections.
Another way to access many of these treasures is via Digitalnz.org – but I’ll make that another story…
by Kaye Lally, Age Hacker
Do you have any other tips to get the most out of your library? Share with our other GrownUps members in the comments section below.