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Access to the digital world increasing at Airdrie Public Library

If anything, the pandemic has shown society how important access to digital resources are.

If anything, the pandemic has shown society how important access to digital resources are.

Here at Airdrie Public Library (APL), we have been struck by the generosity of the many publishing companies and non-profit societies that have made their material and collections freely accessible to anyone with access to the Internet.

For much of 2020, APL promoted free access to e-resources from publishers such as DK Publishers, TOR, and Simon and Schuster, in addition to virtual tours from such places as the Royal Ontario Museum, the Louvre Museum, and the Calgary Zoo.

These online resources help satisfy our human need for adventure and exploration as we continue following provincial stay-at-home directives.

Of course, publishers and non-profits cannot survive financially if they continue to offer their resources for free, which is where your public library comes in.

We offer a wide variety of digital resources for readers and learners including Ancestry, Auto Repair, Hoopla, Lynda.com, and RB Digital, to name just a few.

Speaking of RB Digital – which provides access to 3,700 digital magazines and 6,000 eAudiobooks – the invaluable resource has been purchased by the makers of the amazing OverDrive/Libby online resource, which is available to APL patrons with their free library card.

All of RB Digital’s content, including magazines and comics, have been consolidated into the Libby by OverDrive app and website. This gives APL patrons access to all these resources in one place. To access them, simply download the Libby app to your device, log in using your library card and start borrowing up to 10 titles at a time.

Choose your loan period of one week, two weeks, or three weeks, with the option to return early if you'd like.

The young readers in your life also have access to the Kids Reading Room, a collection of materials just for kids and teens.

So, even though APL can’t provide free virtual tours of the Louvre, we can open the world of literacy and learning to those longing for a bit of adventure.

To learn more about APL’s eResources, visit airdriepubliclibrary.ca

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