According to Publisher’s Weekly, 2011 has certainly been the year of the eBook format thus far. EBooks have managed to outsell both hardcover and paperback books and in March had over a 200-percent increase in sales. And what you may not know is that the Black Gold Cooperative Library System, which the Lompoc Library System is a part of, has more than 2,500 free eBooks available to anyone with a library card (http://blackgold.lib.overdrive.com/).
The books available are varied — from brand new bestsellers to classics that never go out of style. You can never be charged late fees on library eBooks and they are compatible with nearly every eReader on the market, with the notable exception of Amazon’s Kindle.
The library also has a collection of more than 2,000 downloadable audiobooks and 95 percent of those are iPod compatible. More books are being added every month in both formats.???
The concept of eBooks is not exactly new, but for a lot of people, there’s a firm belief that there’s really nothing better than a print book. Many people say to me that there’s an associated emotion with holding a physical book that just can’t be beat. But eBooks do have their benefits — they are great for the environment, easily transported, and the experience of holding an eReader quickly proves to be incredibly convenient and comfortable.
A library patron recently told me that receiving an eReader literally changed her life. She absolutely loves reading but her severe arthritis meant that holding a book was extremely painful. But with a lightweight eReader’s ergonomic design, she is now able to read as much as she wants to without pain. By utilizing the library system’s collection of eBooks, she’s able to access an eBook at any time of the day, any day of the week at no cost.
The library has recently made other improvements to keep up with the fast paced technology of the 21st century. The library now has a new mobile friendly catalog that makes using the library catalog with a Smartphone easier than ever. You can also now receive library notifications via text message and the library collection is being updated with new formats like mp3 formatted audiobooks and blu-ray DVDs.
For more information on library services, email
lomref@blackgold.org or call 875-8775.
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