The 100 Mile House Branch Library now offers its patrons e-books and audio books, which are available online for adults and children, thanks to its participation in the British Columbia's “Library to Go” program.
There is no need to leave the comfort of your home – and no more late fees – to download up to five, free digital-format books that can be read on your computer, e-reader (e-book device) or mobile device for up to 21 days.
The e-books and audio books are easily accessible on the B.C. Libraries website by selecting the book people want to download and entering their library card numbers. Folks can search by the title, author or other criteria to find your most desired books quickly.
Cariboo Regional District Library (CRDL) Committee chair Heloise Dixon-Warren says those who wish to read an e-book on their laptop, desktop computer or mobile device will need the free software from the same website, which is easy to download and to use.
She adds people using an e-reader should be able to open the e-books directly.
The total number of copies for each book on the website is shown, and Dixon-Warren notes that if all of them are already “checked out,” those getting on the wait list will have an e-mail sent automatically to let them know when it becomes available.
Then 21 days after the check-out, each individual e-book will expire, and she notes this cannot be extended due to the process having limited, licensed quantities and wait lists.
In another free program that does not require a library card or special software, TumbleTime animated, talking picture e-books for children can be read and listened to directly online on a separate, dedicated library website.
The books in the TumbleBooks Library collection are existing titles with added animation, sound, music and narration, she explains.
These include storybooks, fairy tales, non-fiction and educational books to promote learning.
Children can follow along online in a TumbleTime book, while the audio reads it aloud, in order to improve reading skills, or even English as a second language.
Visit the CRDL website at www.cln.bc.ca and click Overdrive icon to redirect to the B.C. Libraries site for downloading e-books and audio-books, or to get on a wait list. For reading software, see the links in the column to the left side of the webpage.
Click the TumbleBooks icon on the CRDL website to access the animated, online children's books.