Shrewsbury – The Shrewsbury Public Library has been chosen to participate in the MA eBook Pilot Project.?Along with 50 other libraries, Shrewsbury will be hosting a variety of different digital content for its patrons before anyone else in the state.?This content includes e-books, images, audio files, and videos provided on two separate platforms, BiblioBoard Library and Axis 360.
BiblioBoard Library, created by BiblioLabs, is a web-based multimedia authoring and presentation tool that allows users to view and curate collections of online public domain books, images, historical documents, sounds, and videos related to specific themes arranged in anthologies, making it an ideal resource for researchers and students working on projects.
Axis 360, created by Baker & Taylor, provides users with access to a variety of bestselling fiction and nonfiction e-book titles for all age groups.?With a library card, these resources may be accessed using a variety of different devices, including computers, tablets, e-readers, and smart phones.
Recently, demand for digital content at libraries has skyrocketed.
“It's amazing to see that in the past couple years, the reference desk has also doubled up as a tech-help desk. More and more library users have Kindles, Nooks, iPads or other devices and want to learn how to download free e-content,” said Reference Librarian Priya Rathnam.?”It's important for the library to have e-books available in various formats that patrons can access easily.”
This project is brought to the public thanks to a partnership between the Massachusetts Library System, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, and the Shrewsbury Public Library. It is funded, in part, by the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services.
“We are very excited to be participating in the state project, as we know that library patrons want easier access to e-books, and they want to find a wider selection from which to choose,” Director Ellen Dolan said. “Librarians want to be sure that all people have access to information and books, no matter what format. Although this test project won's resolve all the challenges to be found in digital rights management and ownership questions with library e-books, it will help us create a better model for acquiring and offering e-books to our users. I's very excited we are launching this program here in Shrewsbury, and encourage our users to give the new service a try.”
More information may be found on the library's website at http://www.shrewsbury-ma.gov/department/division.php?fDD=17-413, and library staff members are available to answer any questions patrons may have.?To speak to a librarian about these new resources, visit the library or call 508-841-8533.
