Kingsport Public Library continues push into electronic frontier
KINGSPORT – Free audiobooks and eBooks are now available for download on iPhones and other devices through the Kingsport Public Library. Just look for the DOWNLOADS label on the lower right hand side of the library webpage at www.kingsportlibrary.org.
For the book lover on the run, the librarys website has more than 6,000 audio books and 5,000 eBooks that are available as free downloads. Simply click on the blue downloads button on the lower right of the webpage.
Even major titles such as Dan Browns The Lost Symbol are available through the service, with audio books and eBooks downloadable on MP3 players, any Windows Mobile 5 or 6 device, iPods, iPhones, Zune and Sony Reader. Mac users can also download, burn and transfer audio books to iPods and iPhones. The only requirement is to be a Kingsport Public Library cardholder in good standing.
This is part of our continuing push to expand our services through technology, Library Manager Helen Whittaker said Tuesday. We are seeing a continuing boom in circulation, programs and electronic subscribers as we expand our services.
If you prefer parchment beneath your fingertips, but enjoy the convenience of browsing an online card catalog of book holdings, the library website allows you to peruse titles online and in a wireless, text-only version that works with many Personal Digital Assistants (PDA) and iPhones. Simply go to kingsportlibrary.org and select wireless catalog to search more than 2 million items.
Once you find a title you like to reserve, a simple click sends the title and call number to your phone with the txt2 phone button on the bottom of the page. While there is no charge from the library, costs vary according to your individual cell phone plan for texting.
Other new features enable users of the READS download service to easily post on Facebook and Twitter the individual readers opinion on particular titles, while the library is also beta testing downloadable applications for the TUMBLEBOOKS online resource geared to teens and children.
Finally, if you are in need of a little one-on-one instruction on the basics of technology, the library is offering Ask the Tech Lady sessions in the Palmer Room on the Fourth Floor of the Kingsport Public Library.
The service is provided by Janelle Galbreath, Technical Reference Librarian. Janelle can assist in many questions, including how to download digital pictures, emailing, Word, PowerPoint, Excel, how to set up a Facebook Account, laptop usage, mouse and keyboarding, and more.
Sessions will be offered on a first come, first serve basis on Tuesdays, December 8 and December 15, from 5:30 -7:45 p.m.
Our goal, and I think we are well on the way, is to provide a complete community resource, Whittaker said. We currently cover everything from leisure, entertainment and education, to reading skill development, resume preparation assistance, career guidance, and job location services as well as college preparation and selection, and a special collection designed to aid small businesses.
