Ticket to digital cornucopia

ALERT: This is a MidLaw public service announcement for holders of library cards in North Carolina.

Ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, and music are online. They are free. From the public library. The technology is superb. You can use it from your device, wherever you are, whenever you like.

There’s an app. It’s easy and intuitive even for “traditional” library patrons. You never need to go downtown. Your choice.

The collection is huge. Its contents are what you find in a public library, mostly popular titles.

You must have a device or devices. You must download something. It’s called Libby. Everything is synchronized across all your devices.

Here’s what you do:

• You need a library card, or at least the number.
• You make your way online to your library’s website (media section), or go directly to North Carolina Digital Library. (This is for your information. You don’t need to do anything at this site, but it will give you the following link.)
• Then you go to the Libby App page. That page has complete information. Scroll all the way down. It will link you to the normal places for downloading apps.
• Go download the Libby app.

After you are set up, it’s just like the library, except you can do it at home, or at the beach – or in the Bahamas. You search the collection. You check out books or other items. You may need to place a hold. You must renew after 15 days.

You can read items on Kindle, or you can read on the Libby app. You can listen to audiobooks on Libby, which is a high-quality audio program that works in all the usual places: on your phone, in the car, etc.

Here’s a big deal: you must “return” the items, but don’t worry about being late. When your time runs out, if you haven’t returned or renewed, the item goes back automatically. No special trip to the nearest branch. The time and productivity dividends from this feature alone must be astronomical.

I think it’s amazing. You can come across a reference that interests you; go to the Library right then, from the same chair; and download it right then. No charge.

Shades of Benjamin Franklin.

Forbes says, “Libby is one of the best resources out there in the e-reader world.”

All that’s left is to figure out how to download the beer.

Is MidLaw late bringing this news to you? You already knew? Good for you. Shingles doesn’t care.