12 Days of Give Library
December 14, 2022
A library card is a great gift for anyone who loves to read books, watch movies, listen to music, learn languages, play games and so much more! It not only offers access to millions of items in our 39 libraries, but it also opens a world of online products and services!
Pick up one of our Give Library card packages at your local branch to give friends or family or sign up for your own library card.
12 reasons to get (and give) a library card this season:
1.We’re fine free! We are removing barriers by permanently going fine free for adult material (we already scrapped overdue fines for Young Adult and Children’s material),
2. You can borrow literacy kits for kids. The kits are a fun mix of resources, like books, CDs, DVDs and toys, vetted by librarians and ready for families to explore. There are lots of great topics and we just added a new one on Haida Gwaii.
3.You can borrow eBooks on your device or tablet using the free Libby App. Did you know you can also add library eBooks to your Kobo eReader as well? Click here to learn how.
4.Access Kanopy, our free video streaming service. Kanopy already features 26,000 movies, documentaries, indie and foreign films and in the New Year, we’ll be adding BBC. Great news for all of you who love British TV. We are also adding more than 1000 unlimited-use titles that you can watch anytime without using play credits.
Bonus tip: You can stream Kanopy on your Smart TV. Sign up through the library first and then follow these instructions.
5. You can get PressReader. Avoid paywalls and subscription costs for newspapers and magazines from around the globe, including English language publications like the Walrus, Canadian Living, Readers Digest, The Hockey News, The Times Colonist, National Post and Vancouver Sun. Get PressReader on your web browser or iOS and Android apps.
6. Get the Give Library holiday playlist on Freegal Music! Freegal is free (and ad-free) with your library card and gives you access to 15 million songs, as well as music videos and audiobooks. You can download five songs weekly (and keep them forever) adn stream up to three hours a day. Find it on your browser or iOS and Android Apps.
7. Did you know you can digitize your VHS home videos for free at the library? It’s a great way to help preserve special moments. You can access the conversion equipment by visiting the Creativity Commons at the Nanaimo Harbourfront branch (90 Commercial Street) or you can send your VHS and USB to the Creativity Commons from your local branch so they can convert your video for you. Learn more here.
8. On January 1, we are switching to ProQuest Central. You’ll be able to access more full-text articles and more journals than ever before and read electronic publications like the New York Times, Washington Post, and The Atlantic. Watch our website for changes!
Please note, as a result of the change, we will no longer have Academic Search, MasterFile, Consumer Health, Explora for Kids and Business Source after Dec. 31.
9. Looking for your next great read? Try browsing NoveList, our eresource for book recommendations. It’s a great place to find ideas, especially if the library is closed and you can’t ask one of our staff members.
10. Borrow a book club set! Each tote has up to 12 copies of a title and a discussion guide. Learn more and browse totes here.
11. Did you know you can find out how much you’re saving at the library by looking at your library receipt? It’s true! Take a look the next time you check out books.
12. Our book binding machine is a great way to make custom journals and notebooks, memoirs and more! Try book printing at the library.
