Library users will soon be able to borrow ebooks and audio-books using their membership number and an app.
The Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport officially launched the service on Tuesday August 17 through its Western Cape Library Service.
“The demand for online reading has steadily increased over the course of the last few years and is now part of the offering at Western Cape public libraries where library patrons can use the Overdrive system to borrow books from the comfort of their homes or virtually any place with the new Libby App. The app can be downloaded to cell phones and other mobile devices,” said cultural affairs and sport MEC Anroux Marais.
“Overdrive is a global reading platform and distributor of digital content for libraries and schools and comprises a large catalogue of ebooks and audiobooks that can be accessed any time and anywhere to read and listen to.
“This website contains genres of fiction, non-fiction, suspense, thrillers, romance, mysteries and literature. By clicking on a book title of your choice a synopsis of the book appears that patrons can read. A search function allows the browser to search for a specific title of a book or any other library material. Ebooks will be available in English, Afrikaans and isiXhosa,” Ms Marais sad.
“With the ebook offering, we can now reach a wider audience, especially those who are unable to physically travel to their local library to borrow books. Through this new initiative, we hope to grow our culture of reading, as many more community members will now be able to have free access to online reading material, as long as they are a registered library user.
“Books are a gateway to improving education and critical thinking skills, as well as offering us the chance to go on many virtual adventures through the stories that we read.”
Gamers gather at Playtopia