High-tech bookmobile tour to stop at library
Booklovers of all ages who want to learn more about how to use a smartphone, tablet or other mobile device to read or to listen to their favorite books will have an opportunity to do so when the Digital Bookmobile’sNational Tour rolls into Sewickley on Monday.
The Digital Bookmobile is making a coast-to-coast trip to promote the use of digital books. The hightech, 42-foot-long vehicle will be in the parking lot of St. Stephen’s Church, across from Sewickley Public Library, from 1 to 7 p.m. Monday.
Outfitted with internetconnected computers, touchscreen monitors, quality sound systems, a free WiFi connection and an assortment of portable media players, the bookmobile will allow visitors to explore the entire collection of eBooks, audiobooks and video available from all of Allegheny County’s libraries.
The bookmobile will be open to anyone, with or without a library card. But those who have a library card can access eBooks and audiobooks anytime, anywhere.
“The demand for eBooks continues to increase — and they are a good complement to our print collections,” said Carolyn Toth, director of the SewickleyPublic Library.
“New people are learning about digital books every day.
“The bookmobile will be a great hands-on opportunity to learn how to borrow digital titles,” she said.
The mobile exhibit will offer interactive learning stations, providing video tutorials to help guide readers through the borrowing process. There will also be a gadget gallery showcasing a variety of devices that can be used to access digital content, such as iPads, Kindles, Chromebooks and Androidpowered tablets and phones. The bookmobile’s technical experts as well as librarians from Sewickley Public Library will be on hand to provide support and answer questions.
Help is always available for anyone who wants to borrow digital content. “Anyone can always stop at their library to get expert assistance from their local librarians,” Ms. Toth said. “The process of borrowing digital content has become simpler over time.”
Since its inception in 2008, the Digital Bookmobile has visited 48 states and two Canadian provinces and has hosted 800 events. This year’s tour continues through the fall.
The Digital Bookmobile uses OverDrive, a service that offers free access to digital content for libraries and schools. The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, the Allegheny County Library Association and the Regional Asset District have joined together to provide the OverDrive service to their patrons for the past several years.
Library cardholders can borrow up to 20 items at a time, and returning the digital books is easy, Ms. Toth said. After a three-week period, digital titles are automatically returned. “No late fees!”