Speaking Volumes | Enjoy Manatee libraries’ online resources from home
Stuck at home? You can access a dizzying array of eBooks, audiobooks, movies, TV shows, learning resources, and more through Manatee Libraries’ online resources, free with your library card number and PIN number. Don’t have a library card? Get a temporary library card for full access to eBooks, audiobooks, and much more! Visit bit.ly/manateelibrarycard to register.
One of our most popular digital resources is OverDrive, an online eBook and audiobook library that offers thousands of titles, from New York Times bestsellers to children’s books. You can access it on computers or Kindles via the website, or download the Libby app for smartphones and tablets. Once there, after logging in with your library card number and PIN, you can browse through eBooks and audiobooks in various categories, or search for a specific title. You may check out up to five items at a time in OverDrive.
Another great option is Hoopla, an app and lending service which includes a collection of movies, music, audiobooks, eBooks, comics, and TV shows, that’s curated separately from the OverDrive collection. Hoopla can be enjoyed on your computer, tablet, or phone – and even your TV! With no waiting, titles can be streamed immediately, or downloaded to phones or tablets for offline enjoyment later. Hoopla has hundreds of thousands of titles to choose from, with more being added daily. You may check out up to five items a month in Hoopla.
Looking for magazines? Flipster is an easy-to-use digital magazine app that
provides access to best-selling magazines on your mobile device or computer, including TIME, Good Housekeeping, People, Prevention, and 25 more subscriptions. If you prefer audiobooks, check out RBDigital, which has hundreds of exclusive audiobook titles―all in one powerful app.
Have you been wanting to learn a new skill? Now is a great time! Manatee Libraries offers software tutorials, language learning, test prep, and more. Learn a new language using Mango, the award-winning language learning resource. Access Lynda.com, a leading online learning company that helps anyone learn business, technology, and creative skills to achieve personal and professional goals and has a video library of more than 6,300, engaging, top-quality courses and more than 267,000 video tutorials taught by recognized industry experts. You can also research genealogy, search databases, read the New York Times, and more.
For more fun and educational activities outside of the library, go to the library’s website at mymanatee.org/library and click on “Enjoy from home!”. This page is updated daily with things like virtual museum tours, free online music concerts, and kids’ virtual storytimes.
Find these resources and user guides on our website, mymanatee.org/library. If you have problems getting set up, need to renew, or have other questions, get in touch with library staff via the contact information below:
Contact us by email at library@mymanatee.org or text us at 941-234-0394, or visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/manateelibraries
Speaking Volumes is written by members of the staff at Manatee County Public Library System. Liz Gray is the Central Library’s information services librarian.