How To Use the Public Library During COVID-19

The Cherry Hill Public Library has announced its closure through Sunday, March 29. While they are waiving any fees accrued by books due during the closure (and request that books not be returned in the book drop during this time), it is no longer possible to check out physical books from the library. Fortunately, the library has many ways to access content digitally, which should help keep everyone occupied during social distancing!


Audiobooks and Ebooks

Hoopla
What: Hoopla is home to movies, music, ebooks and audiobooks. There are a maximum of four borrows per month. There are no holds necessary: it allows you to borrow and access your content instantly.

Where: Available on Google Play, the App Store and web browsers.

Libby
What: Home to both ebooks and audiobooks, it is possible to have eight books out at a time and ten books on hold. However, if a book is popular, it will need to be put on hold and is not available instantly. Books can be held for either 7 or 14 day checkout periods, and renewals are allowed as long as somebody else doesn’t have the book on hold.

Where: Available on Google Play and the App Store. Is not available through web browsers.

OverDrive
What: OverDrive is the largest provider of ebooks and audiobooks to public libraries in the U.S. and Canada. While Libby is the revamped and easier-to-use version of this app, OverDrive has the same catalogue as Libby and is available on web browsers.

Where: Available on Google Play, the App Store and web browsers.


Newspapers and Magazines

RBDigital
What: Offers digital magazines such as Vogue, National Geographic, Rolling Stone, Esquire and more. After creating an account with your library card, as many titles can be checked out as necessary and titles can be kept for as long as you want. Additionally, you can opt-in to emails notifying you of new issues.

Where: Available on Google Play, the App Store and web browsers.

The New York Times
What: The newspaper, based in New York City, boasts 127 Pulitzer Prizes over its almost 170 year run. The library offers both unlimited on-site access and renewable remote access with a three day access code.

Where: Go to the Cherry Hill Public Library’s website, click on the “Using the Library” dropdown menu, select “Research Databases,” scroll down to the heading “Newspapers” and choose the New York Times option you want.

The Courier Post
What: The daily South Jersey newspaper is available in both text-only and full-image digital microfilm through the library’s website. (The full image issues are delayed by three months, due the time it takes to digitize the issues.)

Where: Where: Go to the Cherry Hill Public Library’s website, click on the “Using the Library” dropdown menu, select “Research Databases,” scroll down to the heading “Newspapers” and choose the Courier Post option you want.


Other Databases
What: The library has dozens of other resources that have been omitted from this selection. Feel free to explore them on the library’s website!

Where: Go to the Cherry Hill Public Library’s website, click on the “Using the Library” dropdown menu and select “Research Databases.”


Story Time on YouTube
What: In the past week, two read alongs have been posted on the library-run YouTube account, Childrens Librarian. Meant for little kids, these episodes replace some of the children’s programming that has been cancelled due to COVID-19.

Where: Search the channel “Childrens Librarian” on YouTube or the title of one of their videos — the most recent are “CHPL Story Time with Miss Alia 3/17/20” and “Rhyme Time with Miss Candace (March 12, 2020)”