Glenn County libraries expand access with launch of new app
Jan. 4—Andrew Carnegie famously called libraries "Palaces for the People," and the Orland and Willows libraries have introduced a new service to bring that same insight to the experience of reading ebooks — the Palace Project: A New eReading App Simplifying eBook and Audiobook Lending for Patrons.
"The new service consolidates all of the library's ebook and audiobook collections into one app, saving the patron from searching multiple vendors, and making the entire borrowing experience easier," read a release issued by Library Director Jody Halsey Meza.
According to the release, the Orland and Willows libraries and the Bayliss, Hamilton City and Elk Creek branches are introducing The Palace Project app, which brings together all of the library's ebook and audiobook collections into one service and allows users to search and browse, check out items, and read or listen to the library's collection in just a few taps.
"We are thrilled to be offering the Palace app, which is going to make ebook and audiobook borrowing so much easier for patrons," said Meza. "Especially during times when the library buildings are closed, these online resources are more important than ever, and it's important that patrons are able to access them as easily as possible."
Meza said the Palace app will be especially useful to those who may not have tried ebooks at the library before because it is designed to make the entire process of borrowing an ebook much simpler.
"Once patrons download the Palace app to their iOS or Android device, a quick search brings up their libraries and they simply enter their library card barcode number and PIN," said Meza. "They are immediately able to browse all the titles of ebooks or audiobooks from the library's collection, check out titles, and begin reading or listening in fewer than five taps on their screens."
The Palace app is available now to all Glenn County library card holders and allows access to ebook and audiobook collections from all of the library's current content vendors in addition to approximately 70,000 additional titles that will be added to the collection on the Palace Bookshelf, curated by the Digital Public Library of America.
According to the release, Palace was created by a group of library leaders around the country who wanted to create an ebook experience that was focused on patron privacy, and equitable distribution of electronic content to public libraries and patrons.
"The Palace team received the support of a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation to make the app a reality," read the release.
Information about how to download and use the Palace app can be found on the Orland Free Library and the Willows Public Library websites.
"We can't wait to hear what you think about it, and to see where the library Palace will take you," said Meza.
For more information, call the Orland Free Library at 530-865-1640 or the Willows Public Library at 530-934-5156.
