Imagine legally reading books, watching movies, listening to music –  all for free. Many public libraries now make this possible. Collections vary in size, but we are fortunate to be living in a area with easy access to three of the largest and best public library systems in the country:

• The New York Public Library

• The Brooklyn Public Library

• The Queens Library

You need a card, but getting one is easy. Anyone who lives, works, pays property taxes, or is a student in New York State is elegible for a card from any of these institutions, and better yet, you can apply online. The card not only allows you to borrow books, it also allows you  access to the libraries’ electronic resources. You may be familiar with some of these resources, books, magazines, journals and newspapers that you can search or read online.

However,  these three libraries also allow you to download for set time periods (to borrow electronically) books and multimedia that can be viewed on a computer or handheld device. You can download not only the text of books, you can download movies and music as well. Most libraries use software called Overdrive Media Console that satisfies copyright requirements by limiting the amount of time that a user can view a resource. The software must first be installed on your computer and will then facilitate transferral to a handheld device.

So get yourself a public library card and enjoy a wealth of digital resources for both education and entertainment!