Digital Resources

Find all the cardholder resources available to you in one place at Listen, Read & Watch – Westchester Library System (westchesterlibraries.org)

As an Irvington NY Library cardholder, you also have access to Consumer Reports Online. Log in with your library card number.

 

Newsletter Spotlights on Cardholder Resources!

 

HOOPLA: 6/29/23

Catch What All the Hoopla’s About!

Ever wondered the difference between Libby and Hoopla? Both of these are incredible apps and websites that you can access with your library card, but there are a few main differences:

– Everything you see in Hoopla is available now – there are no holds or waiting lists, ever. You have 10 credits to use per month. Of course, Hoopla doesn’t own everything you might want, but with hundreds of thousands of items across multiple formats, it’s worth a search! We would also add that between Libby and Hoopla, Libby is more likely to have the latest releases.  (But Hoopla has plenty of recent titles too).

– Hoopla has e-books and audiobooks, but it also has movies, TV shows (including AcornTV favorites!), streaming music, a robust collection of comics, and “BingePasses” for services like Hellosaurus, Curiosity Stream, and Hallmark Movies Now.

– The negative? Hoopla does not offer its e-books for Kindle. If you read on your Kindle, your best bet is Libby.

Click here to explore Hoopla!

 

 

LIBBY: 1/26/23

Libby:
Your 24/7 Digital Library App

If you like Audible for audiobooks, have a Kindle, or just want to read more this year on the go, you have to check out LibbyLibby is available on your favorite mobile devices (cell phones, tablets) and your computer, and it’s completely free at all times — your borrowed items actually self-return on the due date and there are no fines ever. Items are available for adults, teens, and kids, and it’s open 24/7! All you need is your library card.

Here’s a page about how to get started with Libby, which includes links for Apple and Android mobile devices. Once you have the app and borrow an item, you’ll have an option to send it to your Kindle e-reader if you so desire, or you can read/listen right on your device. If you want to browse and read on your computer instead, you can go to www.westchester.overdrive.com

If all copies of what you want are checked out, you’ll have an option to place a hold and get a notification as soon as it’s ready for you. On February 8, our Libby collection will also grow even larger with an additional collection of 200 always-available titles for adults for your instant reading fix.

Another tip: you can customize the font size of your borrowed books in Libby to turn any e-book into as large a print as you need. You can also customize the playback speed of your audiobook, so no more too-slow or too-fast narrators here!

Already use the “Overdrive” app? Please note that it is being discontinued in April and will be replaced by Libby Make sure you download Libby ASAP to continue your access to this amazing service!

 

KANOPY: 1/12/23

Kanopy and Chill:
Free Streaming Movies
with Your Library Card

Many of those who took our survey said they didn’t know about Kanopy, so we’re here to share the good news. If you like seeing your movies at theaters like Jacob Burns, if you’re bored with what’s on Netflix right now and just can’t justify paying for another streaming service, or even if you just want to try something new, you’ll love Kanopy. Kanopy gives you access to thousands of streaming movies and TV shows, and it’s all FREE with your library card!

So what does Kanopy have? Kanopy is a curated streaming service known for its quality selections, and especially for its collections of foreign films, classic movies, award-winners, documentaries, and more that you won’t find on other platforms. Kanopy also has a collection of BBC TV series, with more being added each month, and The Great Courses – so you can watch and learn about everything from screenwriting to algebra. Plus, there’s popular titles, seasonal offerings, and new titles are added regularly.

Even better, Kanopy is available on your computer, as a phone app, on Apple TV, on Roku, FireTV, Fire Tablets, Chromecast, Samsung Smart TV, and more, so you can watch on your TV or on the go. To learn about connecting to specific device types, click here for instructions to watch on a TV, and here for instructions about the mobile app.

Your library card gives you 60 tickets a month – as well as ticket-free titles – so stream on!  And for the younger ones in your life, Kanopy Kids is also completely ticket-free and lets them stream unlimited PBS Kids favorites, Jim Henson Company shows, Sesame Street, animated films, have storytime with picture book favorites, or even learn new languages with BBC Muzzy.

Kanopy: Streaming Films

What is Kanopy Streaming?

Kanopy offers a robust collection of classic and contemporary films from around the world. You’ll find a mix of indie flicks, recent contemporary films, classics from the beloved Criterion Collection, and even The Great Courses series.  Think of it like a more thoughtfully-curated version of Netflix. Like other streaming services, Kanopy’s collection is updated frequently, so check back often to see what’s new. In addition, films on Kanopy can be streamed from a computer, an android or Apple mobile device, or cast onto your TV with Chromecast, Apple TV, or the Kanopy app for Roku. For help setting up Kanopy on any of these devices, check Kanopy’s FAQ page here.

WLS generously offers its patrons 10 Kanopy play credits per month. (1 play credit= 1 film.) Play credits reset on the first of each month. Note that once you begin a film, you’ll have three days to watch it as many times as you wish without using additional play credits.

How Do You Use Kanopy and Sign-Up for An Account?

Go to https://wls.kanopystreaming.com

At the top right corner, click “sign up.”

Enter your e-mail address and create a password for your new Kanopy account. Note that once you create an account, you will not need to sign-up again.

An e-mail verification code will be sent to your e-mail address. Open your e-mail inbox and click the “Verify Your E-mail” button.

You will now be led to a page asking you to enter your library card number. Press “add library card” and enter your library card number and PIN. Your PIN is usually the last four digits of your phone number.

Once logged in, you will see how many play credits you have remaining for the month in the top right corner of any page on Kanopy’s website.

While Kanopy’s homepage features many films of interest, you can also search for specific films in the search bar, or browse by genre and country. To browse by genre or country, find the word “subjects” on the top left corner of Kanopy’s homepage. Hold your mouse over “subjects,” and a drop down menu will appear.

Once you find a film you like and press “play” on it, you will use a play credit. You’ll have three days to watch that film as many times as you wish without using additional play credits.

 

 

 

 

Hoopla- Streaming Audiobooks, Music, E-Books, Movies, TV Shows and More! 

What Is Hoopla? How does it differ from other services like Overdrive?

Hoopla has a collection of nearly half a million titles across six categories: Movies, TV, Music Albums, Audiobooks, eBooks, and Comics/Graphic novels. Unlike Overdrive, there are never any holds or waiting lists! Every item you see listed is available for you to check out. Patrons can currently check out 10 titles per month total.

Overdrive: e-Books and Audiobooks

What is Overdrive?

Overdrive is an online library of thousands of e-books and audiobooks. Titles are downloadable to your Kindle or other similar e-readers and e-reading apps. You can also access these collections any time of day; even if the library is closed!

Similar to using the physical library, Overdrive titles can be checked out for 2 or 3 week periods. If a title is unavailable, the user can place a hold for it and be notified when the e-copy is available again.

The best part, however, is that Overdrive titles return themselves automatically. This means there are never overdue/late fees! Either browse Overdrive on your computer, or download the Libby app to browse on-the-go.

What is Libby?

Libby is Overdrive’s new app.  You can learn more about the app and its easy-to-use interface here: https://meet.libbyapp.com/?utm_medium=lightning_banner&utm_source=lightning&utm_campaign=libby

Where can I view Overdrive's collections and log-in?

 

Hoopla Digital

What is Hoopla?

Hoopla has a collection of nearly half a million titles across six categories: Movies, TV, Music Albums, Audiobooks, eBooks, and Comics/Graphic novels. Unlike Overdrive, there are never any holds or waiting lists! Every item you see listed is available for you to check out. Patrons can check out 5 titles per month total.

How do I get started on Hoopla?

While it is our goal to link to as many of WLS’ digital resources as possible, there are still many more we have not listed. To see the full lists of what is available to you as a library cardholder, check out the following webpages:

 

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