Much more than books: online resources, Library of Things just some of what Welland library
Imagine a card that gave you online access to television shows, movies and books and it doesn’t cost you a thing.
It may sound too good to be true, but it is real if you have a Welland Public Library (WPL) card.
The WPL is open to patrons at reduced capacity. They also have a wide variety of resources available online.
Marla Bestward, co-ordinator of outreach services for the Welland Public Library, said people are continuing to come in and the online resources are well used.
Bestward said one example is BrainFuse HelpNow, a tutoring service which provides students with one-on-one assistance as well as resume and interview skills.
Also available are a huge number of e-books, magazines, and newspapers. There are television shows, movies and music available online as well.
“One of our popular online resources is compressed reader, and that gives our patrons access to over 7,000 newspapers and magazines,” said Bestward. “Some are international and multilingual, as well. We also have resources like Overdrive and Cloud Library and Hoopla that offer things like audio books, e-books, TV shows, music, movies.”
“Pretty much all of your entertainment needs are available for free through with just your library card through those resources,” she said.
There is more to check out from the library besides books, The WPL’s Library of Things allows people to check out a lot of neat stuff such as educational kits, board games, video games, maker and activity kits, as well as a seed library.
“We also have puzzles, we have board games, we have all kinds of things that can keep people entertained at home and all for free,” she said.
Bestward said the library will also be hosting a number of interesting author talks in the near future. The first, Feb. 12 at 2 p.m., will feature Adam Shoalts as he returns to tell us about his latest adventure and launch his brand new book, ‘The Whisper on the Night Wind: The True History of a Wilderness Legend’.
The second author talk mentioned by Bestward will be given by Kathleen Powell. She will discuss the outbreak of the Spanish Flu pandemic in 1918. In it scheduled for Feb. 15 at 6 p.m.
Finally, Rochelle Bush, proprietor and primary guide of Tubman Tours Canada, will give a talk on the sites of interest along Niagara’s Freedom Trail. It will also include some of the notable figures who arrived by way of the Underground Railroad and settled in the area. It will take place on Feb. 24 at 6:30 p.m.
The talks will be online and require registration either online or through the library.
The library has also announced they will be going fine-free in 2022. Existing late fees will be cleared from patron accounts, and patrons will cease to accrue fees for overdue materials.
Borrowing restrictions for patrons with overdue items will continue to apply and replacement fees for lost or damaged materials will continue to be levied.
For more information, visit the WPL website at www.wellandlibrary.ca.
