Mount Olive Library Digital Resources at People’s Fingertips 24/7

“The library away from the library” is how Mauro Magarelli, director of the Mount Olive Public Library describes its digital offerings.  Accessible on a phone, tablet, iPad, or computer from the homepage of the library website (www.mopl.org), the digital offerings give library patrons 24/7 access to audio books and e-books for all ages, newspapers, consumer reports, research databases, enriching movies and tv shows, language lessons, genealogical research and more. A library card is needed to access the digital library resources and some require downloading an app.  Recently, Magarelli talked about the different offerings available.

Libby gives library patrons access to 16,000 books and ebooks, 8,000 audio books, and 4,000 magazines.  Now, instead of coming in and walking through shelves to find what they want to borrow, patrons can check it out where they are.  A nice feature of Libby is that there’s no worry about forgetting to return an item and getting late fees.  Each resource checks itself back in when the loan period is over.  Also, digital items can be renewed.

Magarelli noted some of the pluses of ebooks and audio books.  With the ebooks, there’s a bookmark which will hold your place when you have to stop reading, so you can automatically go back to it when you come back to the book. Also, there’s “a built in dictionary for words you don’t know,” noted Magarelli.  As for audio books, he shared his own experience that they’re “nice on a long ride”.  The library director listens to audio books on his way into work.  Also, he shared that audio books these days are not just someone reading a book.   “Audio books are like theatrical productions,” he said.  Many are read by popular actors who add a new dimension to it. 

Another digital offering is Kanopy, which Magarelli noted has the catch phrase, “be entertained, be enriched”.  It is a streaming service with a selection of commercial free Oscar winning films, international films, documentaries, instructional tv, and tv series. 

Pressreader gives users access to 7,000 editions of newspapers, both American and international.  Magarelli noted that a plus is that those with roots in other countries can keep up with the news of those countries through Pressreader.

For those who want to do some research before buying a product, there is Consumer Reports.  Magarelli noted that it used to be that when people wanted to check the reviews for a product before buying it, they had to come into the library, check the Consumer Reports’ index, find the issue which had a report on the product and then look it up.  Now with the digital library, users have access to reviews on 9,000 + products.  Users just type in information like product, brands, price range, etc. and the app gives a report on the best products based on reviews. Magarelli  noted that the reviews are done by verified experts on the products, unlike some online marketplaces which have product reviews done by people hired by the seller of the product.

Jersey Clicks gives access to a variety of academic research and informational databases. Many of these can help students and businesses.   Also, its Novelist and Novelist K-8 databases can help elementary and middle school teachers and book clubs. In addition, there is a  database with sources giving  multiple views on issues which can be useful when preparing for debates.  Part of Jersey Clicks is Heritage Quest which helps with another type of research:  genealogical.  Magarelli noted that the library also has Ancestry for genealogical research, but that is only available by coming into the library.

For those interested in learning a language, there’s Mango.  Access to that language learning website is also available through the digital library.  Mango gives lessons in seventy +  languages, including ones like Latin and Gaelic.

Magarelli noted that there are a couple of other digital resources available through the library by clicking on the “Kids and Teens” button at the top of the library website’s homepage. One such resource is Tumblebooks.  This gives access to ebooks and e-audio books for kids.   Also, there are Driving Tests.  These are sample tests which allows users to practice for the written New Jersey driving test.

Magarelli  shared, “the majority of these digital resources are provided by Mount Olive and its partnership with the MAIN Library Alliance but the New Jersey State Library also provides us with Jersey Clicks.” 

Now a Mount Olive resident’s library card is more powerful than ever.  Using the digital library, people can have access to resources anywhere they go.