A trip to the library just got a whole lot easier.
The Contra Costa County Library System is now offering the “Library e-Card Service,” a feature that allows anyone living in the county to access the library’s electronic resources. To register for an e-Card, go to the Danville Library or visit www.ccclib.org.
“We have various e-books, some you can read on your computer. Instead of having to come in, you can get immediate access by having an e-Card,” said Susan Kantor-Horning, the library system’s electronic resources specialist. “We have different vendors.”
An e-Card can be used from a home or office to access more than 2,000 electronic books in the library’s database, which includes such popular titles as “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” and “Being Martha: The Inside Story of Martha Stewart.” The books available cover a wide range of genres, from animated talking children’s books to test preparation to auto repair. They can all be downloaded onto the user’s computer.
Other electronic resources include newspapers, magazines, legal e-Books, and archived articles.
“We are buying resources for our community, and we want to make sure that they are actually used,” said Lorrie Butler, information systems project manager. “These are things that, although they are available through the Internet, are not a free resource.”
The e-Card can also be used to place holds on books within the library’s catalog system. However, if the e-Card user wants to actually pick up the books, he or she needs to register for a library card. Identification and proof of address are required for a full access library card.
While people of all ages are encouraged to sign up for an e-Card, one of the service’s main focuses is to help out students.
“We believe the library’s new Library e-Card Service will be very popular with students and teachers,” said Cathy Sanford, deputy county librarian of support services.
In addition to all of the electronic resources, students can access “AskNow,” a live online reference service where they can submit any questions they have with homework to be answered in a timely and convenient fashion.
“We have reference librarians throughout the entire library system, and we also have electronic resource specialists who work with our virtual library,” said Butler. “They will answer any question that comes to us.”
There will also be a live homework help service available in the form of a chat program. It is available everyday from 1 to 10 p.m., and offers tutoring for students from fourth through 12th grade in math, science and Spanish, among other topics.
“We are part of a pilot project with the state library,” said Kantor-Horning. “These are mostly professional tutors that could be retired teachers or librarians or graduate students. It is provided by tutor.com.”
