Staffordshire’s library service is adding thousands of additional titles, free of charge, to it’s expanding eBook service as it aims to keep pace with public demand.
Staffordshire County Council has advised A Little Bit of Stone that a new supplier and system improvement have gone live this month, resulting in an 80 per cent increase in stock and an immediate increase in loans.
Library members are able to use their existing membership number to access the electronic stock with their favourite device to download papers, books, magazines and audiobooks.
Gill Heath, Staffordshire County Cabinet’s member for Communities, said:
“So many people do much of their reading electronically nowadays so the council keeps investing in that side of the service, as well as in traditional books, so borrowers have thousands of titles to choose from.”
An awareness campaign for the changeovers increased offering, and how library service members can join the online network, is being promoted across Staffordshire’s 43 physical libraries.
Existing members can download the BorrowBox app or visit its website at borrowbox.com and use their membership number and PIN to access what’s on offer. New members can register at their local library, or online by going to staffordshire.gov.uk search ‘join library’ and follow the instructions.
The BorrowBox system is used around the world, offers help to dyslexic and visually impaired readers and has an easy control system, including a snooze function for bedtime reading.
Gill Heath added:
“We remain committed to our traditional libraries, but the way many people consume the written word has changed and we have to change with them.
“This gives people more choice and more ways to enjoy what Staffordshire’s library service has to offer.”
Nationally, the use of electronic loans of books and magazines in public libraries has grown from 972,650 loans in 2012/13 by 594 per cent to 6,754,394 loans in 2017/18, while the amount of stock nationally has risen by 398 per cent from 546,306 items in 2012/13 to 2,718,302 in 2017/18.
