We are proud to announce that starting on Monday January 12, Greenwich Free Library cardholders will be able to begin using Hoopla, the ultimate all-in-one digital library app, offering a diverse catalog of audiobooks, eBooks, comics and manga, music, movies, TV shows, and more. Patrons can save both time and money by using Hoopla for free with their library card, eliminating the need to subscribe to multiple streaming services.
What can I borrow with Hoopla? Hoopla adds more eBooks, audiobooks, as well as film, television, and music to our digital holdings, which already include Libby and Kanopy. (If you aren’t taking advantage of these extraordinary resources, it’s time to check it out!) You may have heard that Hoopla contains some AI-generated content. While that is true, IGreenwich Free Library has blocked all content, including audiobook narration, that involves AI. We believe passionately in humanity, and we want to provide human-made art and entertainment.
How does Hoopla work? Patrons can sign up using their library barcode and an email address. Once registered, each patron will be able to borrow up to six items (including eBooks, audiobooks, film, television, music) each month. Patrons can access this electronic content on computers, smartphones, or tablets. Search for items either on the Hoopla site or app, or through the library’s online catalog.
How will Greenwich Free Library fund this acquisition? As our patrons know, the library’s budget is tight, and it is important to us that we not sacrifice our physical holdings in order to add this digital service. We are incredibly fortunate that the late Arlene Siegel, a regular library patron for many years, named the Greenwich Free Library as a beneficiary in her will. Arlene’s generous bequest gave us the opportunity to do something special for all of our patrons in her name. Because Arlene was fond of borrowing DVDs from the library, we felt that this service, which includes film and television in addition to books, would be an apt way to honor her memory. We want the public to know that without this gift, we would not be able to purchase this subscription. We are all benefitting from Arlene’s generosity.
If you would like to contribute directly to the fund that Arlene’s bequest seeded, which will be used for years to come to ensure continuing access to digital content for patrons, or if you would like to include Greenwich Free Library in your own planned giving, please contact Sarah Murphy at smurphy@sals.edu.