Westerly Sun Column | Start a Wonderous Journey With a Library Card

With all the hubbub surrounding the holidays, it can be hard to fit a trip to the library into your schedule. We get it! The good news is, whether you’re cozy at home or off visiting relatives out of state, there are plenty of ways to connect with the library from near or far.

Let’s start with the basics: your library card. If you’re a resident of Rhode Island (or Stonington) you’re eligible for a free library card that can be used at any RI library.  You can apply for one from home by visiting oslri.org and filling out a brief application. You can even opt to have your new card mailed to you, so you can get all the library goods without ever leaving the house! If your card has expired (which they do, every 3 years) you can quickly renew it with the same application.

Now that you have your card, you’re ready to start borrowing! You probably know that your library card lets you check out items from our physical collection, but there are also hundreds of thousands of titles that can be accessed online. Download the apps for Hoopla and Libby to browse our collection of eBooks, eAudiobooks, comics, music and more. Libby works just like an online library, where you can borrow available materials, or place holds on items that are already checked out. Hoopla is a bit more like Netflix, in that you can instantly view or read anything in the collection…there is one caveat, though: you’re limited to 5 borrows per month, so make them count! There are ton of brand new titles on both, including popular items like “Midnights”, the new Taylor Swift album! Another great streaming service is Kanopy, which has an amazing collection of documentaries, feature films, and even Great Courses. You can also access this by downloading the app and signing in with your library card.

Books and movies are hardly the only reason to visit the library. If you’re coming in person, you can enjoy a stroll in the park, admire the architecture, visit the monthly art exhibit in our Hoxie Gallery, pick up a free craft kit, or attend one of our many programs or lectures. Many of these offerings are also available from home! On our YouTube channel you’ll find recordings of past programs, everything from author talks with popular names like Marie Benedict to tutorials on DIY pickling and fermenting. Visit the Special Collections page on our website (www.westerlylibrary.org) to view over 4,000 photographs from our local history collection. On the website, you’ll also find a great guide to the trees and plants of Wilcox Park, if you want to give yourself your own personal tour of the park from the comfort of your couch. This is just a snapshot…there are plenty more things to explore and discover at the library, both in person and online.

By Cassie Skobrak, Adult Services Librarian