*Looked for a general library thread and couldn't find one. If it exists, feel free to move this to there.

I've never been much of a "library person." I kinda always looked at the one downtown as a really nice homeless shelter. That said, I've been repeatedly exposed to some of the little known services our Metropolitan Library offers in the last few months that I find really useful and thought I'd share.

1.) Meeting rooms. The downtown library has some great meeting rooms on the second floor overlooking the courthouse. I've now used them 4-5 times with great success for meetings and podcast interviews. Simple to reserve, looks professional, quiet and free.

2.) Hoopla: If you have a library card (if not you can get one online electronically) then download Hoopla on your phone. With the app you can electronically 'borrow' ebooks, audiobooks, tv shows, comics, and movies for free for about a month each time. I currently use it regularly for audiobooks (canceled my Audible subscription). Been listening to some great autobiographies and biographies. For added convenience. Enable the Hoople skill if you have an Alexa device and you can control your audiobook library using your voice. Very convenient and great for older folks who can't see very well or figure out electronics.

3.) Lynda.com: Usually $30/mo. You get free access to the Lynda library! Tons of great online courses. I'm currently taking one on Adobe Audition.

4.) Mango Languages: Usually $17/mo but free online through the library. Take a course in any one of dozens of languages.

5.) Oklahoman Archives: FREE

6.) RBDIGITAL: Free access to dozens of the most popular magazines.

7.) NewsBank: Free access to a database of millions of topics covered by the media.

8.) Brainfuse Help Now: Live tutoring help in a variety of subjects. Great for when the kids need school help and you suddenly realize you haven't done algebra or science in 30 years.

9.) Kanopy: Even more free movies.

Also don't forget free Consumer Reports online access with your library membership. Always nice to look up products!

The services I use the most are Overdrive and Libby. Can't beat checking out ebooks and audiobooks directly to whatever device you're using. It's so easy. I've never used Hoopla, but will look into it.

Thanks for the great info! I frequented the Metro Libraries for years, then kind of quit, buying ebooks and ordering from Amazon. But started again a year ago using the Overdrive app to download from the library. I’ll try some of the other online services...downloaded three apps this morning.

My closest library is Bethany and it is quite nice after the rebuild.

The services I use the most are Overdrive and Libby. Can't beat checking out ebooks and audiobooks directly to whatever device you're using. It's so easy. I've never used Hoopla, but will look into it.

I started with Libby but moved to Hoopla because you get to keep the audiobooks books much longer and there seemed to be a bigger selection.

Kanopy has the entire Great Courses catalog of lectures for free. Those things are so cool and well-made.

Kanopy has the entire Great Courses catalog of lectures for free. Those things are so cool and well-made.

It’s an app on Roku too.

Metro library system is an absolute star. They bring neighborhoods together. I remember tutoring adults and kids at the Belle Isle library. They do reading in the children's section of the downtown library that are great. If you love libraries, please support the Friends of the Metropolitan Library system. They also host an annual book sale.

I discovered a couple of things about Overdrive and Hoopla this morning. I was listening to an audio book the last few days on Overdrive. The loan expired before I finished it and it isn’t available to renew, someone else had a hold on the one copy. It was available on Hoopla to download so I did. The bad news, my last listening spot and bookmarks aren’t coordinated between the two apps and the Hoopa audio app is slim on features. There is no table of contents to help you find your way in the book like there is on Overdrive. I did eventually find it, but it took some work.

I know archives of The Oklahoman were mentioned, but folks might think that means really old historical stuff. At the time of this posting (10 Dec), I can read the 5 December issue of the Oklahoman, thanks to my library card.

15724


Technically your library card also gets you full Journal Record access, but in-library only.

You can also read Today's replica at this link for free.... http://digital.newsok.com/Olive/ODN/Oklahoman/default.aspx

+1 for the metro library. Overdrive and any of the the other electronic book features is awesome. My children have Kindles and can check out books and they do right to the kindle to read. I have saved a ton of money using the library for electronic books.

Also of note, none of this is "free" per se. You are paying for this out of your property taxes, to the tune of about $70/yr, but you can easily exceed this amount in value by using it very minimally. If you don't use the library services available to you, you are leaving value on the table.

You can calculate the value you're receiving here:
https://www.metrolibrary.org/about-us/accounts/value-calculator

How do you get the Oklahoman? I've looked but had trouble getting it to work.

You can find it on the list of databases on this page: https://www.metrolibrary.org/find/research-and-learn/databases-a-z

I noticed that the proxy service they use throws up 3 different non-standard ports (2048, 2058, 3063), so if you're at work, there's a non-trivial chance your corporate firewall is stopping you from getting there.