Expanded Digital Services Offered During COVID-19 Outbreak

Friday, March 20, 2020

The Library always offers a variety of popular digital services, giving you access to an extensive collection of eBooks, digital audiobooks, streaming music, movies, and TV, and other great resources. During the current COVID-19 outbreak, the Library is working with our providers to not only ensure you can continue to enjoy these services, but to also expand available items, temporarily increase borrowing limits, and more. We want to be sure you can get the things you want to read, watch, listen to, or learn from while responsibly practicing social distancing… all for free with your Library card.

Visit our Digital Branch to explore all of the services available to you. We’ve highlighted a few below to note specific changes in place during the pandemic, and we’ll work to keep this list updated throughout the coming weeks.

DIGITAL BRANCH

Don’t currently have a Kansas City Public Library card? Sign up for our eCard and get immediate access to all of these resources.
Questions? Live Chat and email assistance available at kclibrary.org/contact.

Latest Changes to Digital Services

*Last updated: April 2, 2020

hoopla

hoopla connects you with thousands of movies, TV shows, music, digital audiobooks, ebooks, and digital comic books for free. All you need is a library card and a web browser, phone, or tablet.

► Library card required / Need to create user account / Items available instantly, anytime

What’s different?

Checkouts: Usual = 9 items/month; Temporary increase = 20 items/month
New to hoopla? During the outbreak you can sign up and try 3 free checkouts, no library card needed. Sign up at HooplaDigital.com.
hoopla has created a Bonus Borrows Collection with more than 1,100 top titles and favorites. If you borrow these items between now and at least April 30, checkouts don't count against your monthly borrowing limit.

HOOPLA

Kanopy

Instantly access hundreds of movies on your computer or mobile device. Kanopy has a strong collection of independent, international, documentary, and early films from providers like Criterion, PBS, and Kino Lorber.

Kanopy Kids highlights films and TV series that help children develop empathy, mindfulness, and self-esteem through entertaining and educational videos. The platform includes developmentally appropriate, age-based ratings from Common Sense Media, as well as additional parental controls.

► Library card required / Need to create user account / Items available instantly, anytime

What’s different?

Checkouts: Usual = 12 films/month; Temporary increase = 20 films/month
Kanopy has made selected films credit-free for the moment, which means they don’t count against your monthly checkouts.
Kanopy Kids videos don’t count against your monthly checkouts for the time being.
The Great Courses videos can currently be watched without counting against monthly checkouts.

KANOPY KANOPY KIDS

OverDrive / Libby

Browse, check out, download, and stream tens of thousands of eBooks and audiobooks with your library card through OverDrive. Use its Libby app to enjoy additional features, such as linking cards from multiple libraries, and syncing positions, bookmarks, and notes across your devices. OverDrive also offers large collections for Kids and Teens.

► Library card required / Need to create user account / Certain items instantly available; popular items may require holds / Can check out 20 items at a time

What’s different?

About 4,200 eBook editions of classic literary works have been added since the Library closed.
The Library is working to add more copies of titles to more quickly fulfill holds.
In collaboration with Pottermore Publishing, OverDrive is running a special #HarryPotterAtHome program running April 1-30, 2020. As part of the promotion, the eBook and digital audiobook versions of the first book in the series, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, are available to check out immediately - no holds required.
- Borrow now from OverDrive: eBook | audiobook
- All Harry Potter titles available through OverDrive >
- More #HarryPotterAtHome resources, games, and activities >

OVERDRIVE Libby App | Questions about OverDrive

Ancestry Library Edition

Research the history of your family with online access to historical records provided by Ancestry.com. Includes Census records, Birth, death and marriage records, city directories, and much more.

► Library card required

What’s different?

Available from outside a library building for the first time

ANCESTRY LIBRARY EDITION

Additional Services Now Available

The Library now offers access to a few more digital services provided by TumbleBook Library. You can access these directly to enjoy online eBooks and audiobooks through at least August 31, 2020; no library card required.

AudioBookCloud

A collection of streaming audiobooks that gives you unlimited and immediate remote access through your web browser.

RomanceBookCloud (for adults)

Unlimited and unrestricted access to a curated collection of romance eBooks.

TeenBookCloud (grades 7-12)

Browse a robust digital selection of graphic novels, eBooks, classic literature, National Geographic videos, educator resources, and audiobooks. No downloads, no waiting.

Foundation Directory Online

Normally accessible only inside Central Library, the providers of FDO have opened this valuable resource to remote users during the Outbreak.

TumbleMath (grades K-6)

A comprehensive collection of math picture books in the amazing TumbleBook format, complete with animation and narration. Books are accompanied by supplementary materials such as lesson plans and quizzes.

Explore More

If you’re new to using Library’s digital services, here are just a few of our many offerings to try out. Browse our Digital Branch for even more free materials and resources.

And remember, if you finish an eBook or digital audiobook early, please return it as soon as you’re done! That will help other patrons be able to borrow and enjoy those materials.

DIGITAL BRANCH