Last month Waipā District Libraries made all e-resources freely accessible to help isolation requirements to be more bearable. Photo / Stephen Barker - Barker Photography
E-resources are proving a huge hit among Waipā library users with numbers of eBooks and audiobooks on loan tripling since the nationwide lockdown came into effect.
Waipā District Libraries announced last month it would make online resources free for library members while Alert Level 4 was in place, to help
make isolation restrictions more bearable. Since then, the number of eBooks and audiobooks on loan has soared.
Waipā District Council community services manager, Sally Sheedy, said prior to the lockdown, around 240-270 eBooks and 50 Audiobooks would be borrowed by library users per month.
"These figures have dramatically increased over the last two weeks. In the first six days of April alone we have issued what we would normally in a whole month, which is fantastic," says Sally.
"It shows us that people are taking advantage of the e-resources we have available and enjoying a new way of accessing books."
Sally says more than 650 eBooks and 160 audiobooks had been issued last month and 296 eBooks and 41 audiobooks so far in April.
The most popular eBook has been "The hard way" by Lee Child.
"As well as issuing e-resources, our wonderful library staff are also running online reading sessions and online reading challenges for children to complete as well as a number of competitions for all ages," says Sally.
"I would encourage all Waipā residents to head to www.waipalibraries.org.nz or the libraries Facebook page to see what we have available."
eBooks can be accessed through the eBook catalogue on the libraries website or via https://waipadc.eplatform.co/.
Library users can also download the Wheelers ePlatform app and log in with their library card number and pin number.
Residents wanting to become library members can sign up by up emailing waipalibraries@waipadc.govt.nz with their name, address and contact details.
