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CITY NEWS

Berkeley Public Library Offers More and More Great Services for Free

Donna Corbell
Contributor
February 2008

We’re sure we have some things that will interest you. We invite you to come to any branch, but we also invite you to come see us on the web: www.berkeleypubliclibrary.org. Follow the links -- you can find the location of a branch nearest to you and you can view all the great services offered electronically, including:

Getting a library card – you can get a card with a picture ID and proof of your residency in California. Cards are free; replacement cards cost $1. You do NOT need to live in Berkeley to get a Berkeley Public Library card.

Catalogs of books, DVDs, CDs, and other materials, which can be put on hold 24/7 over the web once you have a card.

What if we don’t have what you want? Some local libraries are connected to LINK+. Berkeley Public Library is. LINK+ is an interlibrary borrowing system that allows you to put holds on over 65 million books and government documents from California and Nevada, and they’ll arrive at your own local library within a few days.

With your card number as a password you now have access to millions of magazine and newspaper articles as well as thousands of online electronic resources provided to you FOR FREE! Go to Berkeley Public Library’s Search Online Resources http://berkeleypubliclibrary.org/services_and_resources/online_resources.php. Even without a card you can see the great variety of free offerings – from up-to-date medical information to free electronic audiobooks (ready for downloading) to vital business information. Get a card and use them all!

Public Libraries offer community information through their websites as well: take a look at Berkeley Public Library’s Community Organizations database, the Berkeley Information Network (BIN). You can find more than 3,300 local agencies, organizations, services, clubs, and other community resources there.

Berkeley Public Library can send you an e-mail update about Library activities. You can also visit the website and look at program and news items or sign up for an RSS feed under Subscribe.

Berkeley Public Library has programs for library users of all ages, from babies to seniors, and with all kinds of interests – for example, at Berkeley Public Library, teens can join a book club, a knitting group, or a Playreaders group. You do NOT need a card to attend any of these great programs.

Check out the YouTube at www.berkeleypubliclibrary.org for an entertaining look at some of our news – including longer check-out times and a Fine Amnesty coming up in February.

Of special interest to everyone in Emeryville is the: Southwest Berkeley Needs Assessment, a study of the part of Berkeley that borders Emeryville. Some of you may have already been surveyed since some surveying is done by zip code.

Donna Corbell is the Directory of Library Services with the Berkeley Public Library. You can reach her at 510-981-6195 or dcorbell@ci.berkeley.ca.us.