National Digital Bookmobile Tour Wheels Through St. Petersburg

The Pinellas Public Library Cooperative will host the Digital Bookmobile from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 15, at St. Petersburg Public Library and Wednesday, Dec. 16, at Largo Public Library.

The Digital Bookmobile is a 74-foot, 18-wheel tractor-trailer that tours nationally and serves as a community outreach vehicle for public libraries to promote downloadable eBooks, audiobooks, music and video.

Powered by Overdrive, the Digital Bookmobile is equipped with broadband Internet-ready PCs, high-definition monitors, premium sound systems and various portable media players. Attendees will experience the Pinellas Public Library Cooperative's digital media collection and the 'virtual branch' download website. They will be able to search the digital media collection, sample eBooks, audio books, music and videos.

"The OverDrive audio downloadable audiobooks are a convenient way to check out audiobooks from any location, even when the library is closed," says Library Director Mary Gaines. "The Digital Bookmobile is a great introduction to this remarkable technology."

The Pinellas Public Library Cooperative's digital media collection is available to library card holders 24/7 online and "checked out" for seven days. Once the selected titles are downloaded, they can be enjoyed on the computer or transferred to a supported mobile device. Some of the audio titles can also be burned to CDs. At the end of the seven-day lending period, the titles automatically expire and return to the collection, eliminating late fees or damaged items.

Like the library, the Digital Bookmobile tour and event is free to the public.

Writer: Nancy Vaughn
Source: Mary Gaines, Largo Library
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