MADISON, WI (Wisconsin Radio Network-WSAU) The agency in charge of Wisconsin’s online library system has been spending the pandemic bolstering its collection, with an emphasis on e-books.
Sara Gold with the Wisconsin Public Library Consortium says they’ve been bulking up their stocks of licenses to help borrow out books to libraries across the state. “I think it’s close to 500,000 titles. It may not seem like that when patrons are waiting for a title but we do have a significant amount of materials in that collection.”
The consortium received $250,000 in grants from the Department of Public Instruction in April, which has helped it buy several thousand new books and resources for patrons. “With that money we were able to purchase close to a thousand titles that are simultaneous use, meaning they’re always available for patrons, there are no holds,” Gold said.
If you’re looking to join up and use the digital library, you can find the Libby app on Google, Kindle and Apple devices, or check with your local library for more info.
Many libraries around the state have closed their buildings, but are offering curbside pick-up and drop-off services in addition to their on-line resources.
