A New Chapter In Reading

Get ready to open a new chapter on borrowing your favorite novel, how-to manual or celebrity biography when the Digital Bookmobile rolls in to Market Square this Friday from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.  Instead of carting thousands of hard-cover volumes and paperbacks like a traditional bookmobile, the Digital Bookmobile packs dozens of Internet connected computers inside a nearly 75-foot long trailer to provide borrowers with an almost limitless selection of e-books to download to their laptops, smart phones and other mobile devices. And all you need is a valid membership card to the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh to get started. It's really that easy.

Based in Cleveland, the Digital Bookmobile is freewheeling across the the U.S. — with two stops in Pittsburgh — to introduce readers to their local library's e-collections and make borrowing e-books, audiobooks, CDs and other downloadable materials easier than ever. Best of all, there are never any late fees to worry about since all digitally borrowed items are automatically returned on their due date. And if you already have a Carnegie Library card, you can start borrowing now at the library's e-book site, where you'll find thousand of current best-sellers and classics.

Inside this branch library on 18 wheels, e-book-worms can explore the digital catalog for their favorite authors and titles. For those who tend to get tangled up in the World Wide Web, friendly staff and interactive videos will help even the most Internet challenged folks successfully navigate the online catalog.  If you've got an ear for the spoken word, stop by the AudioBook Alley to listen to the thousands of titles available to download to your MP3 player. In the Gadget Gallery, you'll discover which of your computers and mobile devices are compatible with the Digital Bookmobile lending library. And the Video Lounge is a great place to preview downloadable documentaries, feature films and more in a comfortable theater setting on an IMAX HD screen. It's just like being at the movies — without buying a ticket.

And you can pair your trip to the Digital Bookmobile with one of our other Friday programs in the Square.  Stop by for KidsPlay with tomorrow's special guest, the Toonseum.  Join the PNC Y for Sweatin' in the Square - a free exercise class during lunch (tomorrow we get to play with exercise balls!) and come back for happy hour with a free concert at Friday Night Live.

 

If e-books aren't quite your idea of a good read, you can always stop by the Square each week for the Carnegie Library's Tuesday Reading Room. Open for business from 11 a.m.-2 p.m through October 11, the Reading Room is a great place to find bargains on used books of all kinds. With paperbacks priced at 50 cents and hardcovers selling for just $1, the Reading Room is one of the best deals in Downtown. And don't forget to create a bookmark in your e-calendar for the special programs coming up in the Reading Room schedule. Be sure you stay current on the many special events and guest speakers on tap for the rest of the year. If you're hooked on books of any kind, we'll see you soon in the Square.