Palace eReading App

Monterey County Free Libraries Introduces
Palace: A New eReading App

Andrew Carnegie called libraries "Palaces for the People", and Monterey County Free Libraries is adding new app, bringing that concept to the experience of reading eBooks. The California State Library, with funds from the American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA), joined the Palace Project, giving all California Libraries access to over 15,000 ebooks with an emphasis on ebooks for children and teens. The Palace app is available now to all Monterey County Free Libraries card holders from the app store compatible with your mobile device.

The Palace app will be especially useful to those who may not have tried eBooks at the library before, because it is designed to make the process of borrowing an eBook simpler. Once a patron downloads the Palace app to their smartphone or tablet, they search for their library and enter their library card barcode number and PIN. They are immediately able to browse all the titles of eBooks or eAudiobooks from the library's collection, check out, and begin reading or listening in fewer than five taps on their screen. 15,000 additional titles will be added to the collection on the Palace Bookshelf, curated by the Digital Public Library of America. These books are in addition to what is currently available via the Libby app from Overdrive, adding significantly to MCFL's ebooks collection.

Palace was created by a group of library leaders around the country who wanted to create an eBook experience that was focused on patron privacy, and equitable distribution of electronic content to public libraries. The Palace team received the support of a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation to make the app a reality. The California State Library is supporting the collection, allowing public libraries to join and take advantage at no charge from already limited collection development or technology funds.

"I am privileged to be part of both the team at Monterey County Free Libraries, and a group of dedicated library staff from around the state, who are always working on how to bring more wonderful books, delivered in more and better ways, to everyone in the County" said Library Director Hillary Theyer. "The Palace Project is, once again, the staff and supporters of public libraries thinking of equity and the good of all of our communities."

Click here for full instructions on how to use Palace.

Let us know what you think.

For more information contact:

Be Astengo, Managing Librarian
[email protected]
831-884-4370

###

About LYRASIS

LYRASIS is a global, non-profit membership organization whose mission is to support enduring access to the world's shared academic, scientific, and cultural heritage through leadership in open technologies, content services, digital solutions and collaboration with archives, libraries, museums, and knowledge communities worldwide. LYRASIS organizational and staff values are communication, respect, collaboration, impact, and service. For more information visit www.lyrasis.org.

About Digital Public Library of America

DPLAamplifies the value of libraries and cultural organizations as trusted sources of shared knowledge. DPLA fulfills its mission by collaborating with partners to accelerate the adoption of innovative tools and ideas to empower and equip libraries in making public information more accessible. DPLA provides a library-led marketplace and platform to purchase, organize and deliver ebooks and other e-content to patrons. For more information visit www.dp.la.

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.