Now that you know how to get free reading material from the library without leaving home, it’s time to discover what you
can watch and listen to for free using your library card.
The selection might vary by library, so I’m going
to use Avon Lake Public Library as an example. This library’s website has a digital media section that includes Hoopla and Kanopy plus Acorn TV. A few
months ago I didn’t know what any of that was, but then I attended a free
library program that helped me understand it.
Simply put, Hoopla and Kanopy allow you to borrow
movies, TV shows and what I still think of as albums and enjoy them on any
device with a browser. Acorn TV offers popular British television shows for
streaming. The library’s digital media inventory isn’t as extensive as those of
the streaming services you pay for, but it offers hit movies as well as
lesser-known films. I haven’t dived very deep into the music offerings, but I
found some music I wanted to listen to.
I recently watched “My Friend Dahmer,” which was
in theaters last year, and “Carole King: Natural Woman,” a documentary I hadn’t
heard of before, on Hoopla. I listened to “Hot Rocks,” a compilation of Rolling
Stones hits from 1964 to 1971, and “Creeque Alley – The History of the Mamas &
the Papas.”
Just so you don’t think all the Hoopla music is
from 50ish years ago, a quick search of “popular” music revealed the “Hamilton”
soundtrack and “Sweetener” from Ariana Grande. I don’t know Ariana Grande from
Nachos Bell Grande, but her album is dated 2018, and she sang “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman”
(and was groped by a preacher) at Aretha Franklin’s funeral.
The TV section includes a lot of programs I’ve never
heard of plus sitcoms of the Antenna TV variety, documentaries, how-to programs and
children’s shows.
Kanopy is more highbrow. It’s heavy on
documentaries, which is fine by me. Where else could you watch a doc about
trailblazing journalist Ida B. Wells, or another called “A Street Cat Named Bob,”
for free? Its TV section has a number of series that have aired on PBS.
Now you have an overview of the digital resources
libraries offer. If it all seems overwhelming, I recommend checking whether a
library near you offers instruction about its digital media, either in a group
setting or one on one. Libraries employ knowledgeable people who want to help
you.
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