Readers across New Zealand have some new favourites from local authors to add to their digital reading list in the Libby app.

As we begin to climb our way out of a global pandemic, Words of Comfort by Rebekah Ballagh is here to help. A companion to those grieving, this book explores the complex emotions involved in a loss. Those looking to escape in the form of armchair travel will be enthralled by Dancing with the Machine by Jo Morgan. Chronicling the extraordinary escapades from a late life adventurer, this read will appeal to travelers, climbers and anyone who loves a good story. Another standout memoir from Allen & Unwin, The Bookseller at the End of the World by Ruth Shaw, is a book lover’s dream about two tiny bookshops in the remote village of Manapouri in Fiordland. Rounding out the reading list is a June release for readers to anticipate: A Gentle Radical, the biography of Jeanette Fitzsimons, the hugely influential leader of the Green Party.

These new titles are only available through OverDrive in the Metered Access Concurrent Use lending model. Known as OverDrive Max, this powerful lending model enables libraries to stock bundles of 75 loans for popular digital books with no expiration date. With each Max title, the cost to serve each reader is typically the lowest available cost for libraries - which makes these must-have adds to your digital collection. Shop these titles and more in OverDrive Marketplace.

MORE OPTIONS FOR YOUR USERS
Users can also explore a new category of content called Libby Extras. These unique digital experiences offer more opportunities to reach new users in your community with continuing education, language learning, crafting, musical instrument instruction and more. Discoverable within Libby, users can connect to this content by simply tapping ‘Extras’ on a library’s digital collection homepage to find what’s available.

Artists and music lovers in your community can watch self-paced music lessons with ArtistWorks, take their painting or pottery to the next level with Craftsy or stream a full-length concert on demand with Qello. Lifelong learners can stay busy with Universal Class, while others will discover how LawDepot simplifies legal forms in minutes. Want to see for yourself? Sign up for free demo access.

 A little more than 24 months ago, you could find Luke Miller working out of his local public library. He runs a business that helps libraries provide coding education through things like ‘code clubs’. As a remote company, Prenda (now called Fiero Code) gave him the freedom to work from anywhere and he loved being in the creative, bright and welcoming space his local library created. He talks about code clubs in this blog.

 
Around that time, I remember meeting a friend to watch him work on a 3D printing project using a library printer, the smell of melted plastic wafting through the room. A couple of weeks before that, I donned my coolest pair of trousers and smartest shirt to shoot a promo video using the maker space DSLR camera, microphones, lighting and green screen. And every Wednesday afternoon I’d watch dozens of kids wander into the room for their weekly code club meeting. 
 
Those were the days!
 
I don’t know if there’s a better picture of how libraries have been transforming over the past two decades than what I experienced in that maker space. Libraries broke out of their cocoons of book and movie borrowing into vibrant community spaces full of life-transforming educational opportunities and programs for community members of all ages. Makerspaces were popping up in underused corners of libraries, language learning apps were showing up on library websites, and it was a beautiful and majestic thing to behold. 
 
Then the pandemic happened. Library doors were shuttered, and library staff were temporarily sent home.  
 
I remember sitting at home in the 3m x 3m closet I had converted into an office and wondering what was going to happen with library-land. I received email after email from our customers saying their libraries were closing indefinitely.  
 
Then a surprising thing happened. I got a couple emails from customers who were asking if they could run code clubs over a Zoom call. Within a couple of weeks, we had put together a training on how to run code clubs via Zoom, and libraries all over the world started to transition their in-person code clubs to virtual code clubs.
 
A couple of weeks later we were able to make our software available as a full-blown self-guided digital resource where patrons could learn how to code at home, on their own. Libraries started to advertise our product to their communities, and we had a flood of new users signing up to learn how to code! 
 
Today, as libraries are in various stages of re-opening, I think it’s safe to say two things:
 
First, the world has changed and the pandemic accelerated libraries’ focus on digital access. Now libraries are no longer limited to in-person programming but can confidently provide virtual programs, just like we saw with virtual code clubs. 
 
Second, new kinds of digital resources are emerging that will help libraries serve their communities in amazing ways. These may be learning and creative tools like our learn-to-code software, or they may be entertainment types of services, but it’s clear that digital resources empower libraries to serve their communities regardless of what pressures are happening in the world. 
 
I, for one, am excited about the changes happening in libraries around the world.
 
Luke Miller - Head of Code Club, Fiero Code (formerly named Prenda).