Library offers convenience of new eBook

Who said house calls are a thing of the past? The Newport Beach

Public Library’s new eBook service brings a large collection of

fiction, children’s and reference eBooks right into your homes and

offices and dorm rooms. This is just another example of the library’s

ongoing commitment to supporting our community with innovative and

helpful services.

Everyone knows how valuable a trip to the library can be. But in

our busy 21st century lives, this is not always possible or

convenient. Whether it’s too little time -- or just the wrong time --

customers aren’t always able to get the full benefit from a

traditional book collection, the backbone of the library.

And that’s where eBooks make a difference. With the ability to

search, browse and read eBooks 24 hours a day, seven days a week,

from the convenience of the your own computer, you don’t have to come

in to the library. Think of it as a virtual “house call” from your

local librarian.

All you need is a Newport Beach Public Library card, available

free to any California resident. Just drop into any branch and show

your identification. Then look up your title in the catalog

(www.newportbeachlibrary.org) or click on the “Find Information” tab,

then “Databases,” then eBooks to browse the titles available. You

will have to register the first time, but the screen prompts you, so

it’s very easy.

There are features about the electronic books that you can’t find

in a regular book. A book has a table of contents and an index, but

in an eBook you can browse the text for a specific phrase or keyword,

thus speeding up your search. Best of all is the fact that there are

no late fees. When your time is up, the “book” is automatically

returned. No more late fines! You just read them online or download

them to your computer or Palm PDA’s.

The books in the eBook collection cover a wide variety of topics

from antiques to travel, business to study aids, cooking to sports.

You can get a Spanish grammar text. You can get Cliffs Notes. You can

get wills and estate planning books. You can get books on pets,

algebra, Windows XP and U.S. history for kids. And you can do it all

from home -- in your pajamas, if you like!

So, if it’s two in the morning, and the paper is due tomorrow, try

out eBooks. If you are stuck in the office and need just one more

piece of information for that report, try out eBooks. If you are

going out of town and want to download a book to read on the plane,

try out eBooks.

* CHECK IT OUT is written by the staff of the Newport Beach Public

Library. This week’s column is by Sara Barnicle. You may access the

catalog at www.newportbeachlibrary.org. For more information on the

Central Library or any of the branch locations, please contact the

Newport Beach Public Library at (949) 717-3800, option 2.