Library adds to digital collection, streams film and TV

Watching television shows and movies online just became even easier—and free—as a result of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County’s recent addition of streaming services like Hoopla and Freegal Movies into its collection.
 
“We’ve been talking about this for a while with Netflix and Hulu and all those other products out there that consumers are used to seeing,” says Holly Varley, PLCHC’s material selection and acquisitions manager. “We definitely wanted to stay up to date with that digital content. That’s a goal of ours with the community—to make sure we’ve got digital content for e-books and audio books—and streaming and movies was the next piece of the puzzle.”
 
Hoopla offers library cardholders the opportunity to stream up to eight movies or television shows per month, while Freegal Movies enables users to view as many as three movies or television shows every 48 hours.
 
Both services eliminate any worries of damaged or lost materials and late fees, which makes borrowing and loaning materials easier and more convenient for all parties involved.
 
“There’s nothing to break, nothing to melt in your car, to get peanut butter on—it’s all just going to be there on your device,” Varley says. “And we just thought with as many people out there in the world who have tablets and smartphones, and as that gets more prolific, people expect to be able to use things on their device. We want it to be right there in terms of technology needs.”