Beyond Books
Our area libraries have more than books and media available for check-out.
The New Orleans Public Library System, with 15 locations, and the Jefferson Parish Library System, with 16 locations, provide cardholders in good standing with books, documents, language learning programs, educational materials and tools, huge amounts of digital media, tutorials, and so much more.
You don't necessarily even need to go to the library to access the digital media available in both library systems. Show and movie streaming services including, but not limited to, Hoopla and Kanopy have thousands of titles to peruse from an app on your smart TV. Music lovers can peruse millions of songs through Freegal Music, Qello, and Classica. New Orleans Public Library began the proprietary Crescent City Sounds music streaming service to promote hometown music and musicians. The tunes and playlists are curated by local library staffers, musicians, and journalists.
More than just entertainment, streaming services including Creativebug provide arts and craft tutorial videos. LinkedIn Learning offers courses to learn beginner to advanced professional skills. Of course, e-books and audiobooks can be digitally checked-out through services including Libby, NoveList, Louisiana Digital Library, and Louisiana Public Library Ebook Collection.
Jefferson Parish Library cardholders can access Niche Academy learning tutorials that cover numerous topics. For example, Auto Repair Source contains instructions on how to do repairs for many car models.
In 2023, Jefferson Parish Library began offering an array of items for check-out that have little to do with literature. From this specialized "Beyond Books: Library of Things," cardholders can check out an array of items including sewing machines, telescopes, cooking and kitchen supplies, instruments, and record players.
While libraries have several computers for use to create documents or access the internet, you can check-out Wi-Fi hotspots from the Jefferson Parish Library for up to 21 days. New Orleans Public Library has Samsung A7 Lite tablets for check-out of up to six months with unlimited data, and these devices can be used as a mobile hotspot, if needed. The tablets are pre-loaded with educational and entertainment apps.
Specialized Library Items
The East New Orleans Regional Library offers tools mainly for the purpose of cleaning out catch basins to prevent clogging and flooding during storms as a part of the CleanUp NOLA Tool Library. The tools were collected thanks to Keep Louisiana Beautiful's Healthy Communities Grant, and the program opened in 2022. The Tool Library includes supplies such as shovels, rakes, gloves, and wheelbarrows.
City Librarian and Executive Director Emliy Painton explained the idea behind the specialized library items, "Modern-day libraries are tasked with meeting modern-day needs. The CleanUp NOLA Tool Library is one more way we're doing just that—providing the resources our community needs, whether it be something you expect to find in a library or not."
New Orleans Public Library also offers practical pieces specifically for the kitchen. The Rosa F. Keller Library and Community Center holds the city's Cake Pan Collection. The professional-grade cake pans were donated by Delgado Community College's Culinary Arts Chair Angela Wilson because her personal collection was growing too large. She said, "I knew that there were places where they started these tool libraries, where you can go and check tools out, and I thought, 'Why couldn't we do that with cake pans?'"
Circulation and Customer Experience Librarian Heather Riley continued, "With access to free, high-quality tools, we're removing at least one financial barrier for home-bakers and small business owners. We're also reimagining what a library is by circulating these unconventional materials, which is part of what we think it means to have open doors."
Library cardholders with green thumbs can enjoy New Orleans Public Library's Seed Library and take home some fruit and vegetable seeds to try their hands at gardening. These seeds can be paired with one of the regular herb and gardening classes held at select libraries on weekday nights and weekends. Luckily, you don't have to bring the seeds back to this library.
More Than Items
In both parish systems, one of the most useful things you can check-out is a librarian. Cardholders can book windows of time with a librarian who can assist with various services, including digging deeper into the literature that the library holds, aiding in research for school projects, delving into genealogical and historical records, perusing newspaper archives, and helping with creating a résumé. Those who have difficulty with computers, smartphones, or internet services can receive their assistance, as well.
Our libraries are also fantastic resources for community outreach initiatives. Beyond physical and digital items, those wanting to get more involved with the community can join an event, group, or class hosted by their local library. Local libraries have hosted Bollywood-style dance classes, hula hooping for adults, kitten yoga, free notary service days, horror movie meetups for adults, and so much more. Get out of the libraries and into cultural institutions with experience passes available in both systems; they allow cardholders access to museums and live performances.
Check out nolalibrary.org and jplibrary.net for more information on the services the systems provide and to learn more about upcoming events.
