but an inter-library loan request will draw from any of the
seven libraries in the Santa Clara County library system. “It
gives you a large breadth of materials to select from and it’s
convenient,” Geddes said. After logging into your account and
requesting an item, you receive an email notification when
your material is ready and you can come pick it up.
Entertainment
With a library account, e-books and audiobooks are both
downloadable on any device, phone, iPad, tablet, and so
on. Through the library website, Odilo offers e-books and
magazines in Spanish and HyRead offers them in Chinese.
Additionally, the library showcases the latest tablets and
e-readers at a display station for members to test out the
technology. Freegal allows members to download five free
songs per week (for all ages) or two videos. Additional enter-
tainment includes 30,000 downloadable indie movies through
Kanopy and British TV shows through Acorn TV.
Kids can also enjoy e-books and audiobooks, download-
able movies and TV shows, as well as ComicsPlus e-comics.
Kanopy and Acorn also have offerings for children.
Education
Education is a cornerstone of the library’s online offerings.
Adults have access to Universal Class, a suite of hundreds
of online courses fr om Accounting 101 to Pet Grooming.
“A wide breadth of classes for your own personal enrichment
and development,” Geddes said. They can also access
Lynda.com, a tech-focused online learning program for adults.
Rosetta Stone, the popular language learning program, is
available to teach 30 different languages, including ESL, and
can be synced with a free app on a phone or tablet with a
library account. Through Kanopy, members can access The
Great Courses series of audio and video courses that range
from such subjects as business to fine arts, history to
social sciences.
Kids can take advantage of BrainFuse HelpNow, home-
work help with live online tutoring; ABC Mouse for children
ages 2 to 8, which provides early literacy programs and
22
GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN
online learning games; Ready Rosie, a resource for parents
with short parenting videos in English and Spanish to build
early learning skills; and the Discover and Go program,
which provides access to museum passes in the bay area
with a library card.
Research
Research databases, online encyclopedias, and other
educational materials are available both in the library and
online. They provide access to a variety of databases divided up
by subject area.
LIVE AND ONGOING LIBRARY PROGRAMS
The library is also proud to be a community partner with local
organizations and groups such as Friends of the Library and
AAUW, and sponsors workshops, classes and speaker series.
Library classes include ESL, weekly bridge and Zumba
classes, as well as monthly craft and gardening classes. There
are also monthly classes for kids in such fun educational
topics as computer coding and robotics. Community
members can also rent program rooms for one-off classes
and events.
The library continues to foster an early love of literacy
with story times for babies, toddlers, and even bilingual
story time.
In the summer, when kids
who typically get their lunches
from school are out of school,
in partnership with the YMCA
and Second Harvest Food Bank,
the library offers free, healthy
lunches Monday through Friday,
from 12 to 1 pm to kids and
their families.
Geddes feels that the library is
so many different things to differ-
ent people. “I see us as balanc-
ing the many different needs of
our community,” she said.
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018
gmhtoday.com