Have you heard the hoopla about the library’s newest digital product? Coincidentally, it’s called hoopla! So what is it exactly? It’s online access to thousands of movies, television, music and audiobook titles, free to you with a Thunder Bay Public Library card. You need to have an email address and set a PIN on your library card. Download the free hoopla digital mobile app on your Android or IOS device or visit hoopladigital.com on your PC, set up your account and away you go. Here are few details about the service.
Loan periods vary. You can enjoy most movie and TV content for 72 hours (3 days) after borrowing (a very small number of movie titles are available for 48 hours). Music albums are available for 7 days, and audiobooks are available for 21 days. And you don’t have to worry about fines as these items are automatically returned.
Limits exist. You can borrow 8 items per month (based on a calendar month). But the really good thing is it that there’s no waiting – access is 24/7 with no “holds” lists. Please note that returning a title early does not give you additional borrows for that month.
It’s kind of like Netflix. The look is similar but the content is different. Hoopla offers an extensive catalogue of education materials, children’s titles, foreign films and other hard-to-find content in addition to mainstream movies, TV and music. Best of all, you get same day release of popular music albums. And hoopla puts together themed collections. Right now there’s Festive Family Flicks in movies, Cozy, Contemporary Christmas in music and Holiday Stories in audiobooks.
Content changes. New material is added weekly but due to copyright limitations some titles don’t last long. Get it while it’s hot!
Downloading is temporary. Borrowed titles are only available for temporary download on mobile devices, such as iOS (iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch) and supported Android phones or tablets. All titles are streamed so you do need an Internet connection, at least to start.
Help is available. There is an extensive section in hoopla itself: https://www.hoopladigital.com/support plus our personal technology assistant is ready to help as well. Just call Margaret at 345-8275 (extension 7251) or email mdemillo@tbpl.ca to make an appointment.
No privacy worries. No one can see what titles you have borrowed. As an added bonus, there are no ads either.
Like what you’re hearing? You can get to hoopla right from the library’s webpage (www.tbpl.ca) by clicking on Online Stuff. You can also like hoopla on Facebook at facebook.com/hoopladigital, follow on Twitter at @hoopladigital, and subscribe on YouTube at youtube.com/hoopladigital. I’m sure you will indeed find something you like with hoopla!
Sylvia Renaud
2 comments:
I am looking forward to getting this for myself and my teenager. thanks TBPL
That's great -- hope you like it! :)
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