New Milford Library Adapts

Offers educational and recreational resources with library card

We here at CCM are big fans of libraries. They are among the true bedrocks of a society. With COVID-19, they are naturally going to be closed for social distancing, leaving a large gap in the ability for residents to walk to their local library just take out a book or utilize any of the other resources. The New Milford Library put out a list of recreational resources that can still be utilized during this time.

Separated into recreational and educational resources, there is something for everyone. “During this period when you are unable to check out print materials and DVDs,” they said in their April newsletter, “you may still enjoy the ebooks, eaudiobooks and streaming services we have to offer.”

SimplyE is a ebook and audiobook resource that includes the library’s collection of titles from RBdigital and Axis 360, but also from the Connecticut State Library’s Baker & Taylor collection and Connecticut State Library’s RBdigital collection, plus more – just download the app and enjoy all these selections.

The Foundation Directory is normally a library only resource, but during the COVID-19 crisis, the parent company Candid has graciously offered free remote access to New Milford patrons.

For those looking for something to watch – we are in the golden age of television after all – there are two options, Hoopla and Kanopy. Through Hoopla, there is access to thousands of movies, television shows, music albums, ebooks, audiobooks, and comics. Kanopy is a streaming service quite like Netflix, and is considered a film buffs dream, where you can stream dozens and dozens of movies from the Criterion Collection and beyond. And the children’s department has started a series of story-time videos on Youtube, reading picture books aloud for the library’s youngest patrons.

There will still be access to the normal online databases and courses that residents with a library card always had. This means that the library will still be a great place to enrich the mind, even during the middle of a crisis.

They’re also holding a stuck at home challenge, which is pretty simple to enter. You can complete one of 13 challenges including reading or listening to a book, learning something new, going for a walk in the woods, trying a new recipe, painting or drawing a picture of your family, reviewing a movie or game, playing a game or doing a puzzle, trying a new craft or sport, showing your pet doing a trick, telling them a fun fact about your family, finding a sign of spring, talking about your favorite book, or writing a poem.

Once you fill out and send in a form, you can win one of three prize packages that include things like board games, coloring books, and gift cards. It’s just one of the many ways that the New Milford Library is showing that even if you can’t go to the building, you can still learn new things or read new books, really anything you want. It’s pretty clear that no matter what the day brings, there is always a good reason to have a library card.