1. How to Use Sonoma County Library Online Resources
Presented by
Vicki Chavez
Adult Services Librarian
Windsor Regional Library
August 13, 2018
Good afternoon! Thank you Donna and Andrea, for inviting me to the PC Computer User’s Group meeting to show you the Library’s Resources. My name is Vicki Chavez; I am the Adult Services Librarian at the Windsor Library. I am joined by my colleague, Lisa Sigler, to help me today. She is very proficient and knowledgeable in the use of ebooks and audiobooks.
Today we are going to learn about the library’s online resources: our databases, ebooks and audiobooks with an emphasis on using them on your PC. I hope that when you leave here today you feel comfortable getting to the library’s website and locating resources I have talked about today. Andy, maybe you will also be able to use them on your computer or smart device.

2. What Does the Library Offer?
50+ online databases
Free
For people of all ages
In English & Spanish
Use anywhere you have Internet access
Through our website at you can access more than 50 online databases. Here you can learn how to repair a car, learn a new language, read magazines and much more. Access to these databases is FREE and you can find information for people of all ages.
Some of the databases are available in Spanish. For example, Proquest, a newspaper database which offers access to the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and the Press Democrat, also gives access to Spanish Language newspapers and media.
And, Odilo, is a source for ebooks in Spanish. If you have the Internet you have access to these databases.

3. Where Can I Find the Databases?
Sonoma County Library’s website at
You will need your
Library card
PIN number
You can find the databases at (see above).
Or, you can refer to the library’s brochure that lists each resource and its web address.
Before we get started, we should establish that you have probably noticed in using your computers or smart devices, that there is more than one way to do anything. The same is true of the library’s resources. Today, I am going to primarily use one path to review the resources, which I hope will limit any confusion.
OPEN WEBSITE HERE
If we take a look at our website you will find a lot of information. There is a “scrolling” banner in the middle of the page which highlights programs at the library, you can find, ”Jobs at the library”, read about the Library Adivsory Board, etc. There are also many menus to choose from – “Books and More”, Services, and Events, but we will spend most of our time using the “Research Menu”.

4. What we offer – a sampling:
Consumer Reports
Lynda.com
Ancestry.com
OverDrive
Axis360
Hoopla
While we offer many great resources at the library, today we will be focusing on these.

5. Consumer Reports
Unbiased product testing, consumer-oriented research, & public education.
Access product reviews inside or outside the library
Find articles on topical issues
Content similar to content in print
Need Library Card to use from outside
the library
Unbiased product testing, consumer-oriented research, and public education.
Access product reviews from home or in the library
Find articles on topical issues
Finances
Summer products
Latest automobiles, and more
Find articles on topical issues (Go to the “News” drop down menu
Content similar to content in print
OPEN CONSUMER REPORTS
****Need Library Card to use it outside the library ***
Talk about need to buy a new refrigerator as an example
Use example of “Tablets” for search

6. Lynda.com
An online learning platform available from home or in the library
Take courses/watch videos
Technology
Software
Business
Creative skills
An online learning platform available from home or in the library
Take courses/watch videos
Technology
Software
Business
Creative skills
OPEN LYNDA
In Lynda.com, Under the “Library” drop-down menu you can choose a “subject” of interest. For example, you can click on “Business” and then choose from “Topics” of interest, “Software”, “Learning Paths”, or “Guides”. Or you can search for something specific that you’d like to learn about, like “how to use a computer”

7. Ancestry Library Edition
A source for genealogical research
Free access to Ancestry.com
Must be used in the library
View/download/print different types of records
Ship manifests/Immigration information
Census Data
Vital Statistics
Historical data
A source for genealogical research
Free access to Ancestry.com
Must be used in the library
View/download/print different types of records
Ship manifests/Immigration information
Census Data
Vital Statistics
Historical data

8. This is an example of the Ancestry. com Library edition looks like
This is an example of the Ancestry.com Library edition looks like. You need to use it in the Library, but it is worth coming to the library for. It can save you money (rather than subscribing to it), and you can also look at all the other great genealogy resources the library has to offer.

9. The Catalog – A (Really) Brief Overview
Available at
Search for books in a variety of formats as well as other available materials
Shows you books/materials available from Sonoma County Library (SCL) and the Lake and Mendocino County libraries
Does not limit the types of materials at SCL
Available at
Search for books in a variety of formats as well as other available materials
Shows you books/materials available from Sonoma County Library (SCL) and the Lake and Mendocino County libraries
Does not limit the types of materials from SCL
OPEN CATALOG
Use the Find catalog to search for books you want. For example, you might have heard of the popular “The Great Alone”, by Kristin Hannah (search General Keyword – great alone Kristin Hannah
We will not be using the SCL catalog today to find ebooks or audiobooks, but I point it out because, it we get into the habit of only looking at the resources I will show you next, you might not be aware of everything the library owns.

10. OverDrive = E-books Borrow up to 6 E-books at a time
Return a book, get a new one in its place
Read the book on a computer, Kindle or other smart device
Items return automatically after loan period
No overdue fees!
No Audiobooks in Overdrive
OverDrive’s app is called Libby
Now we come to OverDrive.
You can borrow 6 books at a time, and place 6 books on “hold”. Once a book is returned, if you are a voracious reader, you can replace it with another.
They have an app that was recently launched called “Libby”. The app can be downloaded to your smart device.
OPEN OverDrive
No need to create a separate account – Use your library card and PIN numbers
Select the green “Sign In” button
Select “Sonoma County Library, type in library card and PIN numbers
Begin borrowing books
You can “filter” the books to include “Available”. Check out a book and read it on your computer.

11. Axis360 = Audiobooks Borrow up to 6 Audiobooks at a time
Return an audiobook and get another one in its place
Same as borrowing a physical book – place on Hold if desired book in use Listen to it on a computer using the “Magic Wall”
Items return automatically after 3 weeks – no overdue fees
No E-books in Axis360
Borrow 6 items at time.
You can return the book and get another in it’s place.
You can place 6 books on hold.
Books return automatically. There are no fees/no overdues.
Audiobooks are great for people who like to “read” on the go. I use it all the time while I am driving and walking to catch up on my reading.They are a helpful alternative to reading books for the visually impaired. Also, they can have very talented people reading the books, which makes listening to them very enjoyable.
OPEN AXIS 360
You arrive at the “Magic Wall”. Check out and listen to books on the “Magic Wall” on a computer or smart device
Need to create an account
Have library card and PIN number available
Make note of login information for future use

12. Hoopla = E-Books, Audiobooks & More in One Place
Stream E-books, E-Audiobooks, movies, TV shows, music & comic books
No holds = no waiting to use their services
6 items per month limit
Items return automatically – no overdues/no fines
You will need to create an account
Library card
address
Create a password
Make note of this info for future use
A streaming service – SCL does not own these materials
We do not own the items in Hoopla
Holdings in Hoopla may change (I have found that some books that I borrowed in the past are no longer available on Hoopla)
OPEN HOOPLA
Use on Iphone/Ipad, KindleFire, other Smart devices and computers
You need your library card!

13. Using the Apps How they might look on your “Smart” device
This is a snapshot of the apps on my iPhone. You will notice that I have Hoopla, Libby (also known as OverDrive) and Axis360. The other app with our logo on it is the Sonoma County Library app. It allows you to search the catalog for titles and place books on hold. I have put all of my Library apps into a common folder on my iPhone

14. Getting Apps on Smart Devices
Use your smart device
Go to
Go to “Books & More” menu
Select E-books
Select the app you want
Click on it to download to your device
Open the app and start searching
Download and read your book
At the E-books menu you will find OverDrive, Axis360 & Hoopla, so this is a good starting place
In this case, I am choosing Hoopla because I can get both e-books & audiobooks as well as other streaming services from the same place.
You can either select “Instantly Stream Now” or “More Information”
Click on Instantly Stream Now
Scroll to the bottom of the page – here you can select the type of advice you want to put the app on

15. OverDrive – Kindle e-readers
Go to “Books and More” menu
Choose “Search Our Catalog”
Title search “Broken Harbor” by Tana French
Click “Borrow” and enter your library card & PIN numbers
Select “Kindle” edition, press enter
Amazon.com will open up
Make sure you are logged in to Amazon
You will be asked where you want the book delivered
Click “Get Library Book”
The book is now on your Kindle e-reader
Scroll to the middle of the page to find the Libby App (if you want the Libby App it is best to begin on the device you would use the app for)
If you plan to use a Kindle e-reader, you must start from the catalog to borrow your book. Make sure you are logged in to your Amazon Account because the book will be sent directly to that account.
The Amazon Kindle app for your Ipad/Iphone or other smart devices works exactly the same way
OPEN KINDLE AND CHOOSE THE BOOK KITCHEN GODS OF THE MIDWEST

20. Email Address Updates Vicki Chavez Lisa Sigler
Lisa Sigler