It’s no big secret that one of the library’s primary purposes is connecting readers to books. It’s the first thing people think of when you say ‘library’ and many of our programs are tied to reading for enjoyment, learning, information, literacy, etc. Even though this is such an important part of what we do, this purpose is locked behind a rectangular piece of plastic called the library card.

Thanks to our online library card application form [1] and digital collections [2], access to the library’s collection has never been easier. However, obtaining a card requires time, residency, and motivation. You may not always encounter customers who have all three when you’re out discussing library services. So, what if you were able to present a large amount of ebooks which only required a brief wifi connection and a mobile device? Would an outreach visit be more fun if you could get people reading Dark Horse comics that very day? What about visiting a hospital and letting doctors know the library can provide healthy living books to clients – even if they are staying in a hotel while a loved one is in the hospital or even if they can’t get a card immediately? If you’re reaching out to church congregations in your area, a collection geared toward faith could be an enticement to put aside any fear they may have that the library is out to destroy their way of life.

With geolocation, the Biblioboard collection [3] is busted wide open. In addition to the great indie ebooks (not available anywhere else), we’ve added three new collections to support outreach and with the hope new readers will find a reason to embrace the library, get hooked, and, when they are ready, ‘upgrade’ to a card to unlock the full range of services! As with all Biblioboard books these collections are always available.

Ready to read now, no card required:

Dark Horse Comics [4]

Enjoy works about some of the most iconic comic book characters of our time with this collection from Dark Horse Comics. With books for children and adults alike, these Anthologies have something for every lover of comics. Check out comics about Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Hellboy, Alien vs. Predator, Conan and many more!

Healthy Cooking [5]

This collection features dozens of cookbooks, useful for any diet or very specific ones, including gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, paleo, 5:2, dash diet and more. The collection also includes volumes on general nutrition, canning, healthcare, brain health and more.

For Christian Readers [6]

400 Christian eBooks including Children’s Books and Bibles, Christian Living, Devotions and Inspiration, Fiction, Leadership and more. Highlights include the Wiersbe Bible Study series, the BE series, Never Stop Holding Hands: And Other Marriage Survival Tips and Franchising McChurch: Feeding Our Obsession with Easy Christianity and much more.

Stream from the web or download the Biblioboard app for iOS/Android/Kindle Fire. Be sure to have location services turned on!

 Action steps

• If you haven’t already, download the Biblioboard app
• Download an ebook
• What are some ways you can think of to promote this collection to the community?
• What are some places you think an open collection would be useful?