Digital library by pixabay.com

Your virtual library

open 24/7 during Lockdown and beyond

As much as you love your tattered copy of Pride and prejudice or To kill a mockingbird, you are likely wondering what you are going to do when you have exhausted your home bookcase during Lockdown. Never fear, even when our physical libraries are closed, our digital branch has numerous online options to satisfy your craving for new books to devour, all free with a Dunedin Public Libraries Library card.

Romance lovers have their own dedicated service: Romance BookCloud. You'll find a range of different Romance genres including: Historical, Paranormal, LGBTQ, Time Travel, War, Western and Suspense. There is pretty much something for every kind of Romance reader.

Audiobook lovers (an ever-increasing number as people discover the joy and convenience of consuming books this way) are well catered for. Borrowbox has a huge range of audiobooks to suit all tastes, including titles by blockbuster authors such as Lucinda Riley and Lee Child, and classics such as The Color Purple by Alice Walker. There’s also a wide range of non-fiction titles including Hinemoa Elder’s Aroha and the new Amy Winehouse biography. I’m currently reading Big little lies by Liane Moriarty (yes, the basis for the hit TV series). Ulverscroft's uLibrary has a wealth of amazing books to listen to, including titles by Ann Cleeves, Jo Nesbo, and Captain Sir Tom Moore’s Tomorrow Will Be a Good Day.

Top tip: there are often fewer holds on uLibrary titles than Borrowbox ones, so less waiting time!

If you prefer to read with your eyes rather than your ears, we have plenty of eBooks to keep you entertained. Borrowbox has eBooks galore as well as the eAudiobooks already mentioned. Wheelers' ePlatform is our other free eBook service, with a fantastic selection of titles including new bestseller Klara and the sun by Kazuo Ishiguro and Prison break by NZ’s most infamous escapee, Arthur Taylor.

There are also eBook and eAudiobook options for kids on all of our eBook and eAudiobook services, plus there is a very special collection of streaming stories available through StoryBox Library. Very handy if caregivers are getting tired of hearing “Read the story again! Again!” or “I’m bored” while trying to work from home.

Missing our DVD collection? Why not check out Beamafilm, our very own free, streaming film service. You will find films, documentaries, and TV series not often available on pay streaming sites. There are titles suitable for all members of the family; just sign in with your Library card number then create your own free Beamafilm account to watch on your computer, tablet, phone or cast to your TV.

We are adding new eBooks and eAudiobooks regularly, especially while our physical buildings are closed. Visit our Digital Library page on our website to access all of these, and other free services.