eReader Books

If you received the most popular gift of the season -an e-reader - then you should get to know eLibraryNj.com (formerly ListenNJ). The site changed its name to reflect their broader content base. It began in 2007 with audiobooks and now eBooks are the dominant format.

The Newark Public Library is a part of this system of Loaner e-Books - all you need is a library card (well your library card number - free for Newark residents, students, or those who work in town). The system offers a variety of books - everything from cookbooks, romance novels to books made popular through movies (The Help, The Girl with Dragon Tattoo) AND everything in between. The books can be downloaded to readers or computers or can be listened to on ipods. There are over 22,000 titles in their collection.

The biggest issue with this system: the most popular books have waiting lists - long waiting lists for popular titles. According to Eileen Palmer (Executive Director of Libraries of Middlesex Automation Consortium who manages eLibrary) the average wait time for an item is 17 days. So act soon and enjoy some quality time with your new eReader.

Many cities (including Newark) are cutting library budgets, but it's times like these when services such as eLibraryNJ are such an asset. Take a tour of how you can use the service here.