Free e-book service available for library customers

Christchurch City Libraries is offering a new service which allows library customers to download electronic books at no cost at any time of the day.

Customers are able to download a choice of more than 1600 e-book titles, including fiction and non-fiction for all ages, from the library’s collection to their computer or portable devices such as smartphones. New titles are regularly added.

Libraries and Information Unit Manager Carolyn Robertson says the service will allow library users to enjoy an e-book at any time of the day. “This is another alternative to the traditional library book. If people can’t make it to the library, want to pack light because they’re going away for the weekend or if they fancy a read at midnight because they can’t sleep, they can download a title.”

The service can be accessed via the libraries’ OverDrive website, a link to which can be found on the front page of the libraries’ website http://christchurchcitylibraries.com. Customers need their library card and a pin number to ‘check out’ an e-book.

Christchurch City Libraries is one of the first libraries in New Zealand to offer the e-book service. It follows the launch of the OverDrive audiobook service in October 2009, which has proved popular. There are currently more than 1100 audiobooks available for use.

Library membership is free. For more information, visit http://christchurchcitylibraries.com