Silver City -- Silver City Public Library customers may now enjoy free access to The New York Times, The New York Times Cooking, and The New York Times Games, compliments of the New Mexico State Library. This addition complements the library's already substantial online media options available to its customers free of charge.
Since late last year library card holders have had access to free TV, music and movie downloads, e-books and audio books, online magazines, popular comics, language learning and genealogy research tools.
“We're very happy that thanks to the New Mexico State Library, all New Mexicans are able to access this vital, national newspaper," said Lillian Galloway, Silver City Public Library assistant director. “Facilitating this access meets our library’s mission of providing access to information and ideas, and connecting people to the wider world.”
In addition to reporting on the most important national and international news of the day, The New York Times offers the latest information on nearly every topic including financial management, parenting, politics and more.
The New York Times Cooking is an inspiring cooking guide, innovative and interactive kitchen tool, and offers a diverse recipe collection that helps home cooks of every level discover, save and organize the world’s best recipes, while also helping them become better, more competent cooks.
The New York Times Games have captivated solvers since the launch of the Crossword in 1942. Our experts create engaging word and visual games that stimulate and keep the mind sharp. All Games are available on the web and NYT App; Crossword and Spelling Bee are available in the Crossword App.
To access The New York Times news, cooking, and games for free, use the links on the Digital Services page on the library’s website, silvercitypubliclibrary.org.
Other online platforms offered by the Silver City Library include Hoopla, Flipster, Comics Plus, Rocket Languages and Ancestry.com.
Hoopla offers access to a wide variety of free TV and movie downloads, similar to Netflix, as well as e-books, audio books, comics, and music, with a limit of five downloads per month per library card holder. The platform greatly expands and complements the library's existing e-book and audiobook collection, accessible via Overdrive and the Libby app, which the library has been using since 2014.
For magazine lovers, Flipster is an online magazine platform, offering popular titles such as the New Yorker, Atlantic Monthly, National Geographic, Popular Mechanics and Rolling Stone.
Comics Plus dramatically expands the library's comics collection and includes a built-in reader function which allows patrons to flip page-by-page electronically. Content includes thousands of digital comics, graphic novels, and manga from more than 100 library-friendly publishers. Titles include many popular and award-winning comics such as Avatar, Star Trek, Manga Classics, Bone, Locke and Key, Geronimo Stilton, Lumberjanes and Nancy Drew.
Rocket Languages is a language learning app for people of all ages who want to learn any of 14 languages. The tool supports all types of learning styles - visual, audio, reading and writing - with 120 hours of interactive instruction in Spanish, Italian, German, French, Japanese, Arabic, Russian, ESL for Spanish speakers, American Sign Language - even Baby Sign Language. The platform offers interactive lessons and games for helping users improve their conversational skills with native speakers, and a tool for recording one's voice and comparing it to the native speaker for improved intonation and pronunciation.
Ancestry.com can be accessed onsite, and offers content not available elsewhere, Galloway said. "Genealogy researchers can access things like census records, ship manifests to check for passenger names, labor records and other helpful information."
Library staff have also dedicated time to creating thousands of pages of digital files of local newspapers and other content previously available only on microfilm and in print. The Silver City Daily Press and Independent, The Silver City Enterprise, and other newspapers and publications are now electronically accessible using key word searches and an alphabetized biography index, making research much easier.
"Often our customers are surprised by the amount of free, online content that's available," added Galloway. "We're happy to have this opportunity to further expand these offerings."
All of these new resources are available at no cost to library card holders using computer web browsers or mobile apps. For patrons without computers or internet access, all services may be accessed by using the library's computers and internet service. Hoopla, Flipster, Comics Plus and Rocket Languages will require users to create an online account with their library card number, and include content for adults, teens and children. Parents and caregivers are responsible for guiding minors to age-appropriate content.
For more information, call the library at (575) 538-3672 or email ref@silvercitymail.com. Library hours are Monday through Thursday, 9 am to 6 pm; Fridays, 10 am to 5 pm, and Saturdays from 10 am to 3 pm. The library is closed on Sunday.