Digital for the Holidays

The holidays are not just quickly approaching – they’ve arrived! And with every dollar being stretched, this is a great time to talk about the free resources at the Crawfordsville District Public Library. If you have a library card – you do have a library card, right? – I’m sure you know about the wide variety of movies, documentaries, and music we have available to check out. But did you know you also have access to numerous online resources? Let’s dig in!

First on our list is “Kanopy” and “Kanopy Kids”. What is the holiday season without holiday movies? Kanopy gives you free access to thousands of movies, documentaries, and TV shows. You can also set up Kanopy Kids, which has a curated collection for children with parental controls.

“Libby” gives you free access to thousands of e-books and audiobooks. You can download this app to your phone or tablet and read your library books through the Kindle app or on your Kindle device. I know lots of people who prefer the real deal when it comes to books. That was me as well until COVID. When faced with the prospect of no books to borrow, I bought a Kindle and now use both. It’s also a very convenient way to take your books along when you travel!

If you didn’t find what you were looking for on “Kanopy” or “Libby,” then “Hoopla” might have it. Hoopla gives you free access to thousands of e-books, e-comics, audiobooks, movies, and music. And just like the first two options, “Hoopla” has a free app you can download from the Apple App Store, the Google Play Store, or wherever you find your apps.

Next, if you are interested in learning about how other cultures celebrate the holidays, check out “A to Z World Culture.” This database has 84 categories of information about culture, language, history, food, and religion for 175 countries. There are even great recipes as well!

If arts and crafts are what you’re looking for, then “Creativebug” likely has it with over 1000 video classes that are taught by top designers, artists, and educators. These courses include drawing, painting, crocheting, knitting, weaving, sewing, and much more! If you would like to master a new creative skill, look no further.

We hope that these options enhance your holiday enjoyment!