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What's New at the Library!

OPPL chooses the Polaris Library System.

The Ouachita Parish Public Library has chosen a new Integrated Library System, the Polaris Library System. The Polaris Library System is the most highly rated library system among all vendors. An integrated system controls many things in the library including checkout/checkin, cataloging and inventory control, holds, duedates, holidays, the online catalog, and many other things. Without a library system a modern library cannot run.

The move to the Polaris system will take several months but the estimated go-live date is June 3rd. We will experience some down time for the basic system and many of the ancillary pieces that are dependent on the ILS, like the telephone notice system, wireless authentication, AquaBrowser, eBook access, database access, the catalog, and others. While we are down you can still check items out at any branch but you will need to have your library card with you as we will not be able to look you up. So please have your card with you or be sure to apply for a replacement if you no longer have your card.

We ask for your patience as we bring these wonderful products back on line after our migration to Polaris. If you have any questions about our move to Polaris please feel free to contact: Eileen Kontrovitz, Head of Automation.

NextReads

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Click here (opens as a Word document) to read more about it!

Youniquely4U

Youniquely4U is a patron VIP program that keys in on your individual interests and leads you to both web content and library programming tailored to those interests. Every time you check out items at the library you will be given an additional receipt with a web site URL and a PIN number. When you visit that site you will see a wealth of information based on the subject of the item. For example, if you check out a book on dogs you will be directed to a series of web pages on dog and pet care, grooming, health, and more. You will also be able to print money off coupons from national and local companies for related items. OPPL is an early adopter of the program so some features will be forthcoming.

MyLibraryBookstore

Want to read a new book with dozens of requests and don't want to wait? Want to buy the new best seller? Want to get that newly released CD, DVD or Video game for yourself or someone else? Well now you can do it directly from the Library catalog! Search any title or author and when your search comes back you will see a new button that says BUY NOW. That button takes you to the fully interactive MyLibraryBookstore. You can either get the exact item you searched or browse around and find anything you want to read, listen to, or watch.

Just follow this link or any MyLibraryBookstore link from the home page or the catalog. You can shop at a discount similar to Amazon.com and get your items shipped directly to your home or anywhere else you designate. AND the library will get a portion of the profits so you will help us sustain our collections and programming - convenient for you and a help to us. This new service is brought to you in conjuction with Baker & Taylor and SirsiDynix. Keep checking for more items and more features!

New Wireless Internet Access at all Branches. Free!

Want to use your own laptop to access the Internet while you are in the library? Now you can at all branches. Just connect to our network using your library barcode and PIN or sign in as a guest. Follow this link for more information.

Book Babble:

Click the icon for Book Babble

Book Babble is a blog for the public. We at OPPL wish to provide a unique online experience for our patrons. Book Babble will be used to offer information on the library, book reviews, and notices on upcoming library events. Please feel free to comment on any postings. We encourage it! Suggest books to review and programs you would like to see. You can also send questions and we'll be happy to post the answers.

Playaway Digital Books:

Want digital ebooks but don't own a computer or MP3 player? The answer is Playaway Digital Books. Every Playaway comes already loaded with your favorite book from novels to biographies, languages to history lessons.

Listening no longer has to be complicated. Just open the package, insert the battery, plug in the earphones and turn it on. Don't have head phones? The library will even sell you earbuds for a dollar.

Enjoy digital sound from a lightweight player with eight simple buttons. Wear it around your neck or stick it in your pocket. From novels to biographies, languages to business best sellers, Playaway comes already loaded with your favorite content .

Nothing to do - but listen.

RecordedBooks Downloadable Digital Books:

We now offer hundreds of digital downloadable audiobook titles, including bestsellers such as David McCullough’s 1776 and Alexander McCall Smith’s The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, classics such as Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Bronte’s Wuthering Heights, and the award-winning Pimsleur language series.  More titles are added monthly. Best of all, this exciting and convenient new service is FREE from your library with a library card.  See the future of audiobooks at the Ouachita Parish Public  Library.  Connect, Click and Listen!

• this service can be accessed from any computer, 24 hours a day, seven days a week
• unlimited copies are available, so there are no more holds to worry about
• no more overdue fines – unless they are renewed, titles cease to play after 21 days
• patrons can check out up to 10 titles at one time
• downloading is available without any special software, with either dial-up or high speed, to your computer or portable player

Click here for more information on Downloadable Audio Books.

TumbleTalkingBooks for Adults:

Ouachita Parish Public Library's newest service is TumbleTalkingBooks for adults. The TumbleTalkingBooks online catalogue contains a growing collection of streamable audio books. Many contain 3 minute samples to listen to before you begin the entire book. You can visit the TumbleTalkingBooks catalog at any time.

These books are never on hold or checked out and many people can listen to the same book at a time. You can listen to any book whenever you want for as long as you want, and then bookmark your place and return and listen again at your convenience.

TumbleTalkingBooks are ideal for readers of all ages and abilities, even those learning English as a second language.

Click here for more information on TumbleTalkingBooks for Adults.

TumbleReadables:

TumbleReadables are a collection of large print electronic books with allows you to read books online by simply clicking a button. No special font software.

The TumblePad Reader, with its innovative font size slider, enables the viewer to raise the font size to up to 34 point, bringing the joy of reading to young, old, and vision impaired. We can now provide readers of every ability and interest with unlimited remote access to a collection of titles licensed from North American book publishers.

People who have difficulties reading small print, who are partially sighted, visually challenged, or just enjoy reading on line and want to enlarge the print can enjoy classic novels, best sellers and more. The collection includes classics like War and Peace, David Copperfield, Robinson Crusoe, Fiction like the Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan, Sophie's Choice by William Styron, and Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut. We also have Non Fiction like Winston Churchill's, Their Finest Hour, children's chapter book, YA novels, High Interest/Low Level books, and classic tales.

Click here for TumbleReadables.

TumbleBooks:

TumbleBooks is an online collection of animated, talking picture books, reading comprehension quizzes, educational games, and teacher resources for children and teachers. Listen to a book or read along with the sound off. Play learning games and do puzzles right on your home computer. You can also download interactive reading software.

Click here for TumbleBooks.

The best kept secret in the Library - Ouachita Digital Archive!

For a couple of years now Ouachita Parish Public Library has had an impressive collection of original photos and documents digitized for patron access 24x7 in the Digital Library system.

Access can be gained by clicking on the Digital Library link here or on link on the Genealogy page.Once in the catalog you can manipulate the documents to enlarge, rotate, print, save, or even email to a friend.

We have hundreds of vintage photos of Monroe, West Monroe, Ouachita Parish, and more. You very well might find a vintage photo of friends or relatives. See the oldest photos in our collection of the 1867 Monroe fire. See turn of the 20th century photos of people and places around Ouachita Parish. In short if you are doing research on the history of our area this is the place you should be.

You can search by keywords (Boolean), by pattern (if you don't know how to spell a word), or by concept (it knows, for example, that commerce and trade mean the same thing). We are adding more and more documents all the time so be sure and go to the Ouachita Digital Archive.

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