免费的数字图书馆_不仅是书籍：您当地图书馆可能提供的所有免费数字资料

免费的数字图书馆

You might think of libraries as old fashioned, or irrelevant in the age of the internet. You’d be wrong.

您可能会认为图书馆是老式的，或者与互联网时代无关。你会错的。

Modern libraries offer books, yes, but they also provide internet access to people who can’t afford it, along with a bunch of excellent digital resources. Many libraries offer ebooks, audiobooks, streaming video, and even access to paywalled newspapers.

是的，现代图书馆提供书籍，但是，它们还为负担不起的人们提供互联网访问，以及大量的优秀数字资源。许多图书馆提供电子书，有声读物，流媒体视频，甚至可以访问付费报纸。

All of these services are free to you, regardless of your income level, if you have a library card. Here are five digital services your local library might offer. You might be surprised.

如果您有借书证，那么不管您的收入水平如何，所有这些服务都是免费的。这是您当地图书馆可能提供的五种数字服务。您可能会感到惊讶。

下载免费的电子书和有声读物 (Download Free Ebooks and Audiobooks)

I know it’s weird, but I prefer ebooks to paper books. They’re portable, I can set the font size, and every book is in the same form factor. So I was thrilled to learn my local library offers ebooks—and there’s a good chance yours does too.

我知道这很奇怪，但我更喜欢电子书而不是纸质书。它们是便携式的，我可以设置字体大小，并且每本书都是相同的形状。因此，我很高兴得知我的本地图书馆提供了电子书，而且您的电子书也很可能也是如此。

The best way to find out whether your library offers ebooks or audiobooks is to check the website of your local library or ask a librarian. You can also check online, depending on which service your local library users to offer ebooks and audiobooks. Rakuten Overdrive is a popular choice; you can check if your library uses Overdrive here. Another such service is hoopla, and you can check this map to see if a library near you offers the service.

找出您的图书馆提供电子书还是有声读物的最好方法是检查您当地图书馆的网站或询问图书馆管理员。您还可以在线检查，具体取决于您本地图书馆用户提供电子书和有声读物的服务。乐天超速档是一个受欢迎的选择；您可以在此处检查您的磁带库是否使用Overdrive 。 hoopla是另一种此类服务，您可以查看此地图以查看附近的图书馆是否提供该服务。

Those are just two services, though: there are others, and we can’t cover them all. Ask your local librarian about ebooks; they’ll be happy to help. You’ll need a library card to sign up for such services, but once you’ve done that you can borrow books from home—no visits to the library required.

不过，这些只是两项服务：还有其他服务，我们无法涵盖所有内容。向您当地的图书管理员询问电子书；他们很乐意提供帮助。您将需要借书证来注册此类服务，但是一旦完成，便可以在家借书了，而无需访问图书馆。

串流免费电影和电视节目 (Stream Free Movies and TV Shows)

Libraries have offered movies for a long time, but some libraries go beyond checking out DVDs and provide free access to streaming video.

图书馆提供电影的历史很长一段时间，但是一些图书馆不仅仅提供DVD光盘，还可以免费访问流视频。

Kanopy is a streaming site offered by libraries around the United States, providing access to documentaries and Criterion Collection films. It’s no Netflix replacement, but it’s a great supplement. Check if your library offers Kanopy access, or ask a librarian.

Kanopy是美国各地图书馆提供的流媒体网站，可访问纪录片和Criterion Collection电影。它不是Netflix的替代品，但却是一个很好的补充。检查您的图书馆是否提供Kanopy访问权限，或询问图书馆管理员。

Kanopy isn’t the only streaming service your library might offer. Hoopla, which we mentioned above, offers movies and TV shows in addition to ebooks. And there are even more streaming services out there. Again, check the website for your local library or ask a librarian for more information.

Kanopy不是您的图书馆可能提供的唯一流媒体服务。我们在上面提到的Hoopla除了提供电子书外，还提供电影和电视节目。而且还有更多的流媒体服务。同样，请访问您当地图书馆的网站，或向图书馆员索取更多信息。

免费在线报纸访问和其他资源 (Free Online Newspaper Access, and Other Resources)

Good journalism is worth paying for, but not everyone can afford it. Your local library might offer a middle ground, paying for subscriptions so that everyone has access.

优秀的新闻值得付出，但并不是每个人都能负担得起。您当地的图书馆可能会提供一个中间立场，即为订阅付费，以便每个人都可以访问。

My local library, for example, offers free access to the New York Times website. When I’m visiting the library, the paywall doesn’t apply, and I can request a three-day subscription whenever I want for use away from the library. Several major library systems offer this, including Los Angeles, but we could not find a definitive list. Check the website for your local library or ask a librarian about whether it offers any newspaper subscriptions.

例如，我当地的图书馆可免费访问《纽约时报》网站。当我访问图书馆时，付费墙不适用，只要我想在图书馆以外的地方使用，我都可以要求三天的订阅。包括洛杉矶在内，有几个主要的图书馆系统提供了此服务，但我们找不到确切的清单。检查您当地图书馆的网站，或向图书馆员询问是否提供报纸订阅。

And it’s not just newspapers. Some libraries, particularly university ones, offer access to online research resources like Lexus Nexus. This is well worth looking into, and many people never think of it.

不只是报纸。一些图书馆，尤其是大学图书馆，提供对在线研究资源的访问，例如Lexus Nexus。这很值得研究，许多人从未想到过。

访问免费的在线课程 (Access Free Online Courses)

Several sites on the web offer access to online courses, but the better ones require a subscription. Your local library might already be paying that fee, however, meaning you can access these lessons for free.

网上有几个站点可以访问在线课程，但是更好的站点需要订阅。但是，您当地的图书馆可能已经在支付这笔费用，这意味着您可以免费访问这些课程。

For example, your library might offer free online courses from Lynda.com. There’s no list of libraries that provide this feature, so check the website of your local library or ask a librarian for more information.

例如，您的图书馆可能会提供Lynda.com提供的免费在线课程。没有提供此功能的图书馆列表，因此，请检查您当地图书馆的网站或向图书馆员询问更多信息。

借用蓝光，DVD和CD (Borrow Blu-Rays, DVDs, and CDs)

This isn’t an online service, but it’s something that’s easy to overlook. Your local library probably offers DVDs, Blu-Rays, and CDs in addition to books. The latest and greatest films are generally already checked out, but browsing the rest of a collection can feel comfortingly like Blockbusters and CD stores of old—except everything is free to borrow. There are generally even audiobook collections if you don’t mind dealing with CDs.

这不是一项在线服务，但它很容易被忽略。除了书籍外，您当地的图书馆可能还提供DVD，蓝光和CD。最新，最出色的电影通常都已经签出，但是浏览其他唱片集可以像《大片》和CD唱片一样轻松自在，除非一切都可以免费借用。如果您不介意使用CD，通常甚至还会有声读物收藏。

I highly recommend checking out the AV section of your local library if you haven’t for a while because you might be surprised how extensive it is. Even better: if you can’t find something, you might be able to request it from a nearby library.

我强烈建议您检查本地图书馆的AV部分，如果您有一段时间没这么做的话，那可能会感到惊讶，因为它如此广泛。更好的是：如果找不到任何东西，则可以从附近的图书馆索取。