Okanagan Regional Library programs perfect for isolation time

Not only can you still make a virtual trip to Okanagan Regional Library to pick up your favourite book, but you can also take advantage of their programs as well during these unprecedented times.

All you need to use many of the services offered before the COVID-19 pandemic struck is a library card, an internet connection and be a resident of the Okanagan Regional Library service area.

“There are awesome collections to try out if you need to keep busy at home and want to work on some self improvement,” ORL virtual branch head Chantelle McGee says.

You can learn a new language with Rosetta Stone, whether it’s Spanish, Portuguese, German, French, Greek or 25 other languages. A 30-minute practice session can be part of your daily isolation routine, or you can do it with a friend, who also has a library card, through phone or video calls.

Another great self-improvement tool is Lynda.com, where you can watch video tutorials to learn how to do photography, computer coding and graphic design. There are also plenty of videos that will improve your business and marketing skills.

Genealogy is also a perfect task to tackle with all of this spare time. Ancestry: Library Edition offers at-home access of family histories that are normally available only from within the library’s branches. The provider is temporarily offering information about births, marriages, military services, passenger lists and more from Canada, the U.S. and the U.K. for patrons at home.

If time-consuming projects are not your cup of tea, Okanagan Regional Library also offers two digital newsstands to keep you in the know. RBdigital Magazines offers hundreds of magazines for any interest, while PressReader offers digital replicas of more than 4,000 publications around the world. There are no checkout limits or due dates.

Parents can also use the virtual library to keep their idle children entertained and informed, starting with the TumbleBooks Collections. All it takes is a couple of clicks, and the books can be read right on the internet browser.

TumbleBook Library for Kids features animated, talking picture books, along with puzzles and games that are based on books in the collection, while TeenBookCloud is perfect for tweens and teens as it features graphic novels, quite a few books found in high school language arts curriculum and e-audiobooks. TumbleMath, which includes math-themed picture books with animation and narration, has also been made available.

The library’s most popular book collection is eBooks|OverDrive, which featuring best-selling novels, well-known classics, self-improvement guides and much more.

"Right now you can borrow Harry Potter & The Sorcerer’s Stone e-book or e-audiobook with no holds, and the ORL is working on the possibility of adding more always available titles," McGee says.

Anyone who needs help gaining access to the virtual Okanagan Regional Library can email [email protected] or even do a live chat through the library's primary website. Chat hours are Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. and on Tuesday and Thursday between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.

All online resources can be found through the virtual library's website.