Mineola Memorial Library services are not confined to the walls of the building or the hours of operation.
With the 24/7 Library initiative, the library is moving toward a system of more access to residents by using more technology, according to Charles Sleefe, the library director.
“You don’t have to trek down to the library and say, “Oh we’re closed,'” Sleefe said. “You could do all these things from your home.”
Sleefe noted several apps, primarily the Nassau Library mobile app, that allow patrons to access library services not only from the comfort of their home, but from anywhere they have access to their mobile phone.
The app serves as a “miniature website,” Sleefe said, where patrons can search the catalog and manage their account.
Through the app, patrons can also gain access to over 75 research databases the library has.
Just like at the library, the only requirement is that a resident has a library card.
Sleefe said that in a time when disinformation is prevalent on Facebook and other parts of the internet, libraries and librarians are important.
However, he said, he recognizes that people are busy and don’t always want to come down to the library to get that information.
The digital databases available on tablets and phones give patrons the ability to access the information with their own phones, he said.
Other apps included in the 24/7 Library initiative are OverDrive, an e-book selection, and RBdigital, a digital magazine selection.
RBdigital is one of Sleefe’s favorite app services, he said.
Rather than paying for a copy, or browsing through the hard copy in the library that might be worn down from public use, a patron can get a digital copy that appears new and fresh on a personal tablet screen, he said.
The digital copies are loaned to patrons and then automatically disappear from the device when they are due, Sleefe said.
Another library service patrons can access through the app is the library’s museum passes, Sleefe said.
The library has member passes to museums across Long Island and New York City, including the Museum of Modern Art, the Cradle of Aviation Museum, the Intrepid Air and Space Museum, and more.
The museum pass service is another one of Sleefe’s favorite services offered by the library, he said.
It allows residents to explore a wide range of cultural interests, he said.
The borrowed member passes also give residents access to member-only perks at museums, such as discounted parking or discounts at gift shops, Sleefe said.
The museum pass service also plays into the 24/7 initiative because residents can reserve passes when the library is closed, Sleefe said.
Library patrons also have access to tutor.com, which is an online, 24/7 tutoring service that lets students chat with a tutor for help in various subjects, Sleefe said.
There is also one low-tech 24/7 Library initiative – the Little Free Libraries.
There are three scattered around the village, one in Wilson Park, one on Emory Road and one in NYU Winthrop University Hospital.
The Little Free Libraries are boxes where patrons can take a book and leave a book, or just borrow one for a quick read.
