Author: Glenn Grube

Acorn TV: the Best in British TV & Film!

Posted on by Glenn Grube

We’ve recently added Acorn TV to Avon Library’s collection online content.  Access Acorn TV with your Avon Library card to binge on thousands of hours of commercial free world class mysteries, dramas, and comedies from Great Britain and beyond.  You’ll find your favorites like Agatha Christie and Doc Martin, plus Acorn TV originals.  Register with RBdigital using your Avon Library card and then stream through the web or using the RBdigital app for Android or iOS.

Go to the Stream & Download section of our website for Acorn TV and all of our e-content.

Demystifying Digital Advertising – presented by the Avon Chamber of Commerce

Posted on by Glenn Grube

Watch a presentation by Gena Hamilton of Exact Digital Media talk about digital advertising for your business.  This online class was co-sponsored by the Avon Chamber of Commerce and Avon Free Public Library.

Digital Media can help you grow your business. And Google My Business is one way you can drive local consumer traffic to your business. But if you don’t understand it or don’t know where to begin, you can miss this easy and accessible opportunity. In this class we will discuss:

  • How to Reach Your Customers Where They Are
  • Leveraging Google My Business to Help You Get Found by Your Customers
  • Google My Business Best Practices

Stream the recording of Gena’s presentation here.

Remote access to the genealogy database Ancestry

Posted on by Glenn Grube

Avon Library’s subscription to Ancestry, one of the premier genealogy databases, is normally only accessible from within the library.  During during the current crisis, however, Ancestry is offering library cardholders remote access to their collection of 20 billion records and 100 million family trees.  Take advantage of this to start researching your family’s history today.  Have your library card handy and log in here or visit our Research tab to see all of Avon Library’s online history and genealogy resources.

Remote access to Ancestry is available until May 31, 2020.

Introducing hoopla Bonus Borrows!

Posted on by Glenn Grube
Social distancing means more time for reading, listening, and binge watching.  If you have exhausted your hoopla borrows for the month, we have you covered!
The bonus borrows categories in hoopla offer hundreds of ebooks and audiobooks to download, plus dozens of movies, TV shows, and music albums to stream. And none of it counts towards your monthly hoopla borrowing limit.
Log into hoopla today and start reading, watching, or listening!  Find Bonus Borrow collections in the Category section on the hoopla website or in the Genre section of the app.
Bonus Borrows will be available until May 31, 2020.

COVID-19 and Library Services: Avon Library is closed to the public

Posted on by Glenn Grube

Avon Library is closely monitoring news about the spread of the COVID-19 virus in Connecticut and is in contact with the Town of Avon and the Farmington Valley Health District to plan our response.  As the situation is changing rapidly, our response may change as well, so please check our website, social media accounts, or call the library at 860-673-9712 for the most up to date information.

Effective Monday, March 16 the library will be closed to the public indefinitely.  This closure is in conjunction with the Avon Public Schools and the Avon Senior Center and is intended to limit the community transmission of the virus.

Our bookdrops remain open to return materials, but all due dates have been extended to at least June 1, and no overdue fines will be charged during the time the library is closed to the public.

Library staff are now reporting to work so we can respond to your emails and phone calls.  We also began offering curbside pickup of library materials in mid-May.  Simply call the library at 860-673-9712 to request materials or place your own holds from home in the Library Catalog.  Once the items are ready, you will be notified, and you can call the Library to schedule an appointment for pickup.

The library offers a variety of virtual services, including downloads of e-books, e-audio, digital magazines and streaming video.  Our online databases are available for research 24/7 with a valid library card and you may call or email the library with reference questions or other inquiries.  Avon residents should send an email to librarycards@avonctlibrary.info if they need to obtain or renew a library card.

Additional authoritative and up-to-date information about the COVID-19 coronavirus is available through the following websites:

Learn something new while you’re at home!

Posted on by Glenn Grube

The Avon Library has two online learning options: Hoonuit and Universal Class.

Hoonuit offers on-the-spot training. With over 50,000 two-to-three-minute software and technology training videos on Microsoft, Adobe, Apple and Google products plus all kinds of other career and technical topics, Hoonuit helps you learn what you need to know when you need to know it. See the software products and other topics Hoonuit covers here.

Universal Class has over 500 online, self-paced continuing education classes in subjects like business, computer training, crafts, health, nutrition, writing and more. Whether you are starting a business, just bought a new camera, or are studying for the US Citizenship test, Universal Class has a class for you. See the course list for Universal Class here.

An Avon Library barcode is required to register for Hoonuit and Universal Class.  Find these, and all our other online learning resources, on the Learn Online page of our website. For help with these or any of our online resources, please email or call the Reference Desk at 860-673-9712 x203.

 

E-cycling at Avon Library

Posted on by Glenn Grube

When you return your library books you can now also drop off small electronics like cellphones and iPods, along with empty inkjet printer cartridges, for proper recycling.  The library’s e-cycling bins are located at the end of the Gallery hallway, near the Community Room and right next to the Friends of the Library’s book donation closet and the VFW’s flag disposal bin.

While the library only accepts small electronics, Avon residents can recycle many other things free of charge at the Avon Transfer Station.  Visit their website at www.avonct.gov/transfer-station to learn more.

Online SAT and ACT test prep with your library card!

Posted on by Glenn Grube

Designed to work seamlessly with students’ unique learning styles and busy schedules, Method Test Prep’s ACT and SAT prep programs help students raise their ACT scores an average of three points and their SAT scores an average of 150 points.  Diagnostic evaluations, lessons, quizzes, and full-length exams help students strategically navigate the SAT and ACT by focusing on both content and test-taking techniques. Students also build their fundamental reading comprehension, grammar, and math skills.

Each lesson is less than five minutes long and contains examples. After the lesson there is a short quiz prompting students to practice the strategies they have learned. All quizzes contain immediate feedback including a video explanation, an audio explanation, and a written explanation.

Check out one a one week access pass with your Avon Library card and start studying today!  After the week is up, just check it out again if you want to continue your lessons.  First time users need to register with RBdigital, unless you already have a login from one of our other RBdigital services.

 

New hours for the library!

Posted on by Glenn Grube

Starting after Labor Day, the Avon Library will be open until 8:30 on Wednesday evenings, just like we are on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday.  We hope this change makes it easier for you to visit the library to browse, borrow, socialize and study.

We will also be returning to our full day Saturday hours, with the library open from 10-5, on Saturdays, beginning September 8.

All library hours, including holiday closings, can be found at avonctlibrary.info/hours.