Get your E-Reader Questions Answered at the Library!

The Rapid City Public Library would like to invite all of our patrons who are thinking of purchasing an e-reader for someone this holiday season to stop by the Rapid City Public Library Downtown location at 610 Quincy St. We have a brand new mobile devices display that can help you make an informed decision.

In case you need a refresher, e-readers are devices designed to read digital, onscreen versions of published books. Several smartphones, all tablets and laptops can download e-books. Some are even becoming more kid-friendly with the Kindle Fire and Nook Tablet offering picture books in digital formats. They can even offer narration and interactive games that go along with the story and they are getting more inexpensive every day.

It is a whole new world and the library hopes to provide the needed information and aid to help patrons navigate what can be a confusing landscape. What if you purchase the wrong e-reader? Which e-reader is right for your style of reading? E-reader or Tablet? iPad or Slate?

The library offers to help with these questions by introducing a mobile devices display in our lobby. The display’s purpose is to help our patrons stay up-to-date everything new and emerging in the field of e-readers. It contains an Amazon Kindle, a Barnes & Noble Nook, a Kobo reader, a Sony reader and an Android smartphone. Patrons are encouraged to walk up and give each one a test drive.

If you have questions, library staff is happy to showcase the devices and walk you through the download process. All of the devices on the display are compatible with downloading e-books from the library. The display offer patrons a hands-on opportunity to experience how the e-readers work with the library’s own e-book service. Or bring in your own! If you just purchased or were gifted a reader or tablet we can get you started and are more than willing to spend the time to help.

For those whose busy lifestyle keeps them from being able to stop in the library. We have available to patrons an online e-reader guide as well. This guide offers video tutorials as well as descriptions and comparison for tablets such as the Kindle Fire, the Nook Tablet and the iPad. By utilizing these two services, anyone can make an informed decision about before purchasing one as a holiday gift.

The Rapid City Public Library allows anyone with a library card to download e-books, audiobooks and movies directly to a mobile devise such as laptops, smartphones, tablets and e-readers. Our electronic collection houses 5000 e-books, downloadable videos and audiobooks.

Patrons can access the site, type in their library card number and personal password remotely from their home computers or mobile devise to download material. All this can be done without ever walking through the library doors. E-books can be checked out for 7, 14 or 21 days.