Digital library service hoopla expands to Australia
US online library service hoopla digital has expanded to Australia, its first international market beyond North America.
Available immediately, the service offers library card holders from selected libraries access to borrow, download and stream over 600,000 movies, TV shows, music, ebooks, audiobooks and comics. A spokesperson for hoopla told Books+Publishing the platform features over 3000 ebooks and audiobooks from more than 600 Australian authors.
The City of Wanneroo Libraries was the first library system to pilot a successful partnership with hoopla in February 2021. Now, hoopla digital is working with the Toowoomba Region Libraries, Blacktown City Council Libraries, Brimbank Libraries, Burwood Library, Bega Valley Shire Library, Glen Eira Library, Bourke Public Library, Bayside City Council Library, Isaac Libraries and Mackay Regional Council Libraries, with plans to roll out its services to several other Australian libraries.
‘Hoopla is providing our patrons instant access to borrow and engage with more expansive and diverse library content any time of day, while at home or on-the-go,’ said Wanneroo librarian Nicole Thompson. ‘Unlike other library resources, hoopla provides access with no wait time, and titles can be streamed over wifi or downloaded and enjoyed later.’
According to the company, the Australian launch was in response to ‘soaring demand’ for digital resources among Australian libraries. Hoopla digital is in over 8000 public libraries across the US, Canada and Australia.
‘Hoopla digital has worked with public libraries in North America for over eight years to usher in a new era of digital access to library content,’ said hoopla digital co-founder Jeff Jankowski. ‘Over the last year, we’ve helped our partner libraries respond to extraordinary needs for remote learning, children’s development, and adult education for new job skills. We are excited to support library systems in Australia, to help them serve their members, and to expand their offerings and increase accessibility.’
Category: Local news
