Newer e-books available through Hall County library

GAINESVILLE - People into the e-book format can now check out the digital versions of some newer books thanks to a new platform at the Hall County Library System.

Assistant library system director Lisa MacKinney said the Axis 360 digital media library went into action this week.

"Our Friends of the Library very generously got us started with this. Our budget really would not allow us to start a new service right now, but it is something that they fund-raised and raised the money to do," MacKinney said.

She said they'll be adding books to the system over time. They've started out with about 50 to 75.

"Our patrons have been asking for this for a very long time. We've just been waiting for the right product that we felt was affordable/cost-effective and that also would work with a wide variety of readers," MacKinney said.

Users can actually check out the books using their smart devices. The book will disappear from your reader at the due date. It's just like an actual book, only one patron at a time may check out an e-book.

"It used to be you could only borrow the classics in digital format through us but with the help of the Friends of the Hall County Library you now have access to some of the newest books being released," Library Director Adrian Mixson said.

MacKinney said a lot of the profits from last year's Friends of the Library book sale went into the new system.

This year's book sale is this weekend in the gymnasium behind Westminster Presbyterian Church on Thompson Bridge Road in Gainesville.

The preview sale is Thursday night, with the sale running all day Friday and Saturday and noon to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday.

Link: Axis 360
Link: Hall County Library System