Latest e-magazines available free to library cardholders

Toronto Public Library users can now access the latest issues of more than 300 digital magazines free of charge.

The library signed up for Zinio’s virtual newsstand in July, when it started offering the full-colour version of popular titles like Maclean’s, National Geographic, Rolling Stone and Saveur.

The TPL’s Vickery Bowles said the library chose magazines that are Canadian, that are popular with its users and that would appeal to a wide range of interests.

Customers have been borrowing about 4,000 copies a day — which is about the same number of downloads the library sees for its e-books.

Though the library’s digital collection makes up only 1.1 million titles of its 32-million circulation, borrowing of ebooks grew 246 per cent between 2009 and 2011 and 105 per cent in 2012.

“It’s an area that’s experiencing significant growth and interest,” Bowles told CityNews.ca.

“[And the Zinio subscription] is part of what libraries do in terms of acquiring content for their customers.”

She said the service, offered by Maryland-based Recorded Books, costs the library $11,000 a year.

Anyone with a library card can sign up and download as many issues as they want to a computer, tablet or smartphone and keep them indefinitely. Click here for a list of titles.

Past issues are not included through Zinio but may be available in text form elsewhere on the library site.

Zinio’s full collection of more than 5,000 magazines — available by paid subscription — is available via its online apps.

Zinio for Libraries – New Interface June 2013 from RBdigital from Recorded Books on Vimeo.

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today