Digital Magazine Partnership Benefitting Four Central Nebraska Libraries

By: Megan Johnson - Email

Updated: Thu 5:55 AM, Feb 28, 2013

Find out more about Zinio from
the libraries' respective web sites:

Click HERE for Grand Island

Click HERE for Hastings

Click HERE for Holdrege

Click HERE for Kearney

Grand Island Library's Youth Service Librarian Celine Swan says electronic reading devices are quickly becoming the norm.

"People are really excited to have technology right at their fingertips so they can travel and take things with them," says Swan.

That's why Hastings Library's Collections Librarian Jake Rundle says digital magazines were something they wanted to offer this new generation of reading.

"It's really a growing market, a lot of people have either a tablet or an iPad or a MacBook that they carry everywhere," says Rundle.

The two libraries, along with Holdrege and Kearney, formed a partnership to purchase the digital magazine service Zinio. They say that lets them have more options for their patrons, and also saves dollars.

"Being able to go in with these other three libraries and share that burden of the cost, it only benefits all four communities the greater," says Rundle.

And unlike physical books or some e-books, the libraries say people can have the same issue downloaded at the same time, and once downloaded, they can be accessed without an Internet connection.

And they say digital magazines offer interactive opportunities a print one doesn't.

"You're just one click away from getting more information, so that makes it nice," says Swan.

To access the new service, you only need a library card from one of the four participating libraries and an email address.

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