UPDATE: BPL and WCLS have discontinued access to hoopla in spring 2016 due to funding issues.
The Bellingham Public Library and Whatcom County Library System now offer thousands of movies, television shows, music albums and audiobooks, all available for mobile and online access through a new service provided by hoopla digital.
This new service is available free of charge to all library cardholders. Key features include:
- Instant access: no waiting, no holds
- Always available
- automatic returns
Area library card holders can download the free hoopla digital mobile app on their Android or IOS devices, or visit www.hoopladigital.com on a computer, to begin enjoying thousands of artists and titles – from major Hollywood studios, record companies and publishers – available to borrow 24/7, for instant streaming or temporary downloading to their smartphones, tablets, computers and Apple TV.
More hoopla information, links and user tip sheets can be found on both library websites: www.bellinghampubliclibrary.org and www.wcls.org.
Bellingham and Whatcom County libraries are among about a dozen library systems in the state of Washington to offer hoopla digital to their patrons, including Seattle Public Library, Tacoma Public Library, Spokane County Library, Pierce County Library System and others.
“We’re pleased to expand our collection by offering this remarkable library service,” Bellingham Public Library Director Pam Kiesner said. “There are no holds and no waiting: if you see a title you can borrow it immediately, renew it easily, and it is automatically returned when it is due. This is just one of the many ways we are meeting people’s needs for materials and services in multiple formats,” she said.
Whatcom County Library System Director Christine Perkins said hoopla offers a new model for library borrowing, with every title available to everyone in Whatcom County simultaneously. “With such ease and variety, everyone can find something they enjoy and access it instantly. Hoopla offers a broad collection of popular and niche titles, and are adding more all the time, available free-of-charge with your library card,” she said.
Jeff Jankowski, founder and owner of hoopla digital, said “with hoopla digital, it is our mission to empower the evolution of public libraries while helping them to meet the needs of the mobile generation. We’ve worked for years to create a best-in-breed service that is fun, fast and reliable. And we continue to secure content deals to expand our offering of popular and niche movies, TV shows, music and audiobooks.”
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Media Contacts
Janice Keller, Communications, Community Relations, & Programming Manager
Bellingham Public Library, jkeller@cob.org or 360-778-7206
Lizz Roberts, Community Relations Coordinator
Whatcom County Library System, lizz.roberts@wcls.org or 360-305-3600 x220
About hoopla digital
Hoopla digital is a category-creating service that partners with public libraries across North America to provide online and mobile access to thousands of movies, TV shows, videos, music and audiobooks. With hoopla digital, patrons can borrow, instantly stream and download free dynamic content with a valid library card. All content is accessible via hoopla digital’s mobile app and online at www.hoopladigital.com. Hoopla digital is a service of Midwest Tape – a trusted partner to public libraries for over 25 years.
For information about hoopla digital, call 800-875-2785 (U.S.) or 866-698-2231 (Canada).