Turner Free Library now offers a look into the town’s history for free to patrons through BiblioBoard®
Press Release
Turner Free Library (TFL) now offers free access to BiblioBoard to all patrons. BiblioBoard is an easy-to-use platform that allows TFL to offer the library's localized content to patrons digitally, via an intuitive interface similar to the experience many people have on a daily basis using other consumer products. To start, the library has created digital exhibits showcasing a local high school's yearbooks and 170 years of town reports.
Mitchell Davis, founder and Chief Business Officer of BiblioLabs, believes this is a great opportunity for TFL to enhance patrons' reading and learning experience. "Through BiblioBoard, the Turner Free Library gives their patrons a chance to learn and celebrate their town's history and relate that knowledge to their own experiences within the town."
The current collection features Randolph High School's yearbook, The Oracle, in its entirety from various years between 1916 and today. Patrons can enjoy exploring the antique books in a digital format and possibly find themselves or loved ones in the pages. Highlights from The Oracle include everything from class superlatives in 1937 ranging from "Most Romantic" to "Chummiest" and advertisements for beloved local businesses such as one for 25-cent men's haircuts at Peter's Barber Shop.
Additional historical collections include Randolph's town reports that date back to the 1850s. Some of the older reports include content the modern reader may be surprised to find, such as an update from the town's official "milk inspector" and the specific number of chickens in Randolph in 1907. Patrons can see how the town's priorities and daily life has evolved throughout the century. Reports from the most recent years can be found in the library's Reference Room.
"We look forward to continuing to work with BiblioBoard through the Massachusetts Statewide eBook Project. The platform is user friendly and has made it possible for us to take steps to preserve Randolph's history digitally. Come to the library and access these historical online documents," says library director Meaghan Thompson.
TFL also curated a collection of open source classic children's books on BiblioBoard. The collection includes beloved stories such as The Wizard of Oz and Alice in Wonderland. The books maintain their vintage charm with the original drawings and pictures still included in the digital version.
Users can access BiblioBoard through the library's website ( www.turnerfreelibrary.org) or synch with the device of their choice, including the iPad(r), iPad(r) mini, Kindle Fire(r), Galaxy (r), Nexus(r) and more.
About the Turner Free Library
Founded in 1874, the Turner Free Library is centrally located at the top of N. Main St in Crawford Square. The library has a vibrant culture and is welcoming to all. Turner Free provides free public Internet and free Wi-Fi. There are extensive DVD, popular fiction and music collections, and there is convenient parking.
About BiblioBoard(r)
BiblioBoard is the PatronsFirst mobile library. The folks behind BiblioBoard are a powerful team based in Charleston, SC. They aim to transform access to information by providing a world-class user experience that thrills library patrons and is profitable for publishers. BiblioBoard is moving library content delivery into the future in a sustainable way. BiblioBoard, used by nearly 2,000 libraries and in three statewide eBook projects, reaches 15 million patrons. BiblioLabs is also a proud member of the Charleston Digital Corridor. To learn more, visit www.biblioboard.com.
Media Contact
For more information, contact:
Meaghan Thompson
Library Director
Turner Free Library