For information on Northamptonshire’s e-library visit our Useful Links page:
Online services in the library
The rack of purple tablets in the foyer of Oundle Library does look a bit space-age, and we know some people still aren’t sure what the tablets are, or what they can do. In fact, they can do everything the library’s public computers can, with the bonus that they’re portable so you can carry them with you to a quiet corner of the library, or use them as you sit in a comfortable armchair.
Free to use
Known as Hublets, they offer a convenient way to access the library’s digital resources and they’re free to use while you’re visiting Oundle Library. To use one, all you need to do is scan your Library Card and enter your PIN number – et voilà! You can use the Hublets anywhere in the library, and library staff will be happy to show you how they work and what they can do.
Where to start?
With a Hublet you can, of course, access the internet, which means you can browse and check your emails. But you also have access to a wealth of library online resources and a large variety of apps, which makes them really useful for doing homework or research.
Manage your library account
Renew or reserve books and use e-library services such as BorrowBox and Libby.
Read newspapers and magazines
If you miss being able to read all the newspapers and magazines the library used to stock, try the Pressreader service and access thousands of newspapers and magazines from around the world, as well as UK national daily and weekend titles.
Free access to subscription websites
The Northamptonshire Library Service subscribes to all sorts of interesting and helpful services and the Hublets give you free access all of them. You can search for a new job, prepare for your driving theory test, or study for your ‘Life in the UK Test’. You can also use the Ancestry website to research your family history, or find a whole range of online encyclopaedias and dictionaries. There are also websites where you can read academic journals, or research subjects like business and intellectual property.
Good Web guide
This is where you’ll find hundreds of quality websites that have been selected by the library service to help you find all the information you need. From consumer websites like Which? to money advice, help with finances and more.
Pick up a Hublet!
The best way to find out what a Hublet can do is to try one out! If you need help just ask a member of library staff to show you how they work, and all the services and websites you can access with them. Don’t forget, they’re free to use. All you need is your Library Card and PIN number.
