By Tracy Briseño

During winter I would prefer to snuggle up under a blanket at home and leave as few times as possible until it is spring. If you are like me and would like to therefore see what the library has to offer to your wintering self, let’s hop onto the Library’s website and apps and explore. 

You can stream and download a wide variety of titles in e-book and e-audiobook as well as a selection of magazines, movies, tv shows, music, comics and more through the library’s apps Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy, and Comics Plus. When you login to Libby, scroll down to recommendations related to different library book clubs, books about Ames, or a selections from a variety of different topics.

You can join the winter reading program for all ages through the library’s app Beanstack and mark down every day that you read to get a prize. Adults can also join the Twelve to Try challenge and resolve to try new genres and authors. 

Check out the library’s Recommendations webpage to see bunches of gift book suggestions, 12 to Try recommendations, sign up for a newsletter with great reads, or fill out an online questionnaire to gets some personalized picks selected just for you by one of our knowledgeable staff. 

Hop on over to Online Learning to dig into anything that catches your fancy. Brainfuse has test prep and online tutoring options. Job Now can help you revise your resume or you can participate in daily virtual live job coaching. Head over to Consumer Reports online to research an upcoming purchase. Check into Digital Learn.org to up your technology skills. You can also log into GCF Learn Free and check out self-paced tutorials for everyday life skills, reading, math, and other career skills as well. If you enjoy learning at your own pace, Khan Academy is another great resource. They have content through their partnerships with NASA and the Museum of Modern Art as well. Learn a new language through Mango Languages. Keep up-to-date with news through the New York Times online. Learn more about your legal rights through the People’s Law Library of Iowa. Investigate financial decisions through Weiss Financial and learn about budgeting and managing debt. 

You could explore local history by browsing the library’s Farwell T. Brown archive of historical photos, searching the Ames Tribune archive, or watching recorded Ames History Museum Lectures. You can explore your own family’s history using your library account to access Heritage Quest online.

So stay warm and explore bunches of interesting things all through your Ames Public Library website.