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Find more with a state library card
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Greetings from the Great Bend Public Library! Today I thought I would talk about something special we offer at the library. Did you know that along with a Great Bend Public Library card, you can get a State of Kansas Library card that opens up tons of services to users? The best part is any resident of Kansas can get one!

There are far too many amazing services your state library card can offer you to list here, so I’ll just go over a few today. If you would like more information, I encourage you to visit the state library website, kslib.info, or ask one of your local librarians at the Great Bend Public Library about the card.

This first offering I’m sure will pique the interest of our Libby and hoopla digital users. With a state library card you can gain access to Cloud Library, a free digital lending service. Users of Libby will find Cloud Library very similar, as it offers both ebooks and audiobooks digitally directly to your device, and borrowing is unlimited. Do keep in mind that, just like Libby, even though the item is digital, there is still a limited amount of copies available at any time, meaning sometimes you may have to put an item on hold. In my experience this typically moves quite quickly, even with long hold lists. Cloud Library is a wonderful service I personally use quite often, because I love audiobooks, and this opens up thousands more audiobooks for me to check out. The other night, my husband was telling me about a book, and I checked to see where I could find it. Lo and behold, Cloud Library had it in both digital and audio versions, enabling me to check it out right then and there.

Another exciting and unique service a state library card offers is Mango Languages. Mango Languages is a free language learning service that allows anyone with a state card to start learning any of its over 70 languages right from your computer or smartphone. Want to brush up on that high school French or Spanish? Maybe you have always wanted to learn Mandarin or Hebrew. Well, this is your chance to do so without buying expensive language-learning software. Mango also offers English courses in 20 different languages for non-English speakers. Mango even has just-for-fun courses, such as the Speak Like a Pirate course, where you can learn to converse like a salty sea dog with the best of them. Alongside language courses to help with your comprehension and learning of your new language, Mango also offers foreign language films with learning modes and subtitle options. If you’re looking to brush up on your linguistic skills and broaden your horizons, Mango Languages is a no-brainer.

Lastly, I thought I would highlight another one of the state library’s learning services, Universal Classes. This learning service offers over 500 online courses in more than 30 areas of study. Classes can be taken as full courses with instructors to earn continuing education units or can be audited by viewing course videos. With how expensive continued education can be, a free resource like this is invaluable. We are very fortunate to have this provided free by the state.

As I said in the beginning, this is just the tip of the iceberg. If you would like more information please visit kslib.info. If you are interested in getting a card, come by the library with your photo I.D., and we would be happy to sign you up! 


Book Nook is written by Hannah Grippin, the outreach manager at the Great Bend Public Library. To see what else is going on at the library, visit its Facebook page and its website, greatbendpl.info. You can also message the library on Facebook, send email to gbcirc@gmail.com or call 620-792-2409 for any questions about programming or services.