Go digital and celebrate Read an eBook Day

Plymouth libraries are inviting people to share their favourite books and stories online in celebration of Read an eBook Day today (Thursday 18 September).

The national event encourages readers to share the books they love, or their favourite reading places on Twitter and Facebook by using the hashtag #eBookDay – and everyone who does will be in with a chance of winning a tablet or device.

Since our digital reading service was launched in July, nearly 4,000 ebooks and audiobooks have been checked out by library customers in the city. The most popular titles have been Veronica Roth’s ‘Divergent’ trilogy and Lee Child’s Jack Reacher thrillers.

As well as fiction there are history books and autobiographies available and plenty for teens and children too. There are also over 1,600 downloads of digital magazines from our Zinio collection every month.

Among those enjoying Read an eBook Day will be 10-year-old Lula Gonzalez-Watson, the lucky winner of a Kindle Fire in this year’s summer reading challenge prize draw. Lula was one of 3,659 children who took part in the Mythical Maze challenge and read six books borrowed from libraries over the summer.

If you’re not familiar with borrowing and downloading ebooks it’s now easier than ever to get started. Our ebooks web pages will tell you all you need to know about different formats, which devices you can use and the ease and convenience of being able to read and borrow an ebook wherever you are, 24 hours a day. It’s completely free to use and there are no late charges – the ebook simply disappears from your device on the due date.

Deputy Council Leader Peter Smith said: “With ebooks readers can keep up-to-date with their favourite reading on the go, using their smartphone or mobile device. You can even listen to a downloaded audiobook on your headphones on the train or at the gym.”

If you would like help getting started with ebooks on your own device, there’s a drop-in session on the ground floor of the Central Library on Thursday 18 September from 2pm to 3pm.