Tag Archives: freegal

Check out these Fun, Entertaining and Educational Videos, Books, Tutoring and More Available Online for Kids

16 Mar

If you are looking for something to keep your little one entertained while schools are closed than we have a variety of books, media, and more that you can enjoy without leaving your home.

HelpNow: Online Tutoring
help now
Need help with school work while your child is home?  BrainFuse’s HelpNow is a suite of services designed to assist with a range of homework needs, including live, one-to-one homework help between 2 PM-11 PM each day, live New Jersey-aligned skills building (includes Common Core where appropriate), test preparation, and comprehensive writing assistance.  Students can draw or type their question in the online classroom and receive live assistance from a tutor.  Students have access to an extensive library of Brainfuse-created lessons, video tutorials, and practice tests including those for the SAT, ACT, GED, GRE, and more.  Users can archive documents, class notes, and other materials in their personal CloudPack and share these items with tutors during a live session.  As a mom, as well as a librarian, I know how valuable this resource can be.  Adults can get assistance too with skill building and test preparation for exams like the GED in The Adult Learning Center.  Brainfuse even has an online meeting space.

Books by JK Rowling, Dr. Seuss, and new favorite eBooks from eLibraryNJ and eBCCLS


Whether your child loves to read to themselves on an iPad or is looking for an audiobook to listen to you can find a variety of classics and new favorites for all ages available from eLibraryNJ and eBCCLS such as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, A Wrinkle in Time, and Fox in Socks.  You can check up to five books at a time from each of the services and with the Libby App it is easy to return them instantly to check out more.  Not sure what to read, a great resource for print and ebook suggestions, provided by the New Jersey State Library that is available to Hoboken and other NJ residents is Novelist for adults and kids in k-8.  You can find lists of suggested books for different interest as well as read alike suggestions.

Wild Kratts and more from Kanopy Kids
Kanopy
We told you recently about some of the amazing foreign films you can stream from Kanopy (10 checkouts per month for Hoboken Resident Cardholders), but it isn’t just great adult entertainment available; you can check out unlimited amounts of cartoons, book adaptations, and more fun and high quality entertainment for children.  My son loves science and is fascinated by nature.  If you have a future zoologist in your household then checkout these clever cartoons based on real brothers (and NJ born), Chris and Martin Kratt who get animated in this series to protect endangered animals.  This funny show will have your kid giggling while they learn more about science and wildlife.

Muzzy
muzzy
Is your child fascinated by other countries?  For your little globe trotter check out Muzzy.  Newly added at the beginning of the year, patrons now have access to English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Chinese, and Korean for children through Muzzy’s Online Learning Resource.  The service provides videos, listening, writing activities, games, and even printable lessons.  The fun animated videos featuring Muzzy and friends along with activities that make learning seem like a game will have your child learning a new language in no time.  You can access it in the main branch of the library while using our Wi-Fi without a card, but it can also be accessed with a Hoboken Resident Library Card from home.  We also continue to have Mango and Rosetta Stone available for Adults who are interested in learning another language or ESL.  You can also stream Muzzy and Little Pim videos from Kanopy Kids.

Music Playlists from Freegal
freegal
Looking for a lullaby to help them get to sleep at night?  Freegal has a variety of music for children including classics like Rock-a-Bye-Baby from New Born Lullabies or A Whole New World on Disney Lullabies.  Besides albums, Freegal also has curated playlists you can check out such as Lullaby Songs for Baby Rockers which includes lullaby versions of popular songs from Nirvana’s Heart Shaped Box to Guns N’ Roses Sweet Child O’ Mine.  If they’re feeling in dancing mood, they might enjoy some hits from the Children’s Chart-Toppers Play List.  Or you can even pick out songs to create your own streaming playlist.  Hoboken resident cardholders get to stream three hours of music per day.  And if they find a song they really love, you can download up to 5 songs per week that are yours to keep.

Need help with any of our online resources; email reference @ hoboken.bccls.org

Written by:
Aimee Harris
Head of Reference

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How to Stream Rolling Stone’s 20 Rock Albums Turning 20 in 2016 with Your Hoboken Public Library Card

27 Jul

Rolling Stone recently published an article about rock albums that are turning 20 this year. After reading it, I remembered owning and loving several of those albums back in 1996. Reading the article made me feel old, a feeling I’ve been struggling with as my eldest niece prepares for her bat mitzvah later this summer. 😦

I decided to write about some albums from the list that are memorable to me. Many of these albums (there are some exceptions) can be streamed via Hoopla Digital or Freegal, which you can access with your Hoboken Resident library card. Did you imagine, back in 1996, that streaming music online would be possible in the future? For those that prefer CDs, those are available as well.

metallica-load

Metallica / Load

When Napster reigned, circa 2000, Metallica was their biggest foe. Napster was popular when I was in college as my dorm’s Ethernet offered my first, life-changing taste of high-speed internet. I mention Metallica first here because their strong stance against illegal music downloading is now part of their legacy.

Metallica isn’t available on either Hoopla or Freegal, but the CD can be borrowed. Hoopla has Metallica-inspired albums for lullabies and yoga, and Freegal has this album featuring covers of Metallica songs.

apple-tidal

Fiona Apple / Tidal

What I remember most about this album (available on Freegal and on CD) was how in-your-face it was and how I hadn’t experienced music like that before. Apple’s defiant tone in the opening track “Sleep to Dream” is like a punch in the face. This album still sounds good after 20 years, and “Criminal” is still my favorite track.

wallflowers

Wallflowers / Bringing Down the Horse

Time to be honest: I strongly dislike this album (available on Hoopla and CD). My brother listened to it NONSTOP in 1996 and I hated hearing it through the wall between our bedrooms. In hindsight, my brother probably hated hearing me play the Les Miserables soundtrack (I’ve written here, here, and here about being a musical theater geek) on repeat while I sang along, poorly. So I guess it’s all relative.

rage-evil

Rage Against the Machine / Evil Empire

Who here tried to play “Bulls on Parade” in Guitar Hero 3 and realized that you will never do it quite as well as Tom Morello? I certainly did. You can revisit this album on Freegal and on CD.

sublime

Sublime / Sublime

What’s bittersweet about this particular album turning 20 is that it also marks 20 years since lead singer Bradley Nowell passed away. Nowell died two months before the self-titled record (on Hoopla and on CD) was released, which became a breakthrough hit. Sublime broke up after this record, but “Santeria” and “What I Got” remain on rock radio playlists today.

pinkerton

Weezer / Pinkerton

I didn’t appreciate this album (on Hoopla and on CD) until college. Weezer had a huge hit with the Blue Album (on Hoopla and on CD) in 1994. Pinkerton, their sophomore record, had a darker, at times creepy (see: “Across the Sea”), more autobiographical tone that was so different than the Blue Album and wasn’t well received. Time has been kinder to Pinkerton. “El Scorcho” is my favorite track.

Here is a list of the rest of the rock albums turning 20, with links to either Freegal or Hoopla or the BCCLS catalog (where applicable):

Beck / Odelay: Hoopla, CD

Sheryl Crow / Sheryl Crow: Hoopla, CD

Failure / Fantastic Planet: Hoopla

Fountains of Wayne / Fountains of Wayne: Hoopla, CD

Korn / Life Is Peachy: Freegal

Dave Matthews Band / Crash: Freegal, CD

Pearl Jam / No Code: Freegal, CD

R.E.M. / New Adventures in Hi-Fi: Hoopla, CD

Sleater-Kinney / Call the Doctor: Hoopla, CD

Soundgarden / Down on the Upside: Hoopla, CD

Swans / Soundtracks for the Blind: n/a

Tortoise / Millions Now Living Will Never Die: n/a

Tool / Aenima: CD

Wilco / Being There: Hoopla

Were any of these albums your favorites back in 1996? Do you now feel old after learning that these records are now 20 years old? Do you know any other albums turning 20 this year?

-Written by Kerry Weinstein, Reference Librarian

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