L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library. In the foreground: computers. In the background: shelves filled with small rectangular objects called “books.” One makes beep-beep-bo-beep sounds.
One is made of paper.

In a technology age, it only makes sense that libraries work to meet increasingly evolving consumer demands. Eau Claire’s LE Phillips Memorial Public Library is no exception. Their recent upgrades are enough to get both bibliophiles and serial non-readers through the doors.

Perhaps the most anticipated addition is the 32 iPads available for checkout, and the several available for use within the library itself. All of the iPads are Wi-Fi compatible, preloaded with 1,000 classic e-books and 10 audio books, and are equipped with dozens of apps. Compared to other area libraries, LE Phillips has one of the most diverse and largest scale circulation plans. The public has positively responded since its September launch. Currently, there are 360 holds for the iPads. Soon, reference staff will be using a headset and iPad to offer “roving reference” services, making them more accessible to customers.

With the use of a MORE library card, customers have access to hundreds of e-books, which can be downloaded to nearly all devices, including smart-phones, computers, and e-readers. Checked out books will thus simply expire at the end of the loan period. “Freading” and expansion of the current system that allows book renewal capabilities, will be launched later in November.

Music lovers are devouring the implementation of “Freegal,” a music downloading database that gives cardholders access to the hundreds of thousands of songs in the Sony Music Entertainment Catalogue. Customers in good standing (without library overdue fees) can download up to three songs a week for free. Each Monday, the download usage is reset to zero.

In addition, the library launched its new, dynamic website in September, allowing customers access to it “virtual branch.” Catalogues to nearly 50 public libraries in Northwest Wisconsin can now be accessed from any mobile device. Archival and genealogical information are now available online, and customers also have more access to video/audio content, apps, and Facebook and Twitter feeds. For those who are not tech savvy, there are a wide variety of video tutorials on the site as well.

Customers are positively responding, and Library Director John Stoneberg hopes to continue the modernizing process.

“We are certainly not revolutionary in what we are doing, but as a library, we attempt to keep up with what is happening in the rest of the world that our customers live in,” said Stoneberg.