cloudLibrary

It’s just so convenient

CloudLibrary takes student’s resolution to new heights

Like many people, Arlington Heights resident Bridget Finis began 2020 with one resolution — to read more.

“Twelve books, I was trying to do one a month that was my goal,” said the 23-year-old who was busy juggling full-time doctoral studies in psychology at Adler University in Chicago, working part-time and volunteering at NAMI in McHenry County, “and then came the pandemic.”

Suddenly stuck at home, Finis found herself with more time to read and she began browsing cloudLibrary, an online collection of eBooks and eAudiobooks available for download on the library’s website at ahml.info.

“It is so easy, all you do is put in your library card and search for what you’re looking for,” said Finis. “Before the pandemic, I never listened to an audiobook and now I’m hooked. They are really enjoyable and such a good way to keep reading but you can be listening and doing the things you need to get done.”

And keep reading, she does. At last count, Finis had completed 48 books—all downloaded for free using her library card and cloudLibrary.

“It’s just so convenient, so why wouldn’t you use it,” said Finis. She also recently convinced her 91-year-old grandmother to start using cloudLibrary at her own local library. “I especially like memoirs as audiobooks. A lot of times it is the author who is reading and you can really hear the emotion as they are telling a sad or funny story.”

Even with the fall semester now in full swing, Finis shows no signs of slowing down on her 2020 resolution. In addition to attending classes full-time online, she commutes several times a week to Joliet for a community health practicum and with her every mile of the way — you guessed it, eAudiobooks.

“I constantly have something I really enjoy listening to and in a good way, books provide a kind of connection,” said Finis.

To learn more about downloadable materials and how you can stay connected through books, movies, music and more visit ahml.info/borrow/ebooks.