Take advantage of Overdrive Advantage!

By now most people are aware that you can checkout and download free ebooks and audiobooks from the library through ListenNJ. (Please see my post from May 31, 2011 if you would like a summary of ListenNJ). Listen NJ is a program we share with many other libraries throughout New Jersey and because the program is shared with so many, there is often a wait period for new releases and other popular titles. To decrease this wait period, the Matawan Aberdeen Public Library is purchasing additional copies of popular ebooks through a program called Overdrive Advantage. These additional copies are available only to the patrons at the Matawan Aberdeen Public Library so your wait time for these titles will be significantly reduced or nonexistant. At the same time, you also have access to all of the books available to everyone in the Libraries of Middlesex Automation Consortium.

To take advantage of the program you'll need to sign into ListenNJ with your library card as soon as you see the above yellow and orange sunburst icon. This icon lets you know which titles are part of the Advantage program, and while we don't own every title that is part of the Advantage program, we are constantly adding new titles just as we are always getting new books into the library. Hopefully you will now notice a decrease in the wait time for that ebook you've been dying to read!

Do you Mango?

Did you know we have a fun, fast and easy language learning program called Mango Languages? The best part is it's free for Matawan Aberdeen Public Library patrons and you can use it with you library card anywhere there is internet access.

Mango is the easiest and most effective way to learn to speak a foreign language. Mango is available in two versions:

Mango Basic:
Perfect for a foreign language beginner, Mango Basic teaches everyday greetings and helpful phrases in a short period of time. The courses, which require only two to five hours of time to complete, are currently available in 34 foreign languages and 15 English as a Second
Language (ESL) courses.

Mango Complete:
Mango Complete offers a 100-lesson course that digs much deeper and is designed to provide a more complete understanding of the entire language and culture. It is available in 31 foreign language and 14 ESL courses. Foreign language courses include Chinese, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. ESL courses include Polish, Spanish and Portuguese.

To learn more about Mango and get a short preview of what the program has to offer, you can visit the company's website at www.mangolanguages.com. Click here to get started on the courses themselves!