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Kern County Library goes online to help families stay entertained during the pandemic

Posted at 12:02 AM, Apr 15, 2020
and last updated 2020-04-15 03:04:52-04

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — If you're looking for activities for the kids or you're hoping to use this time to begin a novel, the Kern County Library is continuing to offer their services while all library branches are closed.

"We want to make sure that even though we are physically closed, everybody has an access point and that idle hands are kept busy," Jasmin LoBasso the marketing and promotions associate of the Kern County Library said.

While you're at home you can access the library's digital collection featuring e-books and audiobooks.

For those that prefer to physically flip through the pages of a book, then Zip Books is an option for you. The borrowed book will be shipped right to your front door.

Another service the library is offering is Hoopla, the online platform allows you to stream content such as music, videos, movies and television series for free.

On Facebook, the Kern County Library is hosting daily virtual storytelling and other activities for kids.

"We are making sure to have virtual storytimes. We have storytimes every single day, Monday through Saturday at 6:00 PM. We have several in the morning as well, LoBasso said. We have regular crafts throughout the week. We're just really turning to virtual programming as a way for our community to connect to people in live time."

The online services are not all the library is offering. In the parking lot of each library branch, you can connect to the internet for free.

However, the main message is that books are more than just a hobby, they can help you heal.

"This is a really wonderful time for people to focus on their mental and emotional health and to focus on hobbies and beyond just fiction books for entertainment," LoBasso said. "There are a lot of books out there that people can utilize to nurture those hobbies and to find enjoyment in a time that can be very stressful and anxious for many."