You’ve heard the news. We all are officially tasked with social distancing in order to prevent the spread of coronavirus. While our 20 locations might be temporarily closed, we’re still open in many ways to our customers – and we want to challenge and invite you to use our resources to make the most of your time at home!

Get a Library Card

If you’re already the proud owner of a Toledo Lucas County Public Library card, bravo! You can skip this section and go right to the fun and learning. If you don’t yet have a card, get one online and enjoy nearly instant access to all of the many materials and resources below.

Join Our Virtual Book Group

(Th) April 2 | 7 p.m.

Practice social distancing and talk books from home! Start reading The Mezzanine by Nicholson Baker on hoopla and then join us online to discuss the book with other friendly readers and a librarian. Baker uses a one-story escalator ride as the occasion for a dazzling reappraisal of everyday objects and rituals. From the humble milk carton to the act of tying one’s shoes, The Mezzanine at once de-familiarizes world and endows it with loopy and euphoric poetry.

Have a Dance Party

Whether dancing alone in your room, with your family or with your partner (hello romance!), a dance party is never a bad idea. Freegal has streaming music playlists to fit every mood too – from motivating pop music to 80’s to love songs to K-Pop. Dance out your disappointment over March Madness being cancelled with Freegal’s March Madness playlist or feel like you’re spring-breaking in extravagant style with a yacht rock playlist.

The options are endless, so make your selection and start dancing!

Enjoy a Movie Night

No need to go to the theaters to watch Jane Austen’s beloved novel Emma come to life – watch the original featuring Gwyneth Paltrow on hoopla. Celebrate Women’s History Month by choosing a film from hoopla’s curated watchlist.

Find a little levity from life at home with the kids with comedies like Daddy Day Care and Opposite Day, or fully immerse yourself in this strange time with hoopla’s selection of apocalypse and disaster movies. There’s also plenty of anime to explore!

Hoopla truly offers movies, TV and documentaries for everyone with nearly 100 categories and thousands of streaming options to choose from. In addition, it’s now available as a downloadable channel on Roku.

Practice Your Mad Poetry Skills

Poetry isn’t necessarily what you might think it is – today’s poetry isn’t the impossible to understand prose of yesteryear (ok, maybe some of it still is). It’s also hip hop and music lyrics, calls for social activism and deep expressions of who we are (and who we want to be). Freegal is celebrating National Poetry Month (April) a bit early with this amazing playlist featuring heavyweights like Saul Williams, Bob Dylan, KRS-One, Alicia Keys, Langston Hughes and Patti Smith. Inspired? Check out some of our blogs about writing and set your thoughts to paper (or computer)!

Stay Fit and Calm Your Mind

Social distancing is not excuse to become a couch potato. Get up and get moving with streaming health and fitness movies on hoopla.

Learn how to Bollywood dance, participate in PBS’s brain fitness program, calm your anxiety with Qi Gong or take a Paris walking tour right from your home. With the vast array of options, there’s no excuse not to stay active.

Read (or Listen to) Something Different

Explore a new genre that you’ve never read, pick a book about a place you’ve never traveled to, or revisit an old favorite – no matter which direction you choose – we offer thousands of eBook, eMagazine and audiobook options through OverDrive (Libby), RBDigital, Flipster and hoopla!

We also recently added three new eMedia providers! Love audiobooks? Check out the large selection on AudioBookCloud. RomanceBookCloud is perfect for those who love to read romance novels and love stories. Both providers offer unlimited reading – never wait on hold for a book you want to read or listen to! Teens and those who enjoy YA will want to check out the selection on TeenBookCloud, featuring tons of anime and graphic novels.