New Science Tools for Checkout!
ImagineIF is excited to announce Science Connect: Lending Tools For Discovery, a new service that allows patrons to check out science kits or a Reflector Telescope. In partnership with Arizona State University and SciStarter, ImagineIF is offering two Citizen Science Kits for checkout – Measuring Light in the Night Kit and Exploring Biodiversity.
Measuring Light in the Night Kits
With the Measuring Light in the Night Kit learn about light pollution and contribute to astronomical research. The kit features interactive star charts, astronomy binoculars and sky quality meter.
Exploring Biodiversity Kit
This kit will introduce you to our local biodiversity. It provides smartphone clip-on lenses and smartphone adaptable binoculars to you share your observational data on iNaturalist, the world’s most popular nature app.
Circulating Telescope
Imagine IF Libraries has partnered with The University of Montana spectrUM Discovery Area in Missoula and the O.P. and W.E. Edwards Foundation to provide an Orion Starblast 4.5″ Reflector telescope for check out.
An Announcement about Hoopla
After analyzing collection use from the last 18 months, our collections team decided to eliminate Hoopla from our suite of downloadable materials.
The last year has demonstrated that there is high demand for both digital and print collections in Flathead County, and we have a responsibility to offer access in the format that taxpayers want and need. However, we lack the actual budget to satisfy demand for Hoopla titles. We are fortunate to participate in a sharing system for MontanaLibrary2go, which keeps costs low.
In our effort to provide essential services, we have a responsibility to choose the most cost-effective services with our budget. Hoopla is expensive. In order to meet demand from our patrons, we would need $60,000 more dollars this year than we actually have.
We will continue to offer for checkout:
- DVD movies and TV shows
- Music CDs
- Audiobooks in CD format
- computers,
- High-quality collections of popular print books
- Downloadable eBooks & audiobooks via MontanaLibrary2Go
Hoopla will be available through September 30, 2021, after which it will be discontinued. Read Interim Director Martha Furman’s full letter about our decision to cancel Hoopla HERE>
Online Resources for Adults
Ready to get creative, but don’t know where to start? Try Creativebug!
ImagineIF has teamed up with CreativeBug, an online resource offering free access to over 1,000 classes designed by renowned artists and creative experts. All you need is a library card and a valid email to create an account!
Get started:
- 1. Get a library card (or use your existing library card).
- 2. Create an account at Creativebug (enter your library card number and a valid email).
- 3. Choose any project you want!
Share your finished work on Facebook or Instagram tagged #AtHomeWithImagineIF and you will receive a free ImagineIf Tote bag!
Digital Materials
MontanaLibrary2Go – Download audiobooks and ebooks for your computer, e-reader, portable media player or tablet.
Find a Great New Read
Want recommendations from book experts? NoveList offers fiction and nonfiction reviews, read-alikes, audiobook listen-alikes, discussion guides and more, for readers of all ages.
Databases & Resources
Whether you are fixing your lawnmower, finding funding for a nonprofit organization or finishing a research paper, ImagineIF’s databases have the information you need.
New Arrivals
Discover the newest titles at ImagineIF, often before they hit the shelves.