Recently, I was helping with an after-hours library event at our Delaware County District Library: Orange Branch. A patron who was attending the event had decided to check out books that were available on the hold shelf while he was there since the self-check-out station was open. Unfortunately, this patron had recently switched wallets and his library card had not made the switch.
During the library’s regular open hours, this is an easy remedy. Generally, a license or other form of ID can verify a patron’s identity if they’ve forgotten a card, and library staff can get them checked out and on their way. Since this circumstance was unique, the library card or barcode number was essential.
Not many people fall into the category of having their 14-digit barcode memorized. But perhaps more people than you think have a different type of access to their card – through their Delaware County District Library app.
The DCDL app is available on major platforms like Google Play and the Apple Store. Simply search for “Delaware County District Library.” You’ll be prompted to add your account with your library barcode number and PIN – the four-digit code you use to access the digital catalog online.
Once connected, the app home screen highlights rotating book recommendations, a search bar to the online catalog, buttons to view your account details, library events, room reservations, locations, digital collections, and a saved digital barcode of your library card. With your library card saved in your app on your phone, you won’t have to worry the next time you change wallets or purses.
Another reason you’ll want to download the DCDL app now is because there will be a big addition coming to the library in 2023. With the opening of the Liberty Branch Library on the horizon, new programming may pop up or things may change. While the library will do our best to give as much advanced notice as possible, our digital channels like email, www.delawarelibrary.org, and the app will be our patrons’ best places to check for the most up-to-date information.
I hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving holiday with those who are near and dear to your heart. Of course, if you need anything from the library while you’re relaxing at home, start on the app and see what you can find. Our recommended reads at the top of the app change regularly, based on national celebrations, holidays and other topics of interest. Earlier this month we featured titles to celebrate “National Picture Book Month.” See if you recognize any of the ones listed below.
• “Sparky!” by Jenny Offill. An animal lover’s picture book combines whimsical illustrations by the designer of the Coraline film with the story of a little girl who orders a pet sloth through the mail and finds reasons to love him despite his less-than-conventional behavior.
• “Mae Among the Stars” by Roda Ahmed and Stasia Burrington. When young Mae Jemison is asked by her teacher what she wants to be when she grows up, African American Mae tells her mostly white classmates that she wants to be an astronaut, a dream that her parents wholeheartedly support.
• “The Polar Express” by Chris Van Allsburg. A young boy, lying awake one Christmas Eve, is welcomed aboard a magical trip to the North Pole. Through dark forests, over tall mountains, and across a desert of ice, the Polar Express makes its way to the city atop the world, where the boy will make his Christmas wish.
• “Alma and How She Got Her Name” by Juana Martinez-Neal. When Alma Sofia Esperanza Josâe Pura Candela asks her father why she has so many names, she hears the story of her name and learns about her grandparents.
• “A Big Mooncake for Little Star” by Grace Lin. The award-winning creator of “When the Sea Turned to Silver” traces a lighthearted origin story about the phases of the moon and a little girl who can’t resist taking a nibble of the delicious Mooncake.
• “We Found a Hat” by Jon Klassen. Two turtles find a hat that looks good on both of them, but, with fairness in mind, they decide to leave it be, until night falls and one of the turtles changes its mind.
• “We Are Water Protectors” by Carole Lindstrom and Michaela Goade. When a black snake threatens to destroy the earth, one young water protector takes a stand to defend the planet’s water, in a tale inspired by the many indigenous-led conservation movements across North America.
• “Sulwe” by Lupita Nyong’o and Vashti Harrison. When five-year-old Sulwe’s classmates make fun of her dark skin, she tries lightening herself to no avail, but her encounter with a shooting star helps her understand there is beauty in every shade.
