One of our best-loved locations is our Peaks Island Branch, and we are grateful to our partners in the Recreation Department for ways we collaborate in serving the community in both the library and community room spaces.
We want to share an updated timeline for the proposed renovation project so island residents and organizations can make their summer plans.
We now have approval from the State Fire Marshal’s office and have just received authorization from the City’s Planning Department. This means we can finalize the documents to put the project out to bid.
After discussions with City staff who know the bid climate, we have made the decision to proceed with the bid now, with an October 1st start date for construction. This positions us for the best bids and allows us to keep the Library and Community Center open for the summer months. In September, in order to begin pre-work on the site, we will move the Library to the Peaks Island Elementary School location and Recreation to St. Christopher’s Church.
We have received questions from the community about temporary restrooms during the construction. We want to assure everyone that there will be a set of temporary bathrooms during the closed period for islander use. We will have much more information on this as we get closer to the project.
We had hoped to have the approvals to get ahead of a summer start, but it appears that if we bid for an immediate start we are at risk of receiving fewer proposals and unfavorable bid pricing. The new timing will maximize our budget and also allow for easier construction logistics on the island outside of the heaviest tourist time.
Thank you for your constant support as we keep this exciting project moving forward. If you have questions about the Library’s plans, please do not hesitate to be in touch via email or by phone at 207-871-1700 ext. 755.
– Sarah Campbell, Executive Director, Portland Public Library
-Sally Deluca, Director of Facilities & Recreation, City of Portland
cloudLibrary, a brand new eBook and eAudiobook platform, is almost here! Library patrons at PPL and around our state will be able to download a wider range of eBooks and eAudiobooks on the new system, and we are excited to support you through the transition.
What happens on Tuesday, Feb. 28?
Checkouts that exist in Overdrive on February 28 will not transfer to the new system. What exactly happens to an active checkout at the time of switchover will depend on a patron’s specific device and how it checks back (or doesn’t) to see if the item’s license is still valid in cloudLibrary.
Holds will not transfer to the new system. You should place a new hold in the cloudLibrary by downloading the app and logging in on March 1.
Patron requests to purchase a specific title will not transfer to the new system. You may want to place your new request in cloudLibrary on March 1.
What happens on Wednesday, March 1?
cloudLibrary will be up and running! You can download the cloudLibrary app and use your active PPL library card to get started right away. You will find a bigger selection of eBooks and eAudiobooks, including most of the digital titles already in our collection. And, the checkout period has been extended from 2 weeks to 3 weeks!
The cloudLibrary app is compatible with the following devices: iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, Android Phones, Android Tablets, NOOK Tablets, NOOK eReaders, Kobo eReaders and Kindle Fires. (Only the Kindle Fire is compatible with cloudLibrary at this time due to a business decision on the part of Amazon.)
Want help getting started?
If you have an active PPL library card, you can get started easily with cloudLibrary. Our staff has prepared some quick-start guides for iPhone/iPad, for Android, and for KindleFire.
We will also host pop-up help sessions at our branch locations:
Main Library (in our New Fiction area on the main floor):
- Thurs., March 2, 10am-1pm
- Fri., March 3, 10am-1pm
- Sat., March 4, 1-4pm
- Mon., March 6, 10am-1pm
- Tues., March 7, 10am-1pm
- Wed., March 8, 4-7pm
- Thurs., March 9, 10am-1pm
- Fri., March 10, 10am-1pm
- Sat., March 11, 1-4pm
Riverton:
- Wed., March 1, 10am-1pm
- Thurs., March 2, 3-6pm
- Sat., March 4, 10am-1pm
- Wed., March 8, 10am-1pm
- Thurs., March 9, 3-6pm
- Sat., March 11, 10am-1pm
Burbank:
- Fri., March 3, 2-5pm
- Tues., March 7, 2-5pm
- Fri., March 10, 2-5pm
Peaks Island:
Tuesday, March 14
Have other questions?
Browse the thorough FAQ on the Maine InfoNet page.
Visit the cloudLibrary support site. You can download a User Guide, watch how-to videos, and search help topics.
On Wednesday, March 1, 2017, the Maine InfoNet Download Library will move to a brand new eBook and eAudiobook platform called cloudLibrary. This will replace the Overdrive platform.
We’re positive PPL patrons will enjoy the cloudLibrary platform. Its easy-to-use interface makes it simple to download titles, save reads for later, and even sync activity across multiple devices.
This transition will offer Maine readers a bigger selection of eBooks and eAudiobooks, including most of the digital titles already in our collection. As an additional benefit, the checkout period has been extended from 2 weeks to 3 weeks!
There is no cost to library users. All you need to get started is an active library card.
The cloudLibrary app is compatible with the following devices: iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, Android Phones, Android Tablets, NOOK Tablets, NOOK eReaders, Kobo eReaders and Kindle Fires.
Amazon has declined to make the cloudLibrary app available through its proprietary app store. Please check these detailed instructions for using the Kindle Fire and the Kindle HD.
Getting started
The Maine State Library’s FAQ is very helpful resource, but here are answers to questions you may have:
- Our current system, managed by Overdrive, will be turned off on Tuesday, February 28, 2017. CloudLibrary will be launched the very next day, Wednesday, March 1, 2017.
- With this transition to cloudLibrary, the Download Library will continue to offer readers nearly all the current collection of over 10,000 digital titles, plus new titles and additional copies of popular titles.
- Significant cost savings due to the change in platforms will allow us to purchase more content, reducing the wait times for popular titles.
- Checkouts that exist in Overdrive on February 28 will not transfer to the new system. What exactly happens to an active checkout at the time of switchover will depend on a patron’s specific device and how it checks back (or doesn’t) to see if the item’s license is still valid in cloudLibrary.
- Holds will not transfer to the new system. You should place a new hold in the cloudLibrary by downloading the app and logging in on March 1.
- Patron requests to purchase a specific title will not transfer to the new system. You may want to place your new request in cloudLibrary on March 1.
- Users of Kindle devices should be advised that the Kindle Fire (2nd generation or newer) works with the cloudLibrary, but e-ink Kindles do not.
The cloudLibrary support site has a downloadable cloudLibrary User Guide, provides how-to videos, and is a useful spot for other help topics. Of course, PPL’s staff is ready to help with any questions once we make the change. We are excited about the new platform and the expanded options it will provide for our patrons.
