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Get Ready for the 2025 Reading Challenge!

Did you know that the Massachusetts Center for the Book sponsors state-wide reading challenges and events for readers across the Commonwealth?  And with the end of the year swiftly approaching, the MA Center for the Book is beginning to roll out information on their 2025 Reading Challenge!  Libraries from across the state are invited to sign up to participate as Reading Partners to help spread awareness, but any Massachusetts reader can participate, regardless of whether or not they have a library card.

Participation is easy!  For readers, simply read a book that fits the challenge of the month and then use this form to submit a brief review.  There’s no obligation to participate every month, but each entry earns you the opportunity to win free books!

Libraries who want to join the fun can use this form to sign up as an official Reading Partner of the 2025 Reading Challenge.  Reading Partners will be featured on the challenge site and are encouraged to engage their readers with social media posts, programs, and displays featuring the book challenge of the month.  The MA Center for the Book has a lot of handy resources for participating libraries looking to advertise to their patrons and will be sending all 2025 Reading Partners physical postcards and bookmarks they can distribute in addition to posting digital resources like these materials for the 2024 Reading Challenge.

While this Reading Challenge is targeted towards adult readers, the Massachusetts Center for the Book hosts another reading challenge targeted at students.  You can find out more information about that challenge here.

Want to get prepped for 2025?  Here are the reading categories for next year’s challenge along with a handy graphic that lists all of them posted below:

JANUARY: A book published or about the year you were born
FEBRUARY: A book with the name of a city in the title
MARCH: A book about someone with a marginalized identity
APRIL: A book about books, bookstores, or libraries
MAY: A book with a first sentence of eight words or less
JUNE: A book that spans multiple generations
JULY: A book you were drawn to by its cover
AUGUST: A book with a protagonist who is a teenager or senior citizen
SEPTEMBER: A book told in non-chronological order
OCTOBER: A book published by a Massachusetts press
NOVEMBER: A cookbook or book about food
DECEMBER: Another book by an author you’ve already read 

Features the logo of the Massachusetts Center for the Book followed by the words 2025 Reading Challenge.  Contains 12 identically sized boxes - one for each month - with that month's name and the issued challenge for the month.  A link to the reading challenge website is on the bottom.

World Languages Collection in Overdrive

We are excited to announce that we have made titles available to borrow on Libby and OverDrive platforms in seven languages in addition to English and Portuguese! You can find them all here: https://sails.overdrive.com/library/world-languages or here: https://libbyapp.com/library/sails/guide/world-languages

We have made sure to modify our curated collections to reflect English titles so as not to overwhelm them with the new content. However, if you are used to searching in Libby or OverDrive simply by browsing “ebook” or “audiobook” for example, and you do not want titles in languages other than English to show up in your results, you will need to modify your preferences. If you are using the Libby app, this is a one time change that will prevent any content other than English from showing up for them. Here’s how: 

  1. Search for anything in the search bar.Select Preferences
  2. On the results page you will see a circle with a + next to “Preferences”. Click on it.
  3. The options for all of the different preferences will pop up.
  4. Click on language.
  5. Select English.
  6. Make sure to click “Apply Preferences” or it won’t save.
  7. Search again and notice the number in a white circle next to the word “Preferences”. That means you have successfully saved that preference (in addition to any other preferences you may have already saved).

In the OverDrive app, you will need to make this change each time you search. Here’s how:

  1. Click on the search bar.
  2. Underneath the search bar an “Advanced” option will appear. Click on it.
  3. In the Advanced Search screen, scroll down to the language menu.
  4. Under languages, select “English” and then “done”.
  5. This search will only return titles in English.
  6. To confirm this or to view another way to filter searches you can see a drop down menu labeled “Filters”. This will include the language filter and should show you anything you have set as a filter for your search.

Subject to Search

 

 

 

 

We added a new way to find items at SAILS libraries. You can now click on the icon at the top of the Enterprise catalog (pictured above) and search by subject keywords. This will give an alphabetical list of subject headings and show how many titles in the system match your search. Give it a try!

Automatic Renewals


The following libraries in the network began an autorenewal process today:
Attleboro, Acushnet, Berkley, Bridgewater, Carver, Dartmouth (both locations), Dighton, Easton, East Bridgewater, East Freetown (both locations), Fairhaven, Fall River (both locations), Foxboro (Boyden), Halifax, Hanson, Lakeville, Mansfield, Mattapoisett, Middleborough, New Bedford (all sites), North Attleboro, Norfolk, Norton, Pembroke, Plympton, Rehoboth, Rochester, Seekonk, Somerset, Swansea, Taunton, Westport, and Wrentham.

Update: Marion and Wareham also now autorenew materials.

If you checked an item out at one of these libraries, any item that is eligible for renewal will be renewed 3 days before the due date and email/text notices will be sent alerting of that. If you normally receive Voice notification, you will not receive a call but your items should be renewed as well. You will then receive a reminder notice for any item due in 3 days that could not be renewed.

If your checkout library is not participating in the project, you will still receive reminder notices.

4 Frequently Asked Questions About Libby…Answered!

If you are reading with Libby, the answers to these FAQ’s will help you read more efficiently, manage your holds, and overall improve your reading happiness.

Find the answers to these questions...

HOW DO I RETURN A BOOK EARLY?

HOW DO I SEE MY PLACE IN LINE FOR A HOLD?

HOW CAN I VIEW MY BOOK PROGRESS?

HOW CAN I CHANGE THE TEXT OF AN EBOOK?

The post 4 Frequently Asked Questions About Libby…Answered appeared first on OverDrive Blogs.

Voice Messages

On November 29th, we went live with our upgraded voice notification system. You will notice a change in the sound quality of the messages, since this is using a newer technology. If you don't receive notices using the voice system and would like to, please contact your library so they can update your record. We had thought we could send out hold pickup reminders and hold cancellation notices using the voice system, but they will continue to be send using email. Our other options for notification; email and text, have not changed.
The phone numbers we use to make these calls are the same;
5089460298
5089466980
5089466981
5089466982
5089466983
5089466984
These are the scripts for the various messages. We kept them as close to what is currently being used as possible.
Hold pickup notice:
Hello, this is a message from your library, to advise of held items for [Patron Name]. We are calling to let you know that according to our records, an item you requested is ready to pick up from [Library Name]. Please pick up this item as soon as possible. For more information, please call your library. Thank you. Goodbye.
 
Item due reminder notice:
Hello, this is a message from your library for [Patron Name]. We are calling to let you know that according to our records, you have an item that is due back on [Date - Friday 17th of November]. For more information, please call your library. Thank you. Goodbye.
 
First overdue notice:
Hello, this is a message from your library, regarding material overdue for [Patron Name]. We are calling to remind you that according to our records, there is an overdue item that needs to be returned as soon as possible to any one of our libraries. Please return this item promptly. For more information, please call your library. Thank you. Goodbye.
 
2nd overdue notice:
Hello, this is a message from your library, regarding material overdue for [Patron Name]. We are calling to remind you that according to our records, there is an item that is very overdue and needs to be returned as soon as possible to any one of our libraries. Please return this item promptly. For more information, please call your library. Thank you. Goodbye.
 
3rd overdue notice:
Hello, this is a message from your library, regarding material overdue for [Patron Name]. We are calling to remind you that according to our records, there is an item that is extremely overdue and needs to be returned. You will be billed for this if it is not returned as soon as possible to any one of our libraries. Please return this item promptly. For more information, please call your library. Thank you. Goodbye.

NoveList_Plus_Flyer_ILoveBooks_Romantic Do you know as a patron of a SAILS member library, you have access to the terrific reader's advisory tool, Novelist? Since we have NovelistPlus, content spans all ages! The subscription started on July 1st and in the Enterprise catalog, you can go to the item details page and view the added content from Novelist. You can also go direct to Novelist. We currently have a page on the SAILS website you can log in after selecting your library. Here is the page: https://wp.me/P6JtVr-2iQ. There is also a powerpoint tutorial showing available features.