Read “The Hate U Give” and 1,000’s of Digital Titles for Free at RI eZone The Library is Open 24 Hours a Day in the Ocean State!

PROVIDENCE, RI – Rhode Islanders love their libraries but not all public library users are aware of the free, online resources that are available through their library cards. Visit the RI eZone to find your favorite in-demand books and authors in digital format, even when your local library building is closed. From March 15 to May 15, Ocean State Libraries cardholders can access Angie Thomas’ multi-award winning novel, The Hate U Give, in both eBook and audiobook formats and participate in the 2018 statewide reading event, Reading Across Rhode Island.  Go to RI eZone to read or listen to the book instantly with no wait time, then explore thousands of other digital works available at any time on compatible devices.

RI eZone is a statewide library resource that provides public access to downloadable audiobooks, eBooks and streaming video for viewing and listening on computers, smartphones, tablets, Nooks, Kindles and mp3 players. Login with your library barcode and PIN number to http://ezone.oslri.net  and enjoy free digital access to your favorite authors, regardless of location or time of day.  To apply for a library card, visit your local public library.

Use RI eZone to borrow materials, make requests and compile wish lists. Determine your own loan period from one to three weeks. There are no fines in RI eZone and at the end of the loan, the title disappears from your device. About 65,000 titles are available in the eZone collection, including 4,000 classic works that are always available for simultaneous use by an unlimited number of users.
There are also children’s and teen versions of the eZone site at https://riezone.overdrive.com/library/kids  and https://riezone.overdrive.com/library/teens .

For convenient access to RI eZone on your mobile device, download the free Overdrive app from Google Play Store, Amazon or Apple Appstore. Overdrive Read is recommended for web browsers. Most ebooks are available for Kindles and the Kindle app, and also for Nooks and other eReaders.

For more information about RI eZone, contact your local library.

NOTES FOR EDITORS

Press release reissued on March 1 due to incomplete transmission of images. No text content changes.

Reading Across Rhode Island is a program of the Rhode Island Center for the Book at the Rhode Island Council for the Humanities, made possible through a vibrant collaboration of librarians, teachers, book group leaders and readers from across the state. The 2018 program runs from January through May with readers in Rhode Island classrooms, libraries, community centers, bookstores and book groups invited to join discussions and participate in local community events such as lectures, exhibits and dramatic interpretations centered on this year’s selection.The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas is a brave, thought-provoking, conversation-enabling novel about what prejudice looks like in the 21st century. Sixteen-year-old Starr lives in two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she was born and raised and her private high school in the suburbs. The uneasy balance between them is shattered when Starr is the only witness to the fatal shooting of her unarmed best friend.