If you’re sick of paying newsstand prices for magazines, the library might have solved your problem.
A newly signed deal between the Library of Virginia and Zinio, an online magazine distributor, allows library cardholders from throughout the state to access digital copies of many popular magazines at no charge.
Williamsburg Regional Library launched the service at the beginning of June, attracting almost 300 users in less than three weeks. York County libraries saw the service go live for their cardholders Friday.
“Whether it’s food or travel, science or business, computers, health, we really have a nice mix of things here,” said Barry Trott, director of digital services at Williamsburg Regional Library.
The titles are not obscure: from Cosmopolitan to the Economist, and ESPN: The Magazine to National Geographic, there seems to be something for everyone.
“It’s showing how libraries are staying current with the times,” said Kevin Smith, director of the York County Library system. “As more and more of our traditional print materials are becoming digital, libraries are stepping up to the plate to provide this information in the electronic formats.”
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Top 5 WRL Digital Magazines by Subscription
1. National Geographic
2. The Economist
3. Martha Stewart Living
4. Discover Magazine
5. Smithsonian Magazine
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The libraries have gained access to the magazine collection at no charge, thanks to the contract form the Library of Virginia.
The system works as follows: you register with your library card on the Zinio website and then you create an account with Zinio to read the magazines. Instructions for Williamsburg Regional Library cardholders can be found by clicking here.
Once you’re in the system, you subscribe to a magazine to begin accessing it. You can access back issues from the point where your subscription to that magazine began.
“It certainly gets the magazines into the hands of people who might not otherwise see them,” Trott said. “The digital version of these magazines is just beautiful.”
You can read the magazine on your computer, your tablet or your smartphone. A Zinio app is available in both the Google Play store and the App Store for Apple.
