Always On-the-Go
Published on September 03, 2024
By Alice S.
It is 5:00 pm. I am driving across town to after-school care to pick up my kids. I glance in the back seat to see if the soccer ball is there and to make sure the bag with shin guards, socks, and shoes is there, too. The kids hop in the car and I am passing out sandwiches and Gatorade to eat as we drive to practice. Once we arrive and get one kid on the field, I set up on the sidelines with the other two kiddos. I make them play for a while but they’re tired from school. We sit on the blanket, and they say they're bored– the library to the rescue, once again!
Does that scenario sound familiar at all? It could be interchanged with dance outfits and shoes, football gear, or swimming lesson accessories. Perhaps it’s just you, running to an appointment during the day or sitting in a waiting room. Maybe you are waiting at an airport headed to a business meeting, or you drive a lot for your job. There are several ways to make those trips more entertaining and time go faster. Siouxland Libraries offers resources for eBooks, eAudiobooks, digital magazines, music and movies for all the busy people described above.
Do your kids like being read to? Have you tried a Wonderbook or VOX Book? Or maybe you have an older child who just wants to listen. Try a Playaway! Both can be played aloud or headphones can be plugged in for individual listening. You can also check out a learning tablet to help keep them entertained, but still learning.
Though the library still has lots of physical books to check out, sometimes the bulkiness of carrying them makes it a hassle. Whether you are listening in the vehicle through Bluetooth or have your own earbuds in, try our eAudiobooks from Libby. If you are the one on that business trip, there are books on marketing, finance, and leadership, too. You can also download the latest magazine and eBook on your tablet or eReader. The pages won’t flap in the wind when it’s on a tablet!
No matter where you are, Siouxland Libraries has something to make the waiting tolerable. And eventually you could be like me, sitting in the car those extra 5-10 minutes just waiting to hear how the chapter is going to end.