Grants Helps to Expand Access to Popular Hoopla Service in Burlington

October 2024 - Published in: 2024 Fall Newsletter - Hoopla, a downloadable library service, has been available to Burlington Public Library patrons since 2021. With this service, library cardholders can access four titles per month through the Burlington Public Library, including eBooks, Audiobooks, comics, magazines, movies, and music. Hoopla quickly became a popular service among patrons, increasing the annual circulation of items from 594 in 2021 to 2,396 in 2023. Despite that, Jodi Papazian, Burlington Library Director, said, “With the cost of books and other materials continuing to rise, Hoopla was becoming a service that we were potentially going to need to cut.”

In light of this potential cut, patrons reached out to the library to tell them that Hoopla was one of their most valuable resources. So, to maintain access to the service, the Library applied for a grant from MSCF – and they were awarded $6,000, made possible with distributions from the Burlington Community Fund and the James R. Parker Trust.

Not only does Hoopla make borrowing books from the library easier than ever, the digital aspect of the service makes them more accessible to all patrons. Audiobooks are easily available on the service for those who rely on them, and the nature of eBooks makes modifying the font to something larger very easy for those who need large print books. As Papazian said of the grant and the Library, “Libraries are more important than ever. The resources that we provide our patrons will foster a love of learning as well as emphasize our value to our communities. The grant funding through Main Street Community Foundation has allowed the library to continue offering this service while we work to ensure future funding through our town budget and Friends contributions.”