Newtown residents may know a library card lets them borrow a wide variety of books, but they might not know that it also gives them a collection of newspapers, articles, magazines, and more for free.

The C.H. Booth Library continues its partnership with information provider NewsBank to let library patrons read news stories online from various publications.

America’s News, provided to the library by NewsBank, is an online database that lets users search articles from curated sources all over the country. It not only offers quick links to daily headlines trending worldwide, but also a diverse range of topics from sports and entertainment to fine arts and literature.

“It’s kind of like searching the internet for news, but you know that you’re getting reliable news because it’s coming from this database,” Acting Library Director Jennifer Nash said. “You can also search by topic, so this could not only keep our patrons informed with what’s going on in the world, but this could be a great research tool for students as well.”

The service isn’t limited to national or regional news. It also provides local coverage from newspapers such asThe Newtown Bee, Connecticut Post, The News-Times, and others. While there are no images for the articles by these local publications, every article is still available in its entirety. This includes newer articles from the past month to older articles from many years ago.

Readers can access Newtown Bee articles dating to 2001 through NewsBank.

Patrons do not need to visit the library in person to use the database. As long as they have a library card number, patrons can access the database with their personal computer or cell phone by clicking the Learn & Research button at the top of the C.H. Booth Library website.

As the acting library director, Nash believes in ensuring everyone in the community has consistent access to news and can connect with the world and each other. “One of the main goals of the library is access to information, so I think a newspaper is a perfect example of all the information that you need,” Nash said.

One Of Many Library Services

America’s News is just one of many services the library provides. There’s also A to Z World Travel, a travel database that gives patrons up-to-the-minute travel tips, weather, exchange rates, and other information about popular destinations. Another service is Mango Languages, a language-learning database similar to Rosetta Stone with over 100 available languages.

The library is always taking requests for new services to meet the needs of the community. Nash described having a “library of things” within the library; a collection of unconventional items that a library might not ordinarily have. This ranges from headphones, Wi-Fi hotspots, and a ukulele to a sump pump, an auto car scanner, and museum passes.

There’s even a service where staff, such as Nash herself, will deliver items to patrons if they’re homebound, ill, or afraid to leave the house. Library staff continue to try and do whatever they can to give back to old and new faces alike.

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Reporter Jenna Visca can be reached at jenna@thebee.com.