By Amanda Bosch

Rowan Public Library

Do you love your iPad, Kindle, tablet or smartphone? Would you love to have access to thousands of great books, movies or audiobooks for free, anytime and anywhere?

Meet Libby, a new app that is a streamlined way to borrow digital books and audiobooks from the North Carolina Digital Library, an ebranch resource.

Make the most of your morning and evening commute with free audiobooks from the North Carolina Digital Library. Whip out your tablet the next time you are stuck waiting and read a few chapters of the latest bestseller or skip the video kiosk on your next movie night and check out one of the online videos.

If you have a library card, then you do have access to the North Carolina Digital Library and its many thousands of resources available at our E-branch and they are all free.

There are many ways to access these digital sources.

Download the Libby app from your device’s app store. After installing the app on your device, open it and search for your library. You can search by name, city or zip code. Browse the collection and borrow a title. You will need a valid library card for this step. Your titles will appear on your shelf and download automatically so you can read them even when you are offline. You can also tap the cover image and select send to device to send the title to Kindle.

If using an app is not your thing, you can visit the North Carolina Digital Library online at https://ncdigital.overdrive.com/ and sign in. You must select your library system and then enter your library card number and the PIN you set up to access your library account online.

If you have not set up a PIN, simply stop by the circulation desk at any of the Rowan Public Library branches and ask for help to create one. Once you have signed into the digital library with your library card and PIN, you can choose from new titles, create a wish list, get recommended reads and put items on hold. You will simply receive an email when your digital resources have arrived.

Other e-branch resources are available via the Rowan Public Library homepage. Simply click on Services & Support and select the ebranch link. To access ebooks and audiobooks, just follow the link. You will find a wide variety of other ebranch resources on this page as well including NCLIVE databases, the African-American Heritage database from ProQuest, Ancestry.com, Gale courses and tumblebooks among other online tools. Remember, the ebranch is always open, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year — and it’s always free.

Chapter Chats: Weekly book club for teens 14-17, primarily for participants with developmental or intellectual disabilities, though all are welcome. Mondays, 5 p.m. at East Branch, Rockwell. Contact Tammie Foster at 704-216-7842.

Rocktober Fest: East, through Oct. 31. Rowan Rocks can be found all around Rowan County, but Rowan Public Library Rocks may be harder to find. If you happen across a rock with our name on the back, bring it to the East Branch to get a prize. This program is for kids up to 18 years old. Check out Rowan Rocks on Facebook.

Mad Scientist Party: South Regional, Oct 30, 2-4 p.m. Join us for some spook-tacular science experiments that will offer hands-on learning for families with school-aged children ages 5 to 10.

Creepy Dimensions: “Stranger Things” Escape Room, headquarters, Oct. 31, 4:30-8 p.m. Explore different places from the popular Netflix series to solve clues, open locks and escape the Upside Down before time runs out. This escape room is approximately 30 minutes long, and will run every hour and half hour. Registration for a block of time is encouraged, as space is limited. Prizes will be given to the team that escapes the fastest. Families are welcome to participate with their teens. Halloween movies will  be screened in the adjacent Hurley Room during this time, with refreshments provided. Questions? Call Hope at 704-216-8258.

Teens National Novel Writing Month: headquarters, Nov. 1-30. Teens are invited to celebrate NaNoWriMo with the library. Kickoff meeting is Nov. 7, from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Are you an aspiring writer? Do you enjoy a challenge? Join us as we all try to write 50,000 words in 30 days. Come hang out, talk to other writers and try to meet your word goal for the day.  For more information and to register, check out nanowrimo.org. All authors who reach their goal will be invited to a special book release party at a later date. Questions? Call Hope at 704-216-8258.

Learn. Act. Grow: “Soup’s On!” South, Oct. 30, 6 p.m. The fall and winter months are the perfect time for soup, and Chef Carl of China Grove’s Chef Solutions will teach you to prepare delicious and nutritious ones.

“The Vietnam War” screening: headquarters. Nov. 1 at 2 p.m.; Nov. 4, 10 a.m. The library will host free weekly screenings of “The Vietnam War,” a 10-part documentary film by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick that airing on PBS stations. Episode 3, “The River Styx, (January 1964-December 1965)” will be shown this week. Adults (17 and up) only. Screenings offered every Wednesday at 2 p.m. and Saturday at 10 a.m. for 10 weeks.

Cards for a Cause: Headquarters, East and South, through Dec. 18. Create holiday cards that will be delivered to active service members in the U.S. Armed Forces and to veterans at the Hefner VAMC in Salisbury. Questions? Call Laurie at 704-216-7732.

No-School Cinema: “Thor” marathon, South, Oct. 30, noon-4 p.m. Watch “Thor” (2011, 114 min. runtime) and “Thor: The Dark World” (2013, 112 min. runtime) before the theatrical release of “Thor: Ragnarok” on Nov. 3. “Thor” begins at noon, with its sequel at 2 p.m. Popcorn and lemonade available, all ages welcome; free, public event. Both films are PG-13, so an adult must accompany children under 13.

Monday Night Movie: East, Oct. 30, 5:30 p.m. “Thor: The Dark World.” Popcorn and lemonade available, all ages welcome; free, public event. PG-13, so an adult must accompany children under 13.

Movie matinee: “Hocus Pocus” East, Oct. 31, 5:30 p.m. Start your Halloween night with a showing of “Hocus Pocus” (1993). This PG-rated film has a 96 min. runtime. Wear your costumes while enjoying free lemonade and popcorn. Then visit the reference desk for a Halloween treat and a scavenger ghost hunt. All ages welcome; an adult must accompany children under 9.

Displays: Headquarters, Purple Shoe display for Domestic Violence Month, Family Crisis Council and Makerspace exploration by library staff. Grids, “Through a Soldier’s Eyes: Remembering Vietnam” (photographs) by Edith M. Clark History Room. Gallery, Vietnam Remembered featuring veteran’s artifacts, Waterworks Visual Arts Center. East, replicas of eastern Rowan churches by Tim Linker; South, Miniature Doll House Month, by Donna Deal and Terri Correll.

Literacy: Call the Rowan County Literacy Council at 704-216-8266 for more information on teaching or receiving literacy tutoring for English speakers or for those for whom English is a second language.

Baby Time: Birth-23 months. Highly interactive 30-minute program for children and their adult caregivers. Headquarters, Wednesdays, 10 a.m.; East, Mondays, 10 a.m.; South, Tuesdays, 10:30 a.m.

Toddler Time: 18 to 35 months. Highly interactive 30-minute program for children and their adult caregivers. Headquarters, Tuesdays, 10:30 a.m.; East, Mondays, 11 a.m.; South, Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m.

Preschoolers: 3-5 years. Highly interactive 30-minute program for children and their adult caregivers. Headquarters, Thursdays, 10:30 a.m.; East, Thursdays, 10:30 a.m.; South, Mondays, 10 a.m.

Noodlehead Storytime: Pre-K to fifth grade. Interactive storytime. Headquarters, Thursday, 4 p.m.; East, Tuesdays 3:30 p.m.; South Wednesdays, 3:30 p.m.

Art programs: Pre-K to fifth grade. Learn art terms, techniques and work on art projects; 30-45 minutes. Art in the Afternoon, headquarters, Thursdays, 4:30 p.m.; Bethany’s Brushes, East, Tuesdays, 4 p.m.; Canvas Kids, South, Wednesdays, 4 p.m.

Tail Waggin’ Tutors: 7 to 9 years old. Children can practice reading skills in a relaxed, dog-friendly atmosphere. Canine listeners provided by Therapy Dogs International. Headquarters, selected Tuesdays, 4 p.m. Call 704-216-8234 for details. East, selected Mondays, 3:30 p.m., Call 704-216-7842 for details. South, by appointment only. Call 704-216-7728 for details.