Did you get an eBook Reader for Christmas?

The library can help.

eBooks are quickly becoming an important alternative to paper books, and thousands of eBooks are downloaded every day.

Vancouver Island Regional Library offers a large collection of free eBooks and audiobooks to download through the provincial Library to Go website. All that is required to download items is a library card, a computer with some free software, and Internet access.

To help people get started, the library is providing a free demonstration tour of their eBook site and tips on how to download items on Thursday, Jan. 20 from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Courtenay library at 300 Sixth St.

People are encouraged to bring their eBook reader and laptop. The program is free.

Courtenay library manager Mari Martin says that eBooks are not meant to replace paper books but, instead, provide an alternate reading choice for lovers of technology.

鈥渆Books offer a new dimension to the written word, allowing books to be distributed and enjoyed so much more easily; they also have many features that traditional paper books may be missing,鈥� she says.

鈥淔or instance, eBooks allow you to shrink or enlarge the text size, and you can carry a large number of eBooks on a wide variety of mobile devices including smartphones.鈥�

For more information about library programs and services, call the Courtenay library branch at 250-334-3369 or visit www.virl.bc.ca.

鈥� Courtenay Library