Libraries offer such a wealth of free resources that sometimes even we librarians are surprised to learn about all of the amazing benefits provided by the simple library card. If you’re anything like me, you were delighted to learn in last week’s blog that one of the benefits of a State Library card is access to free streaming videos! This is especially welcome news now that so many of us are spending more time at home. As soon as I read about this option, I logged into my State Library account and was thrilled to see that there were over a thousand videos available to stream instantly, including movies and TV shows in a variety of genres: comedies, dramas, documentaries, children’s videos, and many more.
If you’re a permanent Massachusetts state employee, you too can stream free videos with your State Library account. Simply log in to the C/W MARS Overdrive site with your State Library card number (be sure to select “CW MARS Patrons” from the dropdown box upon login), and navigate to the “Videos” section in the “Collections” tab. Another option is to use the Overdrive app, which allows you to watch streaming videos on your Android, Chromebook, iOS, or Fire device.
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| Some of the videos available for streaming |
If you need help setting up your account or getting started with streaming videos, you can view Overdrive’s Help page or get in touch with us at the State Library Mon-Fri 9am-5pm via chat, phone (617-727-2590), or email (reference.department@mass.gov).
It’s easy to sign up for a State Library card if you don’t already have one: just fill out our online form for state employees, and we’ll send you your new library account information so that you, too, can explore all of the free videos brought to you by your library.
Laura Schaub
Cataloging Librarian
