Library
COVID-19 & Clearwater’s Libraries
While the Clearwater Public Library System
12 MyClearwater
takes steps to help mitigate the spread
of COVID-19, some of the library’s
normal hours and services are limited.
For example, in-person programs have been temporarily
suspended as have meeting room reservations. Library staff is
producing virtual content, which we invite you to explore on
our calendar. When normal programs resume, they will also
be listed on our calendar.
In the meantime, all of us at the Clearwater Public Library
System hope patrons take this opportunity to try some of
our convenient, free services that allow for easy and safe
distancing. For example, the Main Library, located at 100
N. Osceola Ave. in downtown Clearwater, offers several
innovative services patrons can explore on their own or with
someone from their household.
The Maker Spaces
Located on the fourth floor of the Main Library, the
Heritage Studio of Community Memory is a state-of-the-art
digitization lab, which allows patrons to convert old photos,
videos, and audio recordings into easily shareable, digital
formats. Equipment is available to digitize photos, books,
magazines, posters, maps, artwork, negatives, transparencies,
VHS/hi8/miniDV/compact VHS (VHS-C)/Betamax
cassettes, 8mm/Super 8/16mm film, regular and microaudio
cassettes, vinyl LPs, and reel-to-reel audio tapes.
Additionally, the Heritage Studio is home to extensive
collections of local and Florida history and genealogy
resources patrons can use to research the past. Ancestry:
Library Edition, which can be used at the library, is an
important database for genealogists and family researchers
looking for census records, immigration information,
passenger lists, birth, marriage, death, and military records.
In the Multimedia Studio on the third floor, patrons can
find all the equipment and software they need to produce,
edit and publish original video, audio, and photographic
projects. Equipment available includes iMac computers, a
camcorder, tripods, a shotgun microphone, a DSLR camera,
lighting, backdrops, reflectors and a small object studio tent.
In addition, Multimedia Studio patrons can access an audio
interface, a portable USB-MIDI Controller, an electronic
keyboard and audio production software, such as the Adobe
Creative Cloud Suite and Photo Key 8 Pro.
Users can learn more about these free services and make
reservations to use them at myclearwaterlibrary.com/booksmore/
maker-studios.
Online & Streaming Services
For patrons who prefer to access library materials from
home, the Clearwater Public Library System offers a
generous variety of downloadable and streaming content free
to library card holders.
Overdrive offers downloadable electronic books (ebooks),
including those for Kindle, digital comic books, audiobooks
and magazines. Hoopla Digital provides access to thousands
of streaming movies, TV shows, music, digital audiobooks,
ebooks and comic books. RB Digital (formerly Zinio), offers
digital audiobooks and magazines. Kanopy is an on-demand,
film-streaming service that features independent, awardwinning
films and documentaries for adults and children,
and access to the Great Courses. Freegal allows patrons
to stream music from more than 30,000 labels and 80
countries and titles from Sony Music’s catalog of legendary
artists.
These services can be accessed with a library card at
myclearwaterlibrary.com/books-more/downloadables-609.
Library
/downloadables-609