Author Stephanie Wittels Wachs Visits Hometown Library for hoopla digital's First "Meet the Author" Live Book Club Event

Category-creating digital service for public libraries empowers fans with more connections to authors and fellow readers through Book Club program

News provided by

hoopla digital

Dec 12, 2018, 11:20 ET

HOUSTON, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- hoopla digital, the category-creating mobile and online service for public libraries, is giving libraries a new way to engage current members and reach new patrons through its "Meet the Author" live Book Club event series. Stephanie Wittels Wachs, author of hoopla Book Club's current spotlight title: Everything is Horrible and Wonderful, visited Pearland Library for an exclusive Q&A and panel discussion, the first in a series of live, Book Club experiences presented by hoopla Book Club.

Author Stephanie Wittels Wachs reads an excerpt from her hoopla Book Club Spotlight Title, EVERYTHING IS HORRIBLE AND WONDERFUL (Photo Credit: Jenny Antill)

"Creating a sense of community–online and within the walls of our partner libraries—is essential to the hoopla Book Club experience," said hoopla's Content Strategist Tara Carberry. "By welcoming our authors into that community, through events like this week's with Stephanie Wittels Wachs, we're redefining what a book club can be—to our readers, to our authors, and to our library partners."

Readers throughout the Greater Houston area attended the meet & greet and moderated panel featuring Wittels Wachs, alongside representatives from hoopla, Brazoria County Library System and the Bay Area Council on Drugs & Alcohol. Literary fans unable to attend the event can still experience the Spotlight Title via hoopla's online platform (theclub.hoopladigital.com), along with exclusive author content and book club resources.

"Having a hoopla Book Club Spotlight Title has given me unparalleled opportunities to connect directly with my readers, be it in my hometown library or across the world," said Wittels Wachs. "hoopla's removing the barriers for people to join or start a book club and in turn, creating an inspiring community for readers and authors alike."

hoopla Book Club's first Spotlight Title of 2019, and corresponding author events, will be announced in early January. Until then, readers can access this quarter's Spotlight Selections, along with thousands of other book club ready titles via hoopla Book Club's online platform. Set in a dynamic digital service, hoopla Book Club offers access to over 670,000 eBooks, audiobooks, and graphic novels with no holds and no waiting, provides the tools for clubs to build to any size they desire, and gives members unique access to engage with each other and their favorite authors.

"hoopla Book Club has created a welcoming community within our library for those who love to read, listen and discuss today's most powerful books," said Brazoria County Library System Adult Program Coordinator Tom West. "Because of hoopla Book Club, we are no longer constrained by the number of physical copies, or even digital copies, for patrons to participate in a book club model. The program has opened the doors to new patrons in our community, while engaging our current patrons."

hoopla digital is in over 4,000 public libraries across North America including Free Library of Philadelphia, Chicago Public Library, San Francisco Public Library, and Los Angeles Public Library. Visit hoopladigital.com to find out if your library partners with hoopla.

To sign up for hoopla, cardholders of participating libraries can download the free hoopla digital mobile app on their Android or iOS device. Patrons of participating libraries need a valid email and password to start accessing content right away. Content on hoopla can be accessed across a range of platforms including Android TV, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire, and Chromecast.

For more information, please contact 800-875-2785 (US) or 866-698-2231 (Canada).

About hoopla digital:

hoopla digital is a category-creating service that partners with public libraries across North America to provide online and mobile access to thousands of Movies, TV Shows, Music, eBooks, Audiobooks and Comics. With hoopla digital, patrons can borrow, instantly stream and download dynamic content with a valid library card. All content is accessible via hoopla digital's mobile app and online at www.hoopladigital.com. hoopla digital is a service of Midwest Tape – a trusted partner to public libraries for over 25 years.

SOURCE hoopla digital