The latest service for our digital library users is now up and running…Zinio Digital Magazines offers over 100 titles available for you to download, read and keep if you’d like, for as long as you need them.  You can access the service if you have both a Viking Library System card and an email account.  Magazines can be downloaded to and read on computers, tablets, smart phones and readers  including all Apple products and Kindles.  You must have Internet access to set up an account, but if you download them to a Zinio reader, you can read them without being online.

     Creating an account is fairly easy…begin by going to the VLS homepage (which I assume you are on, if you are reading this) and click the Digital Library square…then click the Zinio button and you will be into the site.  There is a pdf of instructions on the Digital Library page if necessary, and there is also a user tutorial for creating an account on the site.

   One word of warning that I would offer is that you must set up two accounts, first a library account by entering your library card number and later in the process, a Zinio account by entering your first and last name and creating a password.  The second account is created AFTER you have selected a magazine, so it can be tempting to want to start reading before you finish the set-up process.

    This service is free to all library card holders.  If there is ever an indication that payment is necessary, you have ventured off course and onto the commercial Zinio site.  The url should include RBDigital Gateway.  If this happens to you, it’s fairly easy to go back to the website and just hit the Zinio button again. 

     This is a great way to read lots of magazines without subscribing and to carry a whole armful with you on one device.  Happy reading!  And let us know how you like the service on the Viking Library System Facebook page!

      If you have any questions, or need help setting up an account, please call Viking Library System at 218-739-5286 or your local member library.  You can also stop by any VLS member library and the staff there will be glad to help you.

     ~ Peg Werner

The Horizon servers and UPS’s will be replaced and the Horizon and iPac software will be upgraded during this time.  Access from your library or from a remote location should be available again on Friday, August 17.  Internet access will be available at your local library throughout the upgrade.

Because access to both the Digital Library and MnLINK require authentication of your library card (confirming that you are a VLS patron in good standing) and because this authentication is done through Horizon, neither of those databases will be accessible.

Viking Library System regrets any inconvience this may cause and looks forward to serving you on a more robust system come Friday.

Peg Werner, Director

Viking Library System