What do Canadian hip-hop artist Maestro Fresh Wes and rap rock band Down with Webster have in common?
They have both been scheduled to come to Prince George to perform in fundraisers for the Prince George Library.
The library has a new energetic board, said Neil Godbout, communications co-ordinator.
"This new board has some connections in the music world and have had some great ideas," he added. "The board recognizes that the library world is in transition so we must adapt in a creative way to make sure the library stays relevant."
And talking about staying relevant, the library has now got an added value to their library card -- as many as three free music downloads per week from Sony Music.
It's free and it's legal. That's why it's called Freegal.
The best part for local and regional library card holders is that the music files, which work on virtually any computer, tablet, smartphone and mp3 player, do not expire.
"Freegal has an amazing collection of more than 500,000 songs in its catalogue across a diverse range of styles," said chief librarian, Allan Wilson. "Along with our library app for smartphones, this is just the latest way we're using technology to make the library accessible to everyone."
To use Freegal, visit the main page of the library's website and follow the link.
Library card holders will need their card numbers and their personal identification number (PIN) to log into Freegal. Residents can search by song titles, artist and genre for music.
There's also an option to listen to a sample of the song before downloading.
If residents want a library card so they can use Freegal, go to the Bob Harkins branch downtown or the Nechako branch in the Hart Shopping Centre.
Besides using Freegal, a library card offers free access to more than 200,000 items in the library's physical collection, including CDs, DVDs, magazines, newspapers and books.
The library also offers a vast and growing network of online resources through its website at www.lib.pg.bc.ca.
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