By Lisa Bogart
Somerset County Library System (SCLS)has joined the Library Ideas™ network that offers access to over 3 million songs including Sony Music’s catalog of legendary artists. Patrons with a library card and a pin number can now immediately access the service, called Freegal™ Music Service, directly through the library’s website (www.sclsnj.org).
With no additional software needed to download 3 music selections per week, songs can be put on any computing or mobile device including pcs and MACs. Apps are also available for Apple® and Android type smartphones.
"Freegal allows SCLS to increase the size and diversity of its musical collection by offering access to over 10,000 music labels from 65 different countries to our patrons. It is simply one more way to give patrons what they want in the format they want, when they want it," noted Yvonne Selander, collection management supervisor.
Libraries all over the world subscribe to the Freegal Music Service, including the Princeton (NJ) Public Library, Maricopa County Library District (AZ), The Edmonton Public Library (AB), Orange County Public Library (FL), The Biblioteche di Bologna (IT), Nashville Public Library (TN) and Fairfield Public Library (CT).
“Sony Music has an incredibly expansive and popular catalog and we are really excited to partner with them on this, a very important product for libraries,” said Brian Downing, co-founder of Library Ideas. “A library is a focal point of the community that requires many tools to excite people about library resources. More than anything, that is the reason for the service.”
About SCLS
Patrons with further questions can call SCLS at (908)526-4016 or visit the website at http://www.sclsnj.org. The Somerset County Library System has branches in Bridgewater, Bound Brook, Hillsborough, Manville, at the Mary Jacobs Library in Rocky Hill, North Plainfield, Peapack & Gladstone, Somerville, Warren Township and Watchung.
About Library Ideas
Library Ideas is a global leader in providing digital content to all kinds of libraries, and is located in Fairfax, Virginia. The Company offers music, eBook and language learning solutions to libraries as part of its developing product suite. For further information please email [email protected]. Library Ideas was named “One of the Top 100 Companies in the Digital Content Industry for 2011-12” by EContent Magazine.
About Sony Music Entertainment
Sony Music Entertainment is a global recorded music company with a current roster that includes a broad array of both local artists and international superstars. The company boasts a vast catalog that comprises some of the most important recordings in history. It is home to premier record labels representing music from every genre, including Arista Nashville, Beach Street Records, BNA Records, Columbia Nashville, Columbia Records, Day 1, Epic Records, Essential Records, Flicker Records, Kemosabe Records, LaFace Records, Legacy Recordings, MASTERWORKS, Polo Grounds, RCA Records, RCA Nashville, Reunion Records, Roc Nation, Sony Classical, Sony Music Latin, Star Time International, Syco Music, Verity Gospel Music Group, and Volcano Entertainment. Sony Music Entertainment is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America.

