While the Dimmick Memorial Library continues as a wonderful resource for reading and research materials, it is now much more. The rear of the library has been redesigned for the under 21 crowd, and its Web site sports links to an awesome variety of online services.

Physical changes that have made the library more kid friendly. "We received a grant for $2,500 from the Pennsylvania Library System's Preschool Connections," said Dimmick Memorial Library staff member Irene Hudock."They invited us to four workshops where we learned how to create a family destination within the library where children, especially younger children, would be able to play, have fun, learn and have exposure to the library. We believe that through play, children learn literacy."The new toddler's area has child's size furniture including a sofa and an armchair, a train table where children can play together, a shelving area with books, blocks, puzzles, toys and musical instruments. The space is decorated with stuffed animals, and there is an adult glider chair, where parents can sit comfortably and enjoy reading to their children."We redesigned the rear area as our Youth Center. We have a Juvenile Fiction Area where we have a section of books for children up to the age of 14 on one side, and books for older teens on the other."The Dimmick Memorial Library's website offers free: downloadable magazines, audiobooks, ebooks, recoded classic books, interactive online children's books, a Power Library Network Resource Center, and an online chat with a librarian.To access most services, you will need you library card number -contact the Dimmick Memorial Library, if required. You will need internet access and a compatible browser - FireFox (2 or higher) and Internet Explorer (6 or higher) are recommended. Many of these services work on iPhones, iPads. Kindle Fire, Nook HD, and related devices, although there may be incompatibilities.Go onto the Dimmick Memorial Library's website,

www.dimmicklibrary.org and in the left hand column, you should see a number of icons that read: Zinio, Download audiobook eBooks - Overdrive, OneClick digital, Power Library Network, BookFLIX, and AskHere PA - Connect to a Librarian.Zinio is a service that provides free downloadable magazines. Click on the Zinio icon and then you will begin what may become a laborious session of registering for first the Allentown Library District, and then the Zinio system. You are required to create a log-in I.D. Using your email address and to create a password. The Dimmick staff advises that the two sets of log-ins should be identical. For the iPhone, iPad, Android, and Windows 8 devices, the Zinio app must be downloaded.Once you clear that hurdle, logging into the site through the Dimmick web site, you are at the Allentown Library District portion of the Zinio web site - click on Login at the top right and enter your email and password.Here, you will view an alphabetical assortment of magazines, 12 to a page, beginning with Apple Magazine, Backpacker and Birdwatching, which continues for six pages, ending with Woman's health, Working Mother, and Yoga - a total of 72 current magazines, all free. Zinio claims that there are over 5,000 magazines on their service To simplify your search, click on the drop-down menu "All Genres" to focus on a category of interest.Select a magazine by clicking on its icon and follow the instructions. You may be asked to reenter your email and password. Once the log-in is accepted, the next screen shows a list of your downloaded magazines called "Your Reading List." Click on the magazine that you wish to read and it will open in Zinio. Instructions for using Zinio are provided. You will receive an email confirming the download. Once you are through reading, you can remove the magazine for selecting "Edit your reading list."The other services follow a somewhat similar procedure or are self explanatory on the website pages.• Download Audiobook eBooks - Overdrive allows a patron to download recent books either in an eBook format or as an audiobook through the Carbon Lehigh Downloadable Library system.The Overdrive Media Console app is required. The number of copies available, the number of items allowed to be checked out, and the checkout period are all limited. Books that are currently checked out by others may be placed on hold.• OneClickdigital brings the library of Recorded Books to your device. Click on "Getting Started" to join the service. There are currently 12 Recorded Books available from Anna Karenina to Hound of the Baskervilles to Treasure Island. Windows users need to get the OneClickdigital Media Manager. Mac users require the OneClickdigital Media Player (for OS 10.6 and higher).The Power Library Network is a resource center covering subjects from Auto Repair to Teacher Reference Center to Newspaper Source Plus. BookFLIX is a mucho fun site for parents and children. Here, families can explore subjects from Animals and Nature to Music and Rhyme to Adventure to Imagination. Click on a subject and select a book. You can read the book, read the book along with a recording, or watch a video that accompanies the book.• AskHere PA - Connect to a Librarian. Are you a student who needs help finding an answer to your homework? Never fear - Ask Here. Clicking on the icon on the Dimmick home page takes you to the AskHere PA where 24/7 you can have an online chat with a librarian from a participating college library. A copy of your chat session is available by email.That's a lot of new options - and that doesn't even cover all the new books to borrow and used books available to purchase. If you have any questions, contact your Dimmick librarian at (570) 325-2131. The Dimmick Memorial Library is located at 54 Broadway in Jim Thorpe.