Press Releases

New Catalog Video Tutorials

Pioneer Library System - Press Releases

Last Updated on Friday, 05 August 2011 15:00

The Virtual Library has created 5 tutorial videos to help you learn how to use the new catalog system. You may watch all 5 videos by clicking the video player to the left or by visiting the PLS YouTube channel.

The videos walk you through searching, sorting results, placing holds, renewing items, and managing the new favorite authors and subjects lists.

If you experience difficulties using a service or have suggestions for enhancements or future tutorials, let us know. Please contact your hometown library, use our online contact form, or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Read more: New Catalog Video Tutorials

Disney Digital Books are Here!

Pioneer Library System - Press Releases

Last Updated on Wednesday, 13 July 2011 11:10

Bring the wonderful world of Disney into your home with the new PLS collection of interactive Disney books. Your hometown library now has 679 interactive Disney digital books for you to check out with your free library card. These colorful, interactive titles are launched online and offer plenty of opportunities for learning and fun for your children, students, or that inner child in you. So check out some of these great titles today!

Visit www.justsoyouknow.us/disney for the complete list of Disney Interactive Digital Books.

101 Dalmatians Vintage Storybook

One, two, three, four... 101 Dalmatians! Can they all stay safe from the evil Cruella de Vil, who wants to turn them into a Dalmatian coat?

Read more: Disney Digital Books are Here!

Open Letter to HarperCollins & Readers of eBooks

Pioneer Library System - Press Releases

Last Updated on Tuesday, 08 March 2011 14:50

On February 24, the Pioneer Library System received a message from our downloadable materials vendor,  OverDrive, stating that an unnamed publisher would place the following requirements on their eBook titles, “for every new eBook licensed, the library […] will make the eBook available to one customer at a time until the total number of permitted checkouts is reached.” While the one customer at a time portion has been standard the “total number of permitted checkouts” was a new restriction.

That publisher turned out to be HarperCollins. 

Starting March 7, the “total number of permitted checkouts” for any HarperCollins eBook will be 26, after which point, libraries will have to purchase the eBook again. This figure does not account for people renewing an eBook to finish reading it and no accommodations are made for eBooks which never checkout. There is no option for the library to remove the title from their virtual collection; instead it will remain listed and unavailable for customers and library staff to access.  The eBook is essentially locked until a re-entrance fee is paid by the library for the next 26 checkouts.^U  

The rationale offered by the publisher is since paper books wear out and need to be replaced if they are to remain in a library’s collection, the same should be true of their electronic formats. The publisher argues that it should not be denied revenues that come from reselling replacement books and resources. Because the publisher assumes digital resources never deteriorate, they have set an arbitrary limit to the number of times an electronic resource can be accessed. Not planned obsolescence. Forced obsolescence.

Read more: Open Letter to HarperCollins & Readers of eBooks

Text your librarian

Pioneer Library System - Press Releases

Getting reference help from a librarian is as easy as texting PLS.

Text the code PLS to 66746 to register as a PLS customer. Then text your questions to 66746 anytime you have one!

The text ref desk is staffed during the following times:

Monday - Thursday 8:00 A.M. - 10:00 P.M.

Friday 8:00 A.M. - 6:00 P.M.

Saturday 9:00 A.M. - 6:00 P.M.

Sunday 2:00 P.M. - 4:00 P.M.

Please note - your standard text message rates do apply.