Library Now Offering Free Music Downloads to Cardholders

Break out your iPods and MP3 players because the has made it possible for its registered cardholders to download music for free.

That's right, free.

The library has hooked up with Library Ideas, a new media company that is connected to Sony Music, to bring library goers access to Freegal Music.

According to Brian Downing, co-founder of Library Ideas, Freegal has an expansive and popular catalog thanks to its connection to Sony Music Entertainment. The catalog has hundreds of thousands of songs available for download.

"The Sony music catalog is huge and we are one of the few libraries that is offering this service right now," said Toni Lucarelli, a business and communications librarian for Fountaindale.  "We launched it on Monday, and by Tuesday we hit the limit for the week. We're very excited about the service."

Freegal works similar to iTunes; members can search for songs via title, artist or album. The catalog expands every day

Those interested in taking advantage of the program should go to the library's website at www.fountaindale.org. When the page opens, click on Freegal DRM Free Music. Once there, readers will be asked for their library card number and PIN (the last four digits of the library number). 

"I think it's great that we're offering this service to our patrons," said Program Librarian Maureen Garzaro. "It brings us to a place where we're so much more technology friendly."