The Carroll and Madison Library System (CAMALS), uniting six libraries across Carroll and Madison counties, announces the addition of exciting digital collections to enhance the community’s access to on-demand content.
CAMALS, formed in 2000, facilitates collaboration among libraries in Berryville, Eureka Springs, Green Forest, Huntsville, Kingston and St. Paul. By pooling resources, CAMALS aims to provide greater access to community members throughout the region.
In response to evolving borrowing trends, CAMALS introduces four new digital collections — ComicsPlus, CreativeBug, Hoopla and Kanopy as well as the addition of on-demand digital magazines through Over-Drive. These join their existing digital collection of eBooks and eAudiobooks from OverDrive/Libby, also known as Arkansas Library2Go. The pilot collections will be evaluated for patron interest and value until 2027, influencing the decision to maintain them in the long term.
The new platforms offer a diverse range of content suitable for various age groups, including award-winning do-it-yourself art and craft tutorials, comics, mangas, movies, TV shows, indie films, documentaries, eBooks and eAudiobooks. Accessing these collections is simple — patrons only need their library card and pin number.
“We’ve observed a consistent uptick in usage and new user registrations from our system’s region in Arkansas Library2Go over the past decade, and especially since 2020,” said April Griffith, regional library administrator for CAMALS. “While this collection, shared among many libraries across Northwest Arkansas, grants our region access to a vast aggregate of digital materials, it comes with prolonged wait times because it is serving a much bigger population. The addition of new collections not only expands digital formats but introduces a different purchasing model, providing immediate access to certain titles.”
CAMALS, established in 2000, serves six independent libraries in Carroll and Madison Counties. Services include materials processing, cataloging, and a twice-weekly delivery service to facilitate seamless sharing of collections across the region.
