Amigos Library Services partners with BCLS to support SimplyE

Amigos Library Services submitted a grant proposal to the Texas State Library & Archives Commission to implement the SimplyE app with the Brazoria County Library System (BCLS). It addresses an area identified in the Library Cooperation Grant guidelines: "All Texans and Texas communities need access to Internet-connected resources and services and the support they need to use them successfully."

The SimplyE app makes browsing, borrowing, and reading e-books easy, with just 3 clicks or less. There is no need to go anywhere else, all e-book titles purchased from the three major vendors (Overdrive, Axis 360 from Baker & Taylor, and cloudLibrary from bibliotheca + 3M) are combined into a single selection tool. It was originally developed by the New York Public Library and is an open source app, allowing it to be redistributed and modified.

Amigos and BCLS will be the testing ground for Texas, working on the details that will pave the way for other public libraries to eventually host this app. The final decision on the grant application will be made in August 2017. Stay tuned!