Long Beach Libraries More Than Double Digital Collection

LONG BEACH, CA — The Long Beach Public Library has more than doubled its digital offerings due to a new partnership with hoopla.

The library system now offers over 1.9 million digital materials, including more than 275,000 non-English language titles. The expansion allows Long Beach readers instant access to a wide variety of content including, eBooks, audiobooks, comics and manga, movies, television shows and music.

“At Long Beach Public Library, our mission is to empower and enrich our community by providing resources that meet the needs of all residents,” said Library Director Cathy De Leon. “Expanding our digital collection with hoopla allows us to offer materials in over 120 world languages,
ensuring that every member of our community can find something meaningful, engaging and relevant.”

With a Long Beach Library Card, readers will be able sign up for a free hoopla account to access materials that span cultures, languages and genres. The hoopla app also offers access to topics that cover themes of race, mental health and religion.

Families can also use the app, which offers family-friendly features and more than 150,000 titles for young learners.

“This expansion of Long Beach Public Library's digital collection is a testament to our dedication to diversity and inclusion,” said Mayor Rex Richardson. “By more than doubling our digital collection of non-English language titles, we are not only celebrating the rich cultural heritage of our community—we are empowering residents to learn, grow and connect in meaningful ways.”

Funding for the expansion came from a structural increase in the materials budget for the City's 2023 budget, as well as supplementary one-time funding to support an inclusive and diverse library collection.