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linz , Source: Stadt Linz (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 AT)

Linz City Library to offer free movie streaming services from June

Linz City Library to offer free movie streaming services from June

It is the first library in Austria to offer such a service

After libraries were closed around Europe as a means of slowing down the spread of COVID-19, many of them quickly adapted to the change in circumstances and took a number of bold steps into the future.

The Linz City Library is no exception, as it quickly went about digitizing its collection and making it available to anyone looking for the comforts only a library can offer during a time of isolation. Currently, it offers over 45,000 electronic books and magazines – but local authorities are far from done.

Expanding on existing ideas

Instead of remaining stagnant as a traditional library, Linz City Library has decided to branch out significantly by offering new types of entertainment to its users – namely by giving the opportunity for video on demand and movie streaming services.

The Linz City Library will be the first library in Austria to offer a free video-on-demand platform for children and adults. Over 2,000 sophisticated feature films, exciting documentaries and valuable children's productions will be available to library customers free of charge from June. With this new offer and online use, the city library is strengthening its role as an important media distribution and competence centre, ” stated Doris Lang-Mayerhofer, City Councilor for Culture.

After entering into an agreement with the streaming platform Filmfriend, the company has set about integrating its services with the library’s own website. The new offer made available thanks to their cooperation will be launched at the start of June.

The general idea, however, is nothing new. Filmfriend has been working actively in Switzerland and Germany since 2017 and has been operating with over 140 libraries in different countries. Yet none of them is Austrian, thus making the Linz City Library a pioneer in the country when it comes to embracing new approaches to entertainment.

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