SLCL Introduces New eMedia Service at Airport, Metro Transit, Schnucks & St. Louis County Offices

St. Louis County Library will launch a new eMedia service on June 20, 2024. ePopUp Library gives users immediate access to thousands of popular digital books and audiobooks by simply scanning a QR code. There is no library card required and materials are available for 7-days. ePopUp Library will be available at MetroLink locations through Bi-State Development, St. Louis County government offices, Schnucks stores and throughout St. Louis Lambert International Airport. 

Kristen Sorth, St. Louis County Library Director & CEO said, “We are thrilled to partner with four impactful organizations in our region to remove barriers to reading and increase access to eBooks and audiobooks for the community. Books offer us a place for discovery and a sense of community and belonging. They are a haven filled with adventure and comfort and are a place where we can better understand the complexities of life.”  

“The ePopUp Library program is a great way to connect residents on the go with library resources such as ebooks and audiobooks,” said County Executive Dr. Sam Page. “Thanks to this new program and the great partnerships, it will now be easier to get through your summer reading list.”

“This program provides travelers with another element to make their trip enjoyable,” says St. Louis Lambert International Airport Director and CEO Rhonda Hamm-Niebruegge. “Who doesn’t enjoy reading, but often we forget to take something with us when we are about to fly. We are so excited to be teaming up with the St. Louis County Library to offer a person the opportunity to download a selection onto their smartphone or tablet while in the airport.”

“We are excited to partner with St. Louis County Library on the ePopUp Library program. It is a perfect fit for Metro Transit and our customers,” said Charles Stewart, Chief Operating Officer of Metro Transit at Bi-State Development. “One of the many benefits of riding MetroLink or MetroBus is that you don’t have to sit behind the wheel in traffic. You get some time back for yourself, and with this new program, it’s never been easier to spend that time enjoying a good book while you ride.”

“We are proud to partner with the St. Louis County Library who, like Schnucks, has been an area institution for decades,” said Schnucks Director of Community Engagement and Customer Care Schron Jackson. “Our mission to nourish people’s lives not only means providing the food and sustenance that our customers need but also includes making it easy for them to expand their horizons by listening to an audiobook after they shop.” 

The ePopUp collection will feature over 480 titles when the program launches on June 20. New titles will be added each week, and the collection will grow to around 2,000 by mid-July. Users can browse bestselling fiction and nonfiction titles for adults, along with some YA titles, and start listening or reading immediately. Users will need an internet connection to browse the collection, but items can be downloaded for reading or listening offline. 

eMedia usage has surged over the past several years. In 2023, over 3.3 million items were borrowed from SLCL. ePopUp Library is a convenient and easy way to encourage literacy in our region. SLCL is the only library in the midwest to offer this program.  

Sponsorship for ePopUp Library is provided by the Clark Family. In May 2022, Robert G. Clark and family donated $4 million to St. Louis County Library and St. Louis County Library Foundation to be used toward the new library branch in Ladue. The new Clark Family Branch will open July 9, replacing the former Headquarters building at 1640 S. Lindbergh Boulevard. The gift included an additional $2 million dollars for St. Louis County Library to curate educational programming, including ePopUp Library. 

Media inquiries should be directed to Jennifer McBride, Assistant Director, Communications at 314-994-3300 ext 2250.