Subscribers to a digital entertainment service offered through Missouri River Regional Library may have had some difficulty borrowing additional titles this month due to the library's limited budget.

The service, named Hoopla, allows subscribers to borrow movies, videos, music and audiobooks straight from their browser, tablet or smartphone.

When the program initially launched May 1, $2,000 was set aside to pay for the content streamed by users, said Claudia Schoonover, MRRL library director. "We knew the service would be well-received, but it is definitely more popular than we expected."

Starting May 24, Schoonover said patrons mentioned they were having problems accessing content on Hoopla and now they have to re-evaluate their budget. A new budget cycle began May 29. But with the amount of subscribers streaming, some users are still unable to use the service.

In a mass email to subscribers, Schoonover explained MRRL pays per download for the new service, and library officials are figuring out how to best administer the service with its available funds.

"We are struggling to balance access with affordability because of the pay per download structure," she said.

For more questions or concerns, contact MRRL at 573-634-6064.