ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Albuquerque and Bernalillo County’s public library system now offers a way for people to stream content from home.

Last month the library started allowed cardholders to use a service called Hoopla, already offered by hundreds of US library systems.

“It’s just another way for libraries to provide information,” said Ben Ridout, digital services manager for the library system. “I mean we provide access and this is a way we can provide access on somebody’s own terms.”

After logging in using their library card, users of the site can stream a wide array of content to their computer or smartphone including movies, TV shows, music, audio books, e-books and comics. Items have varying “borrowing” limits, three days for a movie or three weeks for an ebook. Right now users can stream or “borrow” up to five items a month.

A big benefit is you don’t have to wait for an item to be “returned”.

“The moment Hoopla has it available within their catalogue… 100 people could check it out that day if they wanted to,” Ridout said. “That’s part of the different model.”

Ridout expects movies will be popular on the service, although Hoopla typically won’t have new blockbuster releases. In its first month of use in Albuquerque, more audio books have been streamed through the service than movies so far.

The library has budgeted around $75,000 a year for cardholders to use Hoopla. That cost will vary depending on how much people use the service.

Currently, Rio Rancho and Santa Fe also offer Hoopla to library cardholders.