Libraries Rock: L.A. Library Cardholders Can Download Sony Music For Free

The County of Los Angeles Public Library and the Los Angeles Public Library have partnered with Library Ideas, a network of public library websites that "offer access to hundreds of thousands of songs from Sony Music’s catalog of legendary artists," to allow library cardholders free and legal music downloads beginning in July, according to a news release.

The service, “Freegal” (“free” and “legal”), will be available starting July 1, 2011, on both library websites. Freegal allows registered card holders of either library to download up to three selections of Sony Music tracks in the MP3 format each week at no direct cost. The artists and the works available through the service are listed at www.sonymusic.com. “The County Library has been waiting a long time for a service like this that delivers great music, compatibility with lots of devices and simplicity of use. We think this will be very popular with our patrons,” said County Librarian Margaret Donnellan Todd.

The service was created to help meet Los Angeles' demand for digital entertainment and information, notes the news release. “Music is an art form like literature and cinema. With Sony Music’s incredibly expansive and popular catalog, this becomes a very important product for libraries,” said Brian Downing, co-founder of Library Ideas.