• By Jacquelyn White
• Posted Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Grab a mug of cocoa and sit by the fire...it's time for some cozy downloads!

Oh, the weather outside is frightful - But the fire is so delightful - And since we've no place to go - Grab your library card and start downloading...

Okay, so it doesn't exactly rhyme, but it still works. Cold weather is quickly approaching and what better way to pass the time than to do some free downloading with your library card.

May we suggest starting with a great holiday-themed cozy mystery, courtesy of our North Carolina Digital Library powered by OverDrive. Charming mysteries, amazing book titles and festivities abound within these pages. What’s not to love? Here are three to get you started:

Mistletoe Murder is the first book of the Lucy Stone series by Leslie Meier about solving a murder all the while maintaining the busy schedule that is required of the holiday season like baking holiday cookies and knitting seasonal gifts.

The Twelve Clues of Christmas by Rhys Bowen follows Lady Georgiana Rannoch during the holiday season as a hostess at a posh party in Tiddleton village. But when three people are murdered over the course of three days, things look grim instead of bright. Who is the culprit and will the holiday be a winter wonderland or a wicked one? The story includes an English Christmas companion, holiday recipes and games.

The Bark Before Christmas by Laurien Berenson is the latest of the Melanie Travis Mystery. Melanie Travis has her hands full with her two young sons, a part-time job, and a half dozen Poodles to her name. But even with the busy holiday season approaching, she still has time to sniff out a Christmastime killer...

After you've picked out a few titles to read, how about making your own holiday themed playlist. Freegal is a free music service from the library. You can download five (5) free songs a week and the best part is they are yours to keep. There's something for everyone, Classical Holiday, Jazz Holiday, Rock Holiday, Blues Holiday, World Holiday , Hip Hop/Rap Holiday, and much more.

This time of year is great for browsing through magazines - DIY themed gifts, new family favorite holiday recipes or forecasted trends for the new year- the reasons are boundless. The Library can help with Zinio. Touted as the world's largest newsstand, Zinio offers you free eMagazines. Download as many as you like, current and back issues, and keep them for as long as you want.

Have a lot of travel plans this winter season? We've got something for you as well, OneClickdigtal will be your new best friend. Download popular and classical titles as audiobooks.

All of these resources are free to use with an active Forsyth County Public Library card (OverDrive requires your four digit pin). Use them on a computer or your smart device through their apps for on the go enjoyment. If you need help navigating these resources or your device, check out our Computer Training Bridge website for details on upcoming Open Help Labs and classes. Or feel free to stop by or call one of our many locations to set up a one-on-one appointment.