Corona Virus Time: Read Books And Newspapers For Free And Visit Concerts And Museums Online

2023 Author: Sheila Hailey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-08-25 04:29

Use on-line, overdrive and press readers via the library

If you want to read books and newspapers for free, grab your library documents. With the access you can borrow digital media from home: books, newspapers, magazines, even audio books and music as well as some films. Many libraries collaborate with onleihe, overdrive and press readers, the respective providers can be found on the website of the local library.

It becomes more difficult if you don't have a library card yet: Most libraries in Germany are closed due to the corona virus. In some places you can register online. If you don't find any information on the website of the local library, an email to its staff could possibly lead to success.

Public library nearby

Free eBooks at Amazon and Projekt Gutenberg

Amazon always offers free eBooks. From the Gutenberg project, you can also find numerous classics for free on Amazon. If you subscribe to Amazon Prime, you can also get a few books and magazines via this service without having to pay again.

Project Gutenberg: Free classics on Amazon
Storybook as e-book and audio book for free at Amazon
Sesame Street Kindle books for free at Amazon
More books on Amazon as an e-book for free
Amazon Prime with book lending for subscribers

If you don't have a Kindle, you can also access the classics in other ways. Of course, it reads more comfortably on an e-reader. An alternative to the Amazon devices is for example the Tolino Shine (see test).

Project Gutenberg: Read classics on the project website

Kindle Paperwhite at AmazonTolino Shine 3: Price comparison

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Free books and magazines from different sources

Some publishers currently offer individual issues of magazines as PDFs free of charge. And other providers temporarily provide free content:

Rowohlt-Verlag: Three books for children and teenagers free of charge as PDF
Musician magazines (keys, soundcheck, etc.) from PPV Medien as PDF for free
Bravo: Issue 1 from 1956 to 1994 as a free PDF
Children's books at Apple (iOS, Mac): A few copies in the books app for free
All you can read: Brieden magazines with code refabyda23 for free
Titanic satirical magazine March 2020 as PDF

Books, magazines and audio books: Take advantage of free trial offers

Subscription and streaming services often offer a free trial month or at least a trial week. You can also temporarily read books and magazines for free as long as you cancel in time:

Readly: Read many German magazines for 2 months free of charge
Amazon Kindle Unlimited (Free Trial Membership): Borrow books
Audible: Choose an audio book in the free trial month
Blinkist: Use book summaries for one week

A free trial membership can usually only be booked by new customers who have not previously used the respective service. Audiobooks are also available on music services, see the article on GIGA:

Audiobooks and music in a free stream

Concerts and operas on the Internet

Stream pop, rock and hip hop concerts for free

If you want to hear and watch concerts from the field of light music online, the first thing to look into is the Arte media library. The television station offers a variety of very good quality programs, usually around one hour long. After a short introduction, the artist performs live - often it is a concert in Germany or France, occasionally festivals. Among them are Bob Marley, Katie Melua, Tina Turner, Foals, Dwson and Sepultura. But other television stations also show concerts.

MTV Unplugged concert excerpts (Cro, Westernhagen, a-ha, …)
Arte Concert - music streams
Pop around the clock in the ZDF media library (Grönemeyer, Metallica, Coldplay, …)

Celebrate even when the clubs are closed? This works out! The Berlin institutions have teamed up to offer something to an audience at home during the prescribed closure: Every evening there is a stream in picture and sound from another - empty - club. "Berlin's club culture is facing the greatest challenge in its history," explains Clubcommission eV In order to ensure survival, its donations are necessary. They are collected as part of the stream. There are also other concerts by companies:

United We Stream - evening Berlin club stream
TV Noir: Living room concerts daily from 8:15 p.m. (optional "tickets" as donations for artists)
Sennheiser broadcasts club concerts via Instagram and YouTube
Dringeblieben.de: DJ livestreams, theater, sports and more

Stream classical concerts and operas for free

The trip to the Arte media library is also worthwhile for classical music lovers. Here you can find concerts by the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra conducted by Thomas Hengelbrock, Leonard Bernstein can see him conduct the Vienna Philharmonic and watch numerous operas. Included are Lohengrin, La Traviata, The Abduction from the Seraglio and much more. Under "stage performance" you can find ballet performances.

Arte Concert - music streams

Some concert halls offer online concerts live and / or on demand during the Corona crisis. This gives artists an opportunity to perform during difficult times, and you can look forward to cultural contributions at home. A selection:

Bavarian State Opera: Monday concerts during the Corona crisis
Elbphilharmonie: “Elphi at Home” concert streams
Berliner Philharmoniker: Free concerts and films with the code BERLINPHIL
Stuttgart State Opera: "Opera despite Corona", alternating recordings
Vienna State Opera: Daily streams available at 5 p.m., 6 p.m. or 7 p.m., 24 hours

Sounded too bad? Loudspeaker bestseller on Amazon

Visit museums for free on the Internet

Museums have also closed due to the corona situation. That is why more and more of their exhibitions are shown free of charge on the Internet, partly in cooperation with television stations. Some recommended offers:

ZDF: digital art gallery
"The Secret of Images" by ZDF Kultur
The RBB makes museums: 360-degree tours through Berlin museums, starting with an exhibition by the German Museum of Technology
Museum Barberini Potsdam: Monet exhibition in 360 degrees
Pergamon, Berlin (Google Arts & Culture)
Uffizi Gallery, Florence (Google Arts & Culture)
The National Galery, London (Google Arts & Culture)
National Gallery of Art, Washington DC (Google Arts & Culture)
Google Arts & Culture overview
Museum of Communication Frankfurt
Museum of Natural History Berlin

Those who have had enough of books and music can find more tips for their time at home on GIGA and the partner portals: Familie.de presents 50 indoor games, kino.de recommends film streaming subscriptions and desired.de offers 31 ideas against boredom. So that the movement is not neglected, fitness equipment such as ergometers, cross trainers or treadmills help. GIGA also tested fitness services and apps for at home.

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There is a large selection of book offers so that the ceiling doesn't fall on your head after two days. If you have still seen great online book sources, concert streams or virtual museum visits on the net, feel free to post your finds in the comments below.