Red Box, Meet Media Box -- Your Free Competition at the Library

The has become the first in the county -- and one of only three in the nation -- to install a Media Box that loans DVDs 24/7.

It's similar to the popular Red Box outlets for DVD rentals, but you can take these home for free, said Lucinda Bereznay, branch manager.

The Media Box, located in the lobby, offers 720 titles, including new releases, older movies and a wide range of genres. Customers can keep them for seven days before returning them to the machine or to a library branch.

The outer library doors are now left open to access the machine.

"People are able to come in any time of the day or night," Bereznay said.

Just scan your library card, enter your PIN and a bunch of DVD covers will appear on the screen. You can sort by title, genre or release date.

Click on a DVD and up pops a description of the film, including rating and length.

"It's very user friendly," Bereznay said.

The machine was delivered last week. Bereznay said Strongsville was chosen because it's the busiest branch in the Cuyahoga County Public Library system and because it has a large enough lobby to accommodate the Media Box.

It was purchased using a grant from the Library Services and Technology Act.

A library in California and one in Colorado also have a Media Box, said Bereznay, who said the next one will go in the library for patients and staff at MetroHealth Medical Center.

Up and running for a few days now, the Media Box is already getting a good workout, as Bereznay knew it would.

"Our biggest flurry of activity is closing time on Fridays and Saturdays because people are coming in to get DVDs," she said. "Now they'll be able to come any time to get them."