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Downloadable E-Books and Audiobooks
Basics - Devices - Tutorials - Find More E-Books
To search for and download e-books and audiobooks now, please visit our Digital Collection page.
What is OverDrive?
OverDrive is a service the library subscribes to in order to provide 24/7 access to downloadable e-books and audiobooks. Public library cardholders in Albany and Rensselaer counties are eligible to download from OverDrive. OverDrive titles can be enjoyed on computers, e-readers, mp3/WMA players, and mobile devices. While some downloadable titles appear in our standard library catalog, this information is not always up-to-date. For real-time holdings and availability, visit our Digital Collection page.
The Basics
- Check out up to 10 digital titles (audiobooks or e-books) at a time.
- Choose your lending period of 7, 14, or 21 days. E-Books can be returned early. Audiobooks cannot. Titles are automatically returned on the due date.
- Titles labeled "Add to digital bookbag" are available for immediate checkout. Otherwise, you may place a hold and receive email notification when your title is ready for download. After notification, the download will be available for 2 days.
- Items placed in your digital bookbag will remain there for up to 30 minutes before returning to the available collection.
- App-driven devices (Android, Apple, Blackberry) must use the OverDrive Media Console app to both search and download titles, available through OverDrive, Android Market, or the iTunes App Store.
- For all other portable devices, regardless of WiFi capability, digital titles must be downloaded to a PC or Mac and then transferred to the device. To download and transfer audiobooks, you will need to install OverDrive Media Console on your computer. To download and transfer e-books (except Kindle), you will need to install Adobe Digital Editions on your computer.
- When downloading a title in Kindle format (from a computer), you will be redirected to log into your Amazon account, where the book is delivered. Once signed in, you can send the title to your Kindle device or app wirelessly.
Devices
- To see a list of supported audio and reader devices, visit the OverDrive Device Resource Center.
- Some mp3 players may not be able to play audiobooks in WMA format. Please see device documentation to determine if it is WMA compatible.
- Shopping for an e-reader? The Metropolitan Library System has created a feature comparison chart of the most common devices to help you find the e-reader that suits your needs.
Tutorials and Help
Find More E-Books
- Archive.org - contains a wide range of fiction, popular books, children's books, historical texts and academic books.
- Baen Library - Hundreds of free Science Fiction and Fantasy e-books.
- Barnes & Noble Free e-books - Hundreds of free e-books that can be used on your Nook, NookColor, iPad iPhone, Android and PC.
- Free E-Books - Internet's #1 online source for free e-book downloads, e-book resources and e-book authors.
- Free Kindle E-Books - Navigate to "Special Features/Free E-Book Collections" to download free classics and out-of-copyright, pre-1923 books, as well as limited-time free promotional e-books available only for the Kindle.
- Get Free E-Books - Free e-book and trade magazine site.
- Google Books - Nearly 3 million free e-books and hundreds of thousands of title for purchase. For use on the web, Android devices, iPhone/iPad/iPod touch, and supported e-readers.
- Kobo Books - 299 titles in multiple formats.
- Many Books - More than 29,000 free e-books.
- Project Gutenberg - Download over 33,000 free e-books to read on your PC, iPad, Kindle, Sony Reader, iPhone, Android or other portable device.
- SmashWords - e-books from independent authors and publishers.
- University of Pennsylvania E-Book Collection - Lists over 900,000 free books on the web.
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