Get Started with eBooks, Digital Movies, Television, Music and More!
Some of the resources mentioned in this post, such as RBDigital Audiobooks and Magazines, are no longer available. For the latest in digital books, videos, music and magazines, visit tpl.ca/downloads.
Toronto Public Library has a fantastic selection of digital books (ebooks), audiobooks, magazines, movies, music and television shows that can be downloaded to smartphones and tablets or streamed on desktop computers and laptops. As they are accessible online, they are available even when branches are closed.
For most items, the downloaded computer file will either disappear or just stop working after the borrowing period has ended. The borrowed book, magazine, music or video does not need to be returned and there are never any fines.
OverDrive -- Digital Books (ebooks) and Audiobooks
OverDrive eBooks and Audiobooks is an outstanding collection of fiction and nonfiction books and audiobooks for children, teens and adults. With a valid library card, you can borrow books and audiobooks for 21 days and up to 30 items at one time. The maximum number of holds is also 30. OverDrive eBooks and audiobooks can be renewed within three days of the end of the borrowing period. If there are holds on the item, then a hold can be placed at that time instead.
Apple, Android and Windows smartphones and tablets are all compatible with OverDrive. Get the new Libby app or the OverDrive app through the app store for your device (App Store, Google Play, Windows Store). For eReaders, Kobo eReaders are also compatible with OverDrive, but must be used with a desktop or laptop computer. The Kobo Aura ONE is the only Kobo eReader that will allow for downloading of OverDrive eBooks directly to the device through wifi. Amazon Kindles are not compatible with Overdrive in Canada, except for the Kindle Fire Android tablet.
To get started with OverDrive, visit our Getting Started with OverDrive webpage. Make sure to pick the "Getting Started Guide" written for your type of device.
Here are a few of the popular eBooks and Audiobooks available through OverDrive:
Hoopla -- Movies, Music, Television and Comics
Hoopla has a great collection of movies, television shows, music, graphic books and comics. They can be streamed through a web browser (Internet Explorer, Safari, Chrome etc.) on a computer or enjoyed offline by downloading to the Hoopla app on a Apple or Android smartphone or tablet.
With a valid library card, customers can checkout eight Hoopla items per calendar month. Television shows and movies are borrowed for 72 hours (three days), music for seven days and graphic books and comics for 21 days. The full collection is always available to borrow.
To get started with Hoopla, visit our Getting Started with Hoopla webpage.
Here are some of the popular items available through Hoopla:
RBdigital -- Magazines and Audiobooks
RBdigital Magazines (previously named Zinio Magazines) has more than 500 Canadian and international magazines available to borrow. Magazines are available in several languages, including English, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and Korean. There are also English-language magazines from India and the Philippines. You can borrow as many as you like and you can keep them for as long as you want them. Really!
RBdigital Audiobooks (previously named OneClickdigital) is another source of audiobooks available with your Toronto Public Library card. Like the audiobooks from OverDrive, the borrowing period is 21 days. You can checkout ten audiobooks and have 15 on hold at any one time. RBdigital Audiobooks cannot be renewed.
Both the magazines and audiobooks are available for streaming on computers. To enjoy offline, download to the RBdigital app on an Apple or Android smartphone or tablet.
To get started with RBdigital services, visit our Getting Started with RBdigital Magazines or Getting Started with RBdigital Audiobooks webpages. The same account (and the same app) is used for both services.
Here are a few of the popular magazines and audiobooks available through RBdigital:
OverDrive, Hoopla and RBdigital are three of our most popular digital services. Once you have explored these services, make sure to have a look at the others.
The most recent addition is Kanopy which has thousands of movies and documentaries for adults, including The Great Courses and PBS documentaries. There is also Flipster which has magazines not found in RBdigital, such as Chatelaine, Macleans, People, Toronto Life and Entertainment Weekly. A list of our Digital Content Services is available on our Downloads & eBooks webpage.
Do you still have questions or need help using these services? Attend a Downloads and eBooks session at one of our branches or ask at your local branch about the Book-A-Librarian service for one-on-one help.
Related posts:
Comments