Downloadable eBook
& Audiobook Collection

To checkout eBooks or Audiobooks you will need a computer with
an Internet connection & a library card.
To search and begin downloading eBook & Audiobook titles, click here.

The Basics

Digital versions of books and audiobooks are available to library patrons through OverDrive. OverDrive offers the following types of materials for checkout and download:

• Adobe® EPUB eBooks (Windows & Mac OS)
• Adobe PDF eBooks (Windows & Mac OS)
• Open EPUB eBook (Windows & Mac OS)
• Open PDF eBook (Windows & Mac OS)
• MP3 Audiobooks (Windows & Mac OS)
• WMA Audiobooks (Windows OS only)

You will never accrue late fees on downloaded materials. At the end of the loan period, titles will expire and be automatically 'returned' to the library. You can then delete the expired file(s) from your machine.

To review a list of known supported eBook readers, click here.

To learn more about OverDrive eBooks and Audiobooks, please read below.

:: Downloadable eBooks

The eBooks offered through OverDrive can be downloaded and read on both PCs and Macs. In order to access eBooks from OverDrive, you will need to install and activate Adobe Digital Editions, a free eBook reader application. Adobe Flash Player must also be installed. To review system requirements and download instructions for the free Adobe Digital Editions software, click here.

• The first time you open Adobe Digital Editions, you must activate the software.
• Adobe Digital Editions can be activated anonymously, or by using an Adobe ID. In order to download an eBook to multiple computers or transfer it to a portable device, you need to activate Digital Editions using an Adobe ID.
• Up to 6 computers/devices can be activated using the same Adobe ID.

Check Out, Download, and Enjoy

If a desired title is not available, you may place it on hold. Holds can be placed on up to 10 titles. You will be notified by e-mail when your hold is available for downloading. Each title will be held for you for 4 days. For more information on placing a title on hold, click here.

Once you have checked out a title, a download page will be displayed. Click the 'Download' button to start the download. Once the download is complete, you can close your Internet connection and enjoy the materials offline.

Portable Devices for eBooks

Adobe eBooks offered through OverDrive can be transferred to several different portable devices, including the Sony Reader, the Barnes and Noble Nook, and the Kobo eReader. To review a list of known supported devices, click here.

Sony Reader users may encounter an error when transferring both EPUB and PDF eBooks to one device. For more information, click here.

:: Downloadable Audiobooks

PC users: To access audiobooks on OverDrive, you will need to install the OverDrive Media Console. A security upgrade for Windows Media Player is also required. The free software download and security upgrade are necessary only once.  The steps for preparing your computer to use OverDrive are:

• Go to the OverDrive section on the Black Gold website
• Select Quick Start Guide from the left column
• Read the Overview if you wish, and then follow Step 1 to Download & Install Free Software
• After you have installed the software, go to the Start button, then All Programs, and then open the OverDrive Media Console
• Select Tools from the menu bar, open and then perform the Windows Media Player Security Upgrade. 

Mac users: You will need to install the OverDrive Media Console for Mac. The console supports only MP3 audiobooks, not the WMA format, and Mac users can only transfer titles to Apple devices. You will also need to have Apple iTunes v7.6.2.9 (or newer) and QuickTime v7.4.5 (or newer) installed. iTunes v8.1.0.52 (or newer) is recommended for use with the iPod shuffle.

Check Out, Download, and Enjoy

You can browse or search the OverDrive site for downloadable materials. You may store up to 6 titles in your cart for 30 minutes while you are browsing and deciding which title(s) to download. Remove the titles you have decided not to download and proceed to checkout. You may check out up to 4 titles at a time. Titles may be checked out for 7, 14, or 21 days. Audiobook titles cannot be returned early. For more information on the checkout process, click here.

If a desired title is not available, you may place it on hold. Holds can be placed on up to 10 titles. You will be notified by e-mail when your hold is available for downloading.  Each title will be held for you for 4 days.  For more information on placing a title on hold, click here.

Once you have checked out a title, a download page will be displayed. Click the 'Download' button to start the download. Once the download is complete, you can close your Internet connection and enjoy the materials offline.

Portable Devices for OverDrive Audiobooks

You can use your media player to transfer a downloaded audiobook to a variety of portable devices. A license is automatically transferred to your portable device, which will allow you to access the audiobook for up to three weeks from the date of original checkout.

PC users: Many OverDrive WMA audiobooks can be transferred to Apple devices. MP3 audiobooks can be transferred to most MP3 compatible devices, including Apple and Zune devices.

Mac users: The Mac operating system does not support OverDrive WMA audiobooks. MP3 audiobooks can be used with Apple devices.

More information on OverDrive supported portable devices for audiobooks.

:: Help

Sony Reader users may encounter an error when transferring both EPUB and PDF eBooks to one device. For more information, click here.

OverDrive frequently asked questions

For additional assistance, contact Central Library Reference: 564-5611 or 564-5623.
OR email: support@overdrive.com

:: More eBooks & Audiobooks

Project Gutenberg: Download over 33,000 free eBooks to read on your PC, iPad, Kindle, Sony Reader, iPhone, Android or other portable device.

ManyBooks:  A digital library that takes eBooks from Project Gutenberg, the Internet Archive, and other free sources.

Munseys: Offers 20,000 eBooks in 12 formats. Searchable by title, author, tags, and 39 categories for browsing.

LibriVox: Provides free audiobooks from the public domain. Titles are read by volunteers.