Tag: audiobooks

Replacing OverDrive with Libby

Posted on by Jamie

You may have heard the news by now that OverDrive, Inc. has decided to discontinue the OverDrive app in 2023. You may be wondering, “What does this mean for me? I love having free eBook access from the library!” Have no fear! OverDrive, Inc. has a second library app called Libby that will give you all the same access to the library’s eBook and audio book collection with a more user friendly app experience! Libby is made by the same people, with the same goal of connecting you to your library and to your favorite books, audiobooks, and magazines. Staff from the Aurora Public Library District will be with you every step of the transition. Feel free to give us a call at 812-926-0646 with any questions or stop into the Aurora or Dillsboro Branch with your device for in-person help with the new app. Make the switch soon because the OverDrive app will be completely discontinued by the end of April 2023.

FAQs

Why is the OverDrive app being discontinued?

OverDrive, Inc. has decided to focus their efforts on Libby and providing the best reading experience in one app. Unfortunately this is beyond the Library’s control.

Can I use Libby with my Kindle Fire?

Yes! You can sideload the app on your Kindle Fire tablet. Sideloading apps from sources you trust is safe and easy. Follow these instructions from Libby to sideload the app on your Kindle Fire.

What devices can I use with Libby?

You can download the Libby app on your mobile device or use Libby in your computer’s web browser.

You can download Libby on:

-iOS 10+ (get it from the Apple App Store)

-Android 5.0+ (get it on Google Play)

-Fire OS 5+ (get it directly from OverDrive Inc, the developers of Libby)

If you have a Windows computer, Mac computer, or a Chromebook, you can use Libby in your web browser at libbyapp.com. We suggest using the latest version of Chrome, Safari, Firefox, or Edge.

How do I sign in?

When you open Libby for the first time, follow the prompts to find our library and sign in with your library card and pin number. Make sure you choose the Aurora Public Library in Indiana and not Colorado or Illinois. It will say Indiana Digital Library. If you don’t have a pin number or do not remember it please give us a call so we can set one up for you.

Will my current loans and holds carry over to Libby?

Yes, your current loans and holds from the OverDrive app will be added to Libby as soon as you add your library card.

Note: Reading progress and bookmarks from the OverDrive app won’t sync to Libby when you switch. You may want to finish your current loans before switching or make a note of your progress and manually pick up where you left off in Libby.

How do I navigate the app?

Using the icons in the footer, you can:

-Tap search to search for titles.

-Tap Library to open the library collection you were most recently browsing.

-Tap shelf to see your loans, holds, and tags for all your libraries.

-Tap timeline to see your timeline.

Check out Libby’s FAQ page for more frequently asked questions.

#BigLibraryRead with Libby!

Posted on by Olivia

This fall, get ready to cozy up with a great new book without holds, waitlists, or overdue dates thanks to Libby! Overdrive, Libby’s parent company, is starting another #BigLibraryRead this November, providing all Libby users with free simultaneous reader access to A Snake Falls to Earth by Darcie Little Badger.

Nina is a Lipan girl in our world. She’s always felt there was something more out there. She still believes in the old stories.

Oli is a cottonmouth kid, from the land of spirits and monsters. Like all cottonmouths, he’s been cast from home. He’s found a new one on the banks of the bottomless lake.

Nina and Oli have no idea the other exists. But a catastrophic event on Earth, and a strange sickness that befalls Oli’s best friend, will drive their worlds together in ways they haven’t been in centuries.

And there are some who will kill to keep them apart.

Join in the conversation with other readers from around the world by visiting biglibraryread.com and selecting the discussion forum. Make a social media post about your reading adventures with the hashtag #BigLibraryRead to be entered for a chance to win a blanket, a new tablet, and some cool Libby swag!

Start reading November 2nd by logging onto Libby and checking out the title. It’s that simple! Not sure how to start reading e-books and e-audiobooks on Libby? Just ask a librarian or give us a call to get set up. This book club ends November 16th, so check out this title as soon as you can!

Best of 2021

Posted on by Jamie

Our patrons checked around 40,000 books, eBooks, audiobooks, magazines, and DVDs in 2021! That’s a lot of reading, watching, and listening! Here are the items people checked out the most in 2021!

CD

The CD section includes both Adult Fiction and Nonfiction Audiobooks. Our patrons checked these items out around 300 times. The most popular titles were:

#1 Stone Cold by Cj Box

#2 Boundary Waters by William Kent Krueger

#3 The Pursuit of Pearls by Jane Thynne

DVD

The DVD section includes both films and tv series. Our patrons checked these items out around 4,000 times. The most popular titles were:

#1 News of the World

#2 The Croods: A New Age

#3 Honest Thief

E

The E section includes easy picture books. It does not include board books, easy chapter books, or ABC books. Our patrons checked these items out over 6,000 times. The most popular titles were:

#1 The Big Island Race by Meredith Rusu

#2 Click, Clack, Good Night by Doreen Cronin

#3 Bear Can’t Wait by Karma Wilson

FIC

The FIC section includes both paperback and hardback Adult Fiction books. Our patrons checked these items out over 6,500 times. The most popular titles were:

#1 Neighbors by Danielle Steel

#2 Deadly Cross by James Patterson

#3 Dark Sky by C.J. Box

JFIC

The JFIC section include both paperback and hardback Juvenile Fiction books. These items were checked out over 2,500 times. The most popular items were:

#1 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by JK Rowling

#2 Mothering Heights by Dav Pilkey

#3 Cat Kid Comic Club by Dav Pilkey

LP

The LP section includes Large Print Fiction and Nonfiction books. These items were checked out over 1,500 times. The most popular titles were:

#1 Thick as Thieves by Sandra Brown

#2 The Dirty South by John Connolly

#3 A Walk Along the Beach by Debbie Macomber

MAG

The Mag sections includes all Magazines. These items were checked out over 1,000 times. The most popular titles were:

#1 People

#2 Taste of Home

#3 Time

NF

The NF section includes all Adult Nonfiction books including Oversized and Biographies. These items were checked out over 1,500 times. The most popular titles were:

#1 Till Murder Do Us Part by James Patterson

#2 ADHD 2.0 by Edward M. Hallowell

#3 Keep Sharp by Sanjay Gupta

TFIC

The TFIC section includes both paperback and hardcover Teen Fiction books and Graphic Novels. These items were checked out over 900 times. The most popular titles were:

#1 This is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp

#2 Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

#3 Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

There you have it! The most popular items of 2021! Have you read these titles yet? You can place a hold* on these items by clicking on the link, selecting “Place Hold,” and signing in with your library card number and pin. You can also call us at 812-926-0646 (Aurora) or 812-954-4151 (Dillsboro) and we will place a hold for you!

*Holds cannot be placed on DVDs.

 

Awesome Audiobooks

Posted on by Shelby

You probably already know that you can download digital titles right to your smartphone or tablet with OverDrive, but did you know about the extensive audiobook collection available for download on the Indiana Digital Download Center? One of my favorite things to do is to download audiobooks right to my phone so I can listen to them while I’m driving or working around the house; it’s so convenient to have books right on my phone, which I already take with me everywhere anyway.

If you’re new to OverDrive and aren’t sure where to start, please stop by one of the branches in the Aurora Public Library District or give one of them a call so we can walk you through the process. The first thing you’ll need to set up with your account is a pin number, which you might already have. This number is what you type in when you renew your books online. If you aren’t sure if you have a pin — or if you’ve forgotten it — a staff member can set up a new one for you in seconds.

Whatever you’re in the mood for, OverDrive has it. You can search by title, author, genre, new releases, and titles available now. I really enjoy listening to memoirs because they are usually read by the author.

If you’d rather listen to audiobooks on CD, we also have a large collection of those for you to check out as well. At the Aurora branch, the audiobooks on CD have recently moved upstairs into what was formerly the Paperback Room when paperback fiction books were integrated into the regular fiction collection. You can browse the selection by stopping by either the Aurora or Dillsboro branches, or by searching our catalog online. If there’s an audiobook we don’t have that you’d like to listen to, you can always put a request in through Interlibrary Loan.

If you aren’t sure what audiobook to try first, I recommend listening to a book you’ve already read. That way, you know what happens already so if you find yourself zoning out, you won’t be missing anything. Many library patrons read the book and listen to the audiobook simultaneously, which can be helpful for you to be able to flip back and forth if you do miss or forget something. You can be immersed in the story wherever you go when you just can’t put the book down.

It seems like people either really love listening to audiobooks or they really hate it. I think that anyone can love an audiobook if they have an awesome narrator. Even if you don’t think you’ll like listening to someone read to you, or you’ve tried audiobooks before and can’t seem to get into them, I encourage you to try just one more time. Ask any of the staff at the Aurora Public Library District for recommendations! We’d be happy to help!

Happy Listening!