Downloading Audiobooks from the Free Library

By Jamie W. RSS Wed, December 19, 2012

The Free Library of Philadelphia offers a large number of downloadable audiobooks in our Overdrive, OneClick Digital, and Hoopla collections.  Downloading audiobooks is simple, but the process you will use and the audiobook formats available to you depends upon the type of computer or device you have.

Oneclick Digital makes this process simple by converting formats for you behind the scenes (OneClick Digital Help and FAQs), but when using Overdrive you need to be sure you're checking out the correct format audiobook.  

If you have an iPad, iPhone, iTouch, Nook Tablet, Kindle Fire, or other mobile device that can play MP3 files, go to your app store -- whether it's the iTunes Store, Google Play, the Nook Store, the Kindle App Store, or elsewhere -- and add the free Overdrive Media Console (OMC) App to your device.

From within the OMC app you will be able to search for, checkout, download, and listen to audiobooks.  Please note that you are restricted to MP3 format audiobooks with mobile devices. [UPDATE: Overdrive now offers MP3 and streaming audio formats only, these are compatible with most mainstream devices and computers] 

If you would like to download audiobooks to your computer and listen to them through your computer or transfer them to an portable MP3 player such as an iPod, simply download Overdrive Media Console (OMC) software to your PC or Mac.  You will then go to our Overdrive collection to search for, checkout, and download your audiobook. Once you download the audiobook, it will open in OMC and you can listen to it on your computer or use OMC's transfer feature to send it your portable music player. Find specific instructions on how to transfer audiobooks from your PC to a mobile device or MP3 player.

For more help and information on downloadable audiobooks see the comprehensive selection of audiobook articles and tips over at Overdrive's Help page. 

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24 Comments | Add a Comment

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Thank you for this wonderful article. It will be so useful for all the people.-
Karen Aguirre - phillipines
Monday, December 24, 2012
Thank you for this opportunity, we are going to use your website more often. edd
Eduart - philadelphia
Friday, January 18, 2013
merci
vostfr-gb - http://www.vostfr-gb.com
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Quick question. With some overdrive libraries, I can choose to "Check In" an audiobook when I delete it from my overdrive application. The ones from FLP do not ask if I want to delete and check in though. Is there any way to check in media with FLP once I am finished? I only ask because I hate for it to remain checked out once I'm done if there is anyone else waiting for it. Thanks! Windy
Windy - Virginia
Monday, March 11, 2013
Hello Windy, You should be able to return your audiobooks early through the Overdrive software or app (depending on what type of device you have). If you have trouble take a look at Overdrive's help pages (http://help.overdrive.com). You can also contact us for more in-depth help at Ask A Librarian. Get started at the 'Contact Us' link at the top of this page. Thanks!
Jamie W - Philadelphia
Monday, March 11, 2013
Hello, I have an iPad and definitely i will download this audiobook from the library. I am sure that it will help me a lot.
Anna Harris - Pleasanton
Thursday, March 14, 2013
I need to purchase an audiobook player and would appreciate a recommendation. Friends have been VERY disappointed in theirs because they did not have the following features: a player which: resumes correct audio playback place after shutdown; returns to correct bookmark on a per file basis; can add many bookmarks (manually/automatically)for many books; has search support which will FAST forward and rewind; repeats the last sentence/s;omits unwanted segments; has adjustable search speed; adjustable play speed; capability for clear distinction between search and track change actions; Easy tactile control and touch using one hand only. easily managed directory structure with each audiobook having its own folder; easily read screen in bright light I hope you can help. ;
Phillipa - NJ
Friday, May 3, 2013
In looking as some of the comments in this section, it appears that FLP is offering their audiobooks to people outside of Philadelphia/U.S. Is that why so many of your selections are unavailable, or are these folk FLP cardholders who are away from home currently?
Craig - Philadelphia
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Craig, Thank you for your inquiry. Anyone with a Free Library card can checkout these materials. Our materials budget is half of what it was just a few years ago which has impacted how much we can buy in all our formats. This unfortunately means that library customers often have to place holds for titles they want to read or listen to, including our downloadable audiobooks. If there is a particular title we don't yet own, please let us know using the Email Us link on the orange section of our home page, www.freelibrary.org.
Lynn W. - Philadelphia
Thursday, June 27, 2013
this sound like a good website
tristan
Wednesday, February 15, 2017
Im currently living in the UK can I join the FLP and download audiobooks for $50pa ? If so how do I input address and phone numbers (postcode vs zip etc.)
Nick A - Uk
Thursday, June 8, 2017
I love books
Trueman Hill - Lasing nc
Wednesday, October 25, 2017
If you have an iPad, iPhone, iTouch, or another mobile device that can play MP3 files, go to our music player download.
john park - New york
Tuesday, March 6, 2018
I am looking to download audiobooks written by JD Robb. Do you have any?
Patty Morrow - Burnet
Wednesday, March 28, 2018
I can't believe I will actually have wonderful books to listen to. Thank you
Judy Crouch - Oglesby
Sunday, May 20, 2018
I love audiobooks and listen to them constantly (over 100/year) but I have found the RBDigital app to be incredibly buggy and hard to use. It seems like most of the new titles you are purchasing are going into RBDigital instead of Overdrive, and this frustrates me since Overdrive is so easy and always works well. If title are significantly cheaper to buy on RBDigital, I understand that, but wanted to let you know that if all other things are equal, the OverDrive app is leaps and bounds easier to use than RBDigital! Would be happy to follow up with more details about my user experience by email. Thanks!
Esmith - Philadelphia
Wednesday, November 7, 2018
Hello Esmith - you are correct that most of our recent digital audiobook additions have been for RBDigital and you are also correct in your assumption that this lets the library stretch its budget and ultimately add more content to our collections. While I am sorry to hear that your experience with the RBDigital app is less than it could be, but I would also encourage you to check out Hoopla. Hoopla is another platform, in addition to Overdrive and RBDigital, and has the largest selection of digital audiobooks of all three. Hopefully this option is helpful to you.
Jamie W - Philadelphia
Wednesday, November 7, 2018
would like to listen books
Augusthi SriRamanathan - Philadelphia
Thursday, July 4, 2019
Trying to download audio books
Dawn Mckeown - Phila
Sunday, July 14, 2019
Trying it for the first time
Onica fraser - Philadelphia
Wednesday, February 26, 2020
merci
Barzin Behzad
Friday, January 7, 2022
one more thing, b.j. novak
ckaire dankoff - philadelphia
Wednesday, August 3, 2022
I am a Senior and have trouble reading. Anymore I yield my reading to audio books.
Nicholas J Krach - Philadelphia
Friday, September 23, 2022
I love it
Barrington Ted Evans - Bethlehem 18017
Wednesday, February 7, 2024

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