Digital Media Guide
Borrowing ebooks and audiobooks, downloading podcasts, and streaming media such as movies, music, and even comic books, from Free Library has never been easier. In this guide, we'll offer tips and information to get you started or troubleshoot any issues you may be having access downloadable and streaming media and digital titles from our catalog.
Guides
- New to ebooks? Start Here
- The Simplest Way to Read ebooks: Overdrive READ
- Getting ebooks for Your Tablet, Phone, or Mobile Device (Including Apple, Android, Kindle Fire, Nook Color, and Nook HD devices)
- How to Add Library ebooks to Your Kindle
- Getting Library ebooks for Your Nook Simple Touch or Similar e-reader
- Downloading audiobooks from the Free Library
- Hoopla: ebooks, audiobooks, Movies, Comic Books, Music, and More
- Request This Download - Discover and Download Digital Items in our Catalog
- Streaming, Downloading, and Listening to Podcasts
Links
-
Google Play
Enjoy millions of the latest Android apps, games, music, movies, TV, books, magazines & more, including the Overdrive Media Console and Hoopla apps. -
iTunes App Store
Browse and download apps to your iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch from the App Store, including the Overdrive Media Console and Hoopla apps. -
Kindle App Store
Instant access to thousands of the most popular free and best-selling apps and games, including the Overdrive Media Console and Hoopla apps. -
NOOK Store
Your one-stop-shop for all things NOOK.
ebook Classics by StaffPicks
Great public domain reads you can download for free.
Latest Audiobooks by FreeLibrary
Latest Audibooks added to our collections.
Electronic Resources
-
American Song
Listen to over 50,000 recordings from America's past; songs by and about American Indians, miners, immigrants, slaves, children, pioneers, and cowboys; songs of Civil Rights, Prohibition, the Civil War, and more.
Available To: All Free Library locations and online with your library card.
Related Tags
-
Audiobooks from Overdrive
Download audiobooks from Overdrive to your PC, Mac, or mobile device. Get the Libby app to borrow on the go. Watch this short video to learn more
Available To: All Free Library locations and online with your library card.
Related Tags
-
BookFlix *
A digital literacy resource, for grades preK-3, that pairs animated stories with nonfiction ebooks to build a love of reading. Includes lesson plans for teachers and tips for caregivers
Available To: All Free Library locations and online with your library card.
Related Tags
-
Classical Music Library
A comprehensive database of distinguished classical recordings offered in streaming format. The Classical Music Library also includes anthology playlists linked to the major music history and appreciation textbooks.
Available To: All Free Library locations and online with your library card.
Related Tags
-
Contemporary World Music
This resource includes contemporary and traditional world music including tracks of reggae, worldbeat, neo-traditional, world fusion, Balkanic jazz, African film, Bollywood, Arab swing and jazz, and other genres.
Available To: All Free Library locations and online with your library card.
Related Tags
-
Duke Classics Ebooks and Audiobooks
A collection of over 4,000 classic titles for adults, teens, and children. Always available for individual or group access.
Available To: All Free Library locations and online with your library card.
Related Tags
-
eBooks from Overdrive
Available in a variety of formats, here you will find the Library's Overdrive ebook collection. Get the Libby app to borrow on the go. Watch this short video to learn more
Available To: All Free Library locations and online with your library card.
Related Tags
-
eBooks on EBSCOhost (formerly NetLibrary) *
Approximately 17,000 electronic books in all subject areas from careers to classics to Cliffs notes.
Available To: All Free Library locations and online with your library card.
Related Tags
-
Freading
Downloadable ebooks for Free Library of Philadelphia library card holders.
Available To: All Free Library locations and online with your library card.
Related Tags
-
Free Library Podcasts
The Free Library Podcast is an easy way to participate in the author events and lectures that take place at the Central Library. Visit Author Events for upcoming events and information.
Available To: Unrestricted, free web resource
Related Tags
-
Gale eBooks (formerly Gale Virtual Reference Library)
Explore over 500 nonfiction, fully searchable reference titles. Access accurate information on science, literature, history, business, and more. Watch this video to learn more
Available To: All Free Library locations and online with your library card.
Related Tags
-
HistoryMakers Digital Archive
Explore the nation's largest African American video oral history collection. Access high-quality primary source content, with fully searchable transcripts, from thousands of people from a broad range of backgrounds and experiences.
Available To: All Free Library locations and online with your library card.
Related Tags
-
Hoopla
Stream movies, TV, music, and audiobooks directly to your computer or mobile device. These tutorials will show you how to get the most out of hoopla
Available To: All Free Library locations and online with your library card.
Related Tags
-
Input
Input was a local Philadelphia panel discussion program, airing Sunday mornings from 1968 through early 1971
Available To: All Free Library locations and online with your library card.
Related Tags
-
Jazz Music Library
Jazz Music Library will be the largest and most comprehensive collection of jazz available online.
Available To: All Free Library locations and online with your library card.
Related Tags
-
Kanopy
Instant access to thousands of critically acclaimed movies, documentaries, and kids favorites. Stream up to four movies per month with your library card. Create an account to get started
Available To: All Free Library agencies and Internet with authentication.
Related Tags
-
Music Online
Find and listen to music from a variety of genres
Available To: All Free Library locations and online with your library card.
Related Tags
-
Overdrive Kid's eReading Room
Download ebooks and audiobooks for readers ages 0-12. Get the Libby app to borrow on the go. Watch this short video to learn more
Available To: All Free Library locations and online with your library card.
Related Tags
-
OverDrive Sala de Lectura Electrónica en Español
Descargue libros electrónicos y audiolibros en español para niños, adolescentes, y adultos. (Download ebooks and audiobooks in Spanish for kids, teens, and adults.)
Available To: All Free Library locations and online with your library card.
Related Tags
-
Overdrive World Languages eReading Room
Download ebooks and audiobooks in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Russian, French, and other languages. Get the Libby app to borrow on the go. Watch this short video to learn more
Available To: All Free Library locations and online with your library card.
Related Tags
Upcoming Events
-
Virtual Program | What's Dena Reading?
Check in with Librarian Dena every Tuesday night to see her talk about a book that she highly recommends! more details
Tue, January 26, 2021 8:00 PM
www.facebook.com/PhilbrickHall
Related Tags
-
Virtual Program | Nightmares Before Bedtime
Join Librarian Ned every Wednesday at 8 pm as he reads you creepy stories to lull you to sleep. This one might be… more details
Wed, January 27, 2021 8:00 PM
www.facebook.com/PhilbrickHall
Related Tags
-
Art Book Club online: Picturing Information
This informal group meets in a video-free private chat and image-sharing forum with a librarian from the Free… more details
Tue, February 2, 2021 5:00 PM
Parkway Central Library
1901 Vine Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Related Tags
-
Virtual Program | What's Dena Reading?
Check in with Librarian Dena every Tuesday night to see her talk about a book that she highly recommends! more details
Tue, February 2, 2021 8:00 PM
www.facebook.com/PhilbrickHall
Related Tags
Blog Posts
Squash Across Tables
Thank you to Nourishing Literacy (NL) team member Carolyn for writing this blog post! In addition to sharing her experience and findings, Carolyn has included some of the activities and approaches that we use in NL. The Nourishing…
Related Tags
Newest Additions to the National Film Registry
Seen any good movies lately? If you've exhausted watching everything on your streaming media platforms of choice, take a look at the National Film Registry 's yearly recommendations and selections to be preserved in the Library…
Related Tags
Story Search from Special Collections: An Interview by Hannah Cho
Hannah Cho is a University of Pennsylvania Work-Study student from Davis, CA. During the Fall semester, she studied, recorded, and edited the Story Search podcasts remotely from South Korea. I’ve always been more of a talker…
Related Tags
What Philadelphia Read in 2020
The longest year ever is coming to a close. (Amen.) That means that it’s time to peruse some Best of 2020 book lists! Across the web you can find tons of these kinds of lists. Two of my favorites are Book Riot’s Best Books…
Related Tags
This Is The Way... to Mandalorian and Star Wars Reads
Space western adventures! Out of this world creatures! And one cute green baby (Yoda)! We're talking about The Mandalorian , the latest installment in the ever-expanding Star Wars universe of characters and stories. The season 2…
Related Tags
How to Recommend a Digital Book
For many Philadelphians, library access to free ebooks and audiobooks has been a lifesaver during the pandemic. We may not be able to go anywhere we want, but we can travel vicariously through someone else’s adventures or at least…
Related Tags
Picture Book Highlights | My Favorite Books of 2020
I wanted to write a blog post about my favorite picture books of 2020; all the books that touched me through their text and art... but that is not an easy thing to do. There are so many wonderful books published every year – how…
Related Tags
¿Aprendiendo Español? Check Out These Resources!
Nowadays, mastering a new language is so much fun—there are so many resources available! Depending on your learning style, you can design a work plan that fits your needs and time. With only five minutes a day, you can build a…
Related Tags
Free Arabic Literacy Program - Available Virtually Now
by Stephanie S - Intern, Languages & Learning Center The Languages and Learning Center supports the individual literacy and learning goals of Philadelphia adults, including resources for Adult Basic Education,…
Related Tags
It's Winnie the Pooh's Birthday!
In these difficult times, the birthday of a beloved book, TV, and movie character from childhood feels like the perfect excuse to curl up within the comfort and safety of nostalgia. And boy do we need it! For so many of us, Winnie the…
Related Tags
Back to School Resources and Programs for Students
The new school year starts this week throughout Philadelphia and whether students will be attending school in-person and / or virtually, the Free Library is ready to help with resources and programs to help make the school year a…
Related Tags
Hurra! Hourra! Hoan Hô! | ebooks in 7 Languages
¡hurra! 万岁 hoan hô! Ура! hourra! hooray! الصيحة! Let’s celebrate! The Free Library now offers access to ebooks and audiobooks in seven world languages: Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Russian, French, Haitian Creole, and…
Related Tags
Bill and Ted Face the Music \m/
If I had to sum up 2020 so far in one word, it would be... bogus . Or, maybe we're just stuck in one of the darkest timelines ? Either way, we could all use some pure escapism right now, and if anything can take you away from all…
Related Tags
Big Changes are Coming to RBdigital
Have you heard the news? OverDrive has acquired the RBdigital platform . For Free Library users, this means that on September 8, 2020, RBdigital content will move to OverDrive. The RBdigital website and application will eventually be…
Related Tags
Philadelphia History from Home: Digital Access to Primary Sources
You may have heard the recent news that Free Library cardholders now have access to ProQuest’s Historical Black Newspapers , featuring coverage of The Philadelphia Tribune (the oldest continuously-published Black daily!) from…
Related Tags
Picture Book Highlights | Let's Go Hiking
In these times of social distancing and no indoor activities, what better way to spend time than venturing outside and going for a hike in the great outdoors? You don’t have to go far—here in Philly we have both Fairmount…
Related Tags
Meet Your Library Staff: Jamie Bowers - eResources Librarian
As part of our ongoing series of blog posts highlighting our awesome staff throughout the Free Library of Philadelphia, today we take some time to speak with Jamie Bowers, an eResources Librarian. What is your role with the Free Library…
Related Tags
French Conversation Circle
by Khristina Spence - Intern, Languages & Learning Center Bonjour! Salut! Bonsoir! Join the Free Library's Languages and Learning Center ’s newest offering: the French Conversation Circle ! This free online…
Related Tags
Digital Media Spotlight | Shark Week 2020
It's that time of year again... where you'll never know what to expect from... Shark Week ! For the past 32 years, Shark Week has grown from a small, PBS-styled series of documentary programming to a full-blown pop culture…
