Borrow Free eBooks and Audiobooks from Your Local Library
The fifth article in our Tech for the Fun of It series—simple, enjoyable technology without the jargon.
Your library card may give you access to far more than the books sitting on the library shelves.
Many public libraries now lend eBooks and audiobooks through free apps. You can borrow a novel from home, enlarge its print, listen to an audiobook in the garden and download books before travelling.
There are no physical books to collect and digital loans return themselves automatically when they are due.
For Northern Territory readers, City of Darwin Libraries currently provides digital books through Libby and BorrowBox. Other libraries may use one of these apps or a different service, so begin by checking your own library’s website.
What we’re going to discover when we borrow free eBooks
We are going to:
find out which digital service your library provides;
install the correct app safely;
sign in with your library membership;
borrow an eBook or audiobook;
adjust it for comfortable reading or listening;
place a hold when a title is unavailable; and
return or renew a loan.
Once everything is set up, you can borrow more books without having to repeat the sign-in process each time.
What you’ll need
You will need:
a smartphone or tablet;
an internet connection;
a current library membership;
your library card number;
your library password or PIN; and
approximately 15 to 20 minutes.
Headphones are useful for audiobooks but are not essential.
If you do not have a library card, contact your local public library or visit its website.
City of Darwin library membership is free for Northern Territory residents. People who cannot visit a branch can apply for a digital membership and receive a digital card by email, usually within three business days.
Step 1: Find your library’s digital service
Do not simply install the first eBook app you see advertised. Libraries subscribe to particular services, and your card will work only with those offered by your library.
Visit your library’s official website and look for a section called:
Digital Library
eLibrary
Online Resources
eBooks and Audiobooks
Read and Listen
Both the City of Palmerston Library and City of Darwin Libraries currently offer:
Libby
Libby provides eBooks, audiobooks and digital magazines. City of Darwin members can borrow up to 15 eBooks or audiobooks for three weeks. Digital magazine borrowing is unlimited.
BorrowBox
BorrowBox provides a separate collection of eBooks and audiobooks, including many Australian titles. City of Darwin members can borrow up to eight eBooks and eight audiobooks, generally for two weeks.
It is worth installing both apps because they contain different books. A title unavailable in one collection may be available in the other.
Library services and limits can change, so check the library’s current Digital Library page if the app displays something different.
Step 2: Install the correct app
Open the official app store on your device:
iPhone or iPad: open the App Store.
Android phone or tablet: open Google Play.
Search for either:
Libby, by OverDrive
BorrowBox Library
Check the app name and publisher carefully before selecting Get or Install.
Avoid advertisements offering “free unlimited books” outside the official app store. You should not need to provide credit-card details merely to use the digital service included with your library membership.
Step 3: Sign in with your library card
Setting up Libby
When you first open Libby:
Answer Yes when asked whether you have a library card.
Choose Search for a Library.
Search for your library by name or location.
Select the correct library service.
Tap Sign In With My Card.
Enter your library card number.
Enter your library password or PIN.
Libby’s official instructions confirm that you begin by finding your library and signing in with a library card.
Setting up BorrowBox
When you open BorrowBox:
Search for your library service.
Select it from the results.
Enter your library card number.
Enter your password or PIN.
Accept the library’s terms if prompted.
A note for City of Darwin members
Enter the complete library card number, including the 000 at the beginning. Leaving off those zeroes is a common cause of failed logins.
If the number and password appear correct but you still cannot sign in, your membership may have expired. City of Darwin advises members to confirm their login details, reset the password and check that the membership is active.
Step 4: Find something to borrow
Use the magnifying-glass Search button if you know the title or author.
You can also browse categories such as:
new releases;
biographies;
mysteries;
Australian stories;
romance;
history;
health and wellbeing;
large-print-friendly eBooks;
available now; and
audiobooks.
Before borrowing, check the format carefully.
An eBook is read on the screen.
An audiobook is a spoken recording that you listen to.
The same title may be available in both formats, so look for a book symbol or headphone symbol.
Step 5: Borrow the title
Tap the book cover to open its information page.
If it is available:
Tap Borrow.
Check the loan period if an option appears.
Tap Borrow again to confirm.
Choose Read With Libby, Open Book or Play, depending on the app and format.
Your borrowed items will normally appear under:
Shelf in Libby; or
My Loans or My Library in BorrowBox.
Libby downloads eBooks and audiobooks automatically by default when the device is connected to Wi-Fi. This allows them to be used without an internet connection.
What if the book is unavailable?
Digital library books work like physical books: the library licenses only a certain number of copies.
If all copies are already borrowed, you may see Place Hold or Reserve instead of Borrow.
Tap that button to join the waiting list.
The app may show:
your approximate position in the queue;
the estimated waiting time; and
how many copies the library owns.
Allow notifications if you want the app to tell you when the book becomes available.
When notified, open the app and borrow the title before the offer expires. If you are not ready, some services let you delay delivery while keeping your place in the queue.
Step 6: Make an eBook easier to read
One of the best features of an eBook is that you can change its appearance without altering the book itself.
Open the eBook and tap near the centre of the page to reveal the reading controls.
Look for Aa, Text, Appearance or a similar symbol.
Depending on the app, you may be able to adjust:
text size;
font style;
spacing between lines;
page margins;
screen brightness;
background colour; and
light or dark display.
Try increasing the text gradually until it feels comfortable.
A cream or sepia background can feel softer than a bright white screen, particularly when reading in the evening. Dark mode can be helpful in a dim room, although it is not comfortable for everyone.
You can also usually:
tap a word to see its meaning;
add a bookmark;
highlight a passage; and
search within the book.
Step 7: Listen to an audiobook
Open the audiobook and tap Play.
The player will usually include controls for:
playing and pausing;
moving forwards or backwards;
changing chapters;
adding a bookmark;
adjusting playback speed; and
setting a sleep timer.
Playback speed
If the narrator speaks too quickly, reduce the speed slightly. If the delivery feels unusually slow, increase it a little.
Small changes are easier to follow than dramatic ones. Try moving from normal speed to 0.9 or 1.1 rather than immediately choosing a much faster or slower setting.
Sleep timer
A sleep timer stops the audiobook after a chosen period or at the end of a chapter. It is useful if you listen in bed and do not want the book to continue playing after you fall asleep.
Bookmarks
Add a bookmark when you hear something you want to revisit. Some apps also let you attach a short note.
Something extra to try: download a book before travelling
An eBook or audiobook downloaded to your device can usually be enjoyed without an internet connection.
Before leaving home:
Connect to Wi-Fi.
Open the app.
Find the borrowed title.
Look for a download symbol—usually a downward arrow.
Wait until the download is complete.
Briefly place the device in flight mode and check that the book still opens.
This is useful during flights, road trips, hospital visits or anywhere mobile reception is unreliable.
Audiobooks can be large, so downloading over Wi-Fi avoids using a substantial amount of mobile data.
Renewing a loan
A renewal may be offered shortly before the due date, provided nobody else is waiting.
In Libby:
Open Shelf.
Select Loans.
Tap Manage Loan beside the title.
Select Renew Loan if available.
Confirm the renewal.
Libby states that renewal becomes available a few days before the due date.
BorrowBox also allows eligible City of Darwin loans to be renewed once when the title has not been reserved by another member.
If renewal is unavailable, place another hold after the item is returned. Your reading or listening position may be remembered when you borrow it again, but it is sensible to make a note of your page or chapter.
Returning a book early
You do not have to return a digital book manually. It will expire and return automatically on its due date.
If you finish early, returning it promptly makes the copy available to the next reader.
In Libby:
Open Shelf.
Tap Loans.
Select Manage Loan.
Tap Return Early.
Confirm Return Loan.
Libby confirms that loans are automatically removed from the Shelf and downloaded copies are deleted when they are returned.
BorrowBox provides a return option in the title’s loan menu.
There are no physical books to misplace and nothing to take back to the library branch.
A short privacy and safety note
Your library card number and password provide access to your account. Treat them like other account credentials.
Remember to:
install apps only through the official app store;
keep your password or PIN private;
avoid saving your login on a shared public device;
use trusted Wi-Fi when possible;
check before following links in unexpected library emails; and
keep the app and your device updated.
Library staff may help you reset a password, but they should not need you to tell them your existing password.
When listening outdoors, keep the volume low enough to hear traffic, bicycles and people around you. Using only one earbud may be safer when walking.
How to undo it or get help
If you borrowed the wrong book
Open the loan’s menu and choose Return Early. You can then borrow the correct edition.
If you reserved the wrong book
Open your holds or reservations, select the title and choose Cancel Hold or Delete Reservation.
If you downloaded a book you no longer want stored
Look for Remove Download. This normally removes the file from the device without returning the loan.
If you cannot sign in
Check:
that you selected the correct library;
that the entire card number was entered;
that leading zeroes were included;
that the password or PIN is correct; and
that the membership has not expired.
If the app stops working
Try these steps in order:
Check your internet connection.
Close and reopen the app.
Check the app store for an update.
Restart the phone or tablet.
Reset your library password if necessary.
Contact your library.
Take your device and library card to the branch if you would like in-person assistance. Library staff regularly help members set up digital borrowing.
Your library is always nearby
Once the app is installed, your local library can travel with you.
You can enlarge the print, listen while gardening, browse from home and borrow another book without making a special trip. Best of all, the digital books return themselves.
Knowing how to borrow free eBooks will make you next problem a welcome one - having to decide what to read first.
Download the printable guide
Keep the one-page guide beside you while setting up digital borrowing:
Download the A4 quick-reference guide
FAQ
Are library eBooks and audiobooks really free?
They are included with a participating library membership. The library pays for access to the lending service.
Do digital library books attract late fees?
Digital loans normally return automatically on their due date, so they cannot remain overdue.
Can I read or listen without internet access?
Yes. Download the title while connected to Wi-Fi and it can normally be used offline during the loan period.
What happens if an eBook is already borrowed?
Select Place Hold or Reserve to join the waiting list. The app will notify you when a copy becomes available.
Can I enlarge the text in an eBook?
Yes. Most digital reading apps allow you to change the font, text size, spacing, brightness and background.
Which digital apps does City of Darwin Libraries use?
City of Darwin currently offers both Libby and BorrowBox.
Next time in Tech for the Fun of It, we’ll explore another enjoyable use for everyday technology.
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