Download audiobooks & eBooks for free - 24/7

What do you do when you’re desperate for a book and the Library’s closed? Or, you just plain don’t feel like getting out of your bathrobe? Well, starting Monday, October 11, HMMPL card holders will be able to download a variety of free eBooks and audio books from the eIndiana Digital Consortium. All you’ll need to access items from home is a Library card, Internet access, and a home computer. All the necessary software is provided online (again free) by the eIndiana Digital Consortium. You can read or listen to materials on your computer or transfer them to a variety of portable devices. No home computer, no problem. Just stop by the kiosk on the 2nd floor of the Library to download/transfer items to your own portable device.

I’m not a “techie,” but I AM a huge fan of convenience—and BOOKS, so I’m looking forward to the new service. Of course, as with many new ventures, the Library’s starting small with a limited number of titles, but look for more in the future. The best way to see what’s available is to browse the eIndiana Digital Consortium catalogue. (Just click on the link on the HMMPL homepage.) And while you’re on the Digital Consortium site, check out the Quick Start Guide on the left for any technical questions you have.

Borrowing is simple. You can check out eBooks and audio books for 7 or 14 days—it’s up to you. Check out up to 3 books at a time, and there are no late fees! (Access to titles automatically expires when your borrowing period is up.) And of course, if a digital title has already been checked out, you can place a hold on it, just as you would with non-digital items. For specific information on borrowing, ask a reference librarian--the kiosk to download titles is just steps away.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with eReaders, stop by the 2nd Floor Reference desk and visit our “petting zoo” of devices: Barnes & Noble Nook, Sony Pocket Reader, and iPod Touch (for audio books) that were purchased by the Friends of the Library to help customers get acquainted with the new digital service. (Amazon’s Kindle and Apple’s iPad are not currently supported for eBooks, although audios can be played on many Apple devices.) Again, check the left hand column of the eIndiana Digital Consortium site for links to compatible devices and FAQs.

Enjoy!