Audiobooks - library vs audible
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Anonymous
| I want to download some audiobooks for a trip where I won’t have wifi or cell service for part of the time. I tried to download books from the library, but they all have long waitlists, and my time to borrow them seems to be limited. Can someone walk me through the practical issues of borrowing audiobooks from the library? It seems like for the purposes of this trip, I should sign up for audible. |
Anonymous
| Popular/new books will have wait lists. You can usually search only available books— we’ve found some interesting books that way. Yes there will be time limits but they are usually long enough to cover vacation. |
Anonymous
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I use the Libbey app for our local library system. The check out period is 2 weeks so usually long enough for a trip. But if you are looking for a specific or newly released title there is sometimes a wait list which will not work with your trip.
I have always been able to find a book that I enjoy. I've discovered new authors by trying books from the available list. I typically go through 2 books a week when home. I listen while driving and doing household tasks like cooking dinner. If I'm driving long distances I can easily go through more books in a week. |
Anonymous
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You mention two options. There is also a third - download a text/epub book and use something like Calibre or a Text to Speech Engine to read the book to you on your trip.
More of the popular books may still have waiting lists but this is also doable. Also, if you go to https://www.gutenberg.org/ (project Gutenberg) you can get some classics (I like Treasure Island and Count of Monte Cristo) in various formats. As far as "practical issues" with downloading books from libraries, there are really none. Its a lot more convenient than the old method of audio books on cassette or CD that were hours and hours of audio on multiple disks or tapes that required you to change it every few hours. With the simple download and let the Overdrive/Libby app change files for you, its a popular free option. So with popular books you have two strikes against you vs the other fact that few people read. So there will be waiting lists for new releases and popular books. You have the options of adding yourself to the waiting list, looking for other books or trying to look in other libraries. For some of the books that I have been really wanting to read (say book 3 in a 4 or 5 book series), I wound up doing the option I mentioned above where I downloaded the text of the book and just listened to the TTS instead of the audiobook. It takes some getting used to but it gets me through the book. |
Anonymous
Yes, this. I only look for something specific on Libby if I don't care when I get it. If I want something now, I just browse available titles. |
Anonymous
PP, You can set Libby for a maximum check out period of 3 weeks |
Anonymous
| In addition to Libby, Hoopla from the library has audiobooks which are always available. Libby has a much better selection of new books, but I've been able to find some good books on Hoopla. And if the checkout period ends, you just check it out again. |
Anonymous
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Yes, I use Libby pretty often. It's awesome! The biggest new releases do have long wait times, but I normally listen to some older or less well known books while I'm waiting for the newer ones to come through.
What kind of books are you looking for? We could probably drum up some available suggestions for you. |
Anonymous
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When is your vacation? I keep a running waitlist at all 3 of the libraries I belong to. Sometimes the waitlists move fast (they give an estimate). But yes, if you want it right now, you should purchase it, audible or chirp. Another advantage of the library is you can have several books available in case you aren’t into the one you chose initially.
I’ve never tried the text to speech option above; is there any inflection in the speech? |
Anonymous
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Libby and Hoopla (depending on your library).
Audible is Amazon. Libre.fm is the better option for audiobooks. |
Anonymous
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Wrong link. Here:
https://libro.fm/ |
Anonymous
| If you have no Wi-Fi/cell service your library books can’t be returned even when the loan period ends… |
Anonymous
| I like the Scribd app. You can get audiobooks and e/books with lots of new and popular titles available. They offer a 30-day free trial which could cover your vacation. |
Anonymous
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If you're in the DC area you have Libby "rights" to ALL our local library systems. So for example I want the new Harlan Coben (I SAID EXAMPLE, LOL) and there's a waitlist at DC and MoCo but it is available at PG.
It's not a lot to set up and honestly once you do it it's easy to switch between the libraries to select books or place them on hold. |
Anonymous
| For PP how do you sign up for libraries in the surrounding area? In person or online? Which counties reciprocate with DC? |