eAudioBook/eVideo Collection | San Diego Public Library

San Diego Public Library's eAudiobook and eVideo Collection

... part of our SDPL Digital Media Library

Select the above graphic image to connect directly to our eAudiobook and eVideo Collection.

Listen to audiobooks on your computer, using your digital audio device, or by burning CDs*. View videos on your computer or with your digital video device.

Find out more about ... eAudioBooks | eVideos

eAudiobooks

The San Diego Public Library offers patrons eAudiobooks from OverDrive. This page provides a brief introduction on how to access, download, and enjoy eAudiobooks. The eAudiobook Collection is part of our SDPL Digital Media Library. Future options under consideration for the digital media library include downloadable ebooks and music.

Access to OverDrive eAudiobooks

Digital Media Library screenshot
Screen Image, SDPL Digital Media Library, eAudioBook Collection

You may browse, place holds, and checkout our eAudiobooks from any Internet connected computer. You will not be able to download to a library computer. Patrons should download their items from home.

In order to download an eAudiobook to your home PC or portable device, you will need a valid Library card and PIN. In addition, you will need to install the OverDrive Media Console (OMC) software. The OMC software will manage the eAudiobooks you download.

Good News for Macintosh, iPod, and iPhone users

Image of iPod Classic and iPhone We are pleased to announce the addition of OverDrive MP3 eAudiobooks to our Downloadable Audiobook Collection. OverDrive MP3 Audiobooks can be transferred to a wide range of devices, including the iPod®, iPhone^TM, and the iPod Touch^TM. Enjoy spoken word audio, anytime, anywhere.

A Macintosh version of the OverDrive Media Console (OMC) software is now available. OverDrive Media Console for Mac supports OverDrive MP3 Audiobooks only, and transfers titles to Apple devices only. The Library plans to purchase titles in both the new MP3 format and WMA format.

Mobile Version Available

Now, you can access our SDPL Digital Media Library through mobile phones or Web-enabled devices. Our mobile Web site, ready at http://sdpl.lib.overdrive.com/, is ready for easy browsing, searching, and real-time check-out of eAudiobooks or eVideos on-the-go -- from your smartphone, BlackBerry®, or other Web-enabled device. Your mobile device will recognize the mobile site via the URL.

Those users with devices running Windows Mobile now can also wirelessly download eAudiobooks and eVideoes to those mobile devices using OverDrive® Media Console for Windows Mobile. Full download support for other mobile operating systems (iPhone, BlackBerry®, etc.) is expected at a future date.

eAudiobook Guided Tour

If you are new to eAudiobooks and our collection, please take a minute to view the Download Digital Media Guided Tour. This self-guided tour covers eAudiobook Collection basics. If you have any questions about the service after you view the tutorial, ask a Library staff member or contact Overdrive Support for more assistance.

A Quick Look at eAudiobook Collection Features

You can choose a checkout period of 21 days, 14 days, or 7 days.
Maximum number of items checked out at one time is 5.
eAudiobook downloads are allowed from home/remote locations, but not in the libraries.
Offers CD sound quality.
Allows transfer to a portable device (MP3 player, etc.).
Allows burning to CD for select titles. Approximately 80% of titles allow burning.
Able to place holds on titles that are checked out.
No renewals. eAudiobooks cannot be checked in early.
Titles are automatically checked in.
Titles may be downloaded by chapter or part.

Sharing Features Available

SDPL patrons are now able to e-mail title details to others, or post information about these items onto their Facebook or Twitter accounts. You will see these sharing features appear on the main title screens, when displaying a title record in full. Postings on Facebook will include a brief description of a title, jacket cover, URL to a title’s details page on our Digital Media Library site, as well as an optional personal comment. Twitter posts will include a brief “tweet” on downloading the book from our site, as well as a link to our download collection. Share your favorites or recommended titles with friends and family.

Is my device compatible?

Check out the OverDrive Compatible Device listing and information on their site. Included there are tools and information that allow you to determine which devices OverDrive has found to be compatible, or incompatible, with the OverDrive Media Console and OverDrive Media content. The links below will also answer questions about transferring media from your computer to your device.

How do I find eAudiobooks?

All eAudiobooks are listed in our Library Catalog, you can search for your favorite title, author, subject, or keywords. Here is a search link that links to all the eAudiobooks in our collection. You can also browse the various collections directly on the eAudiobook Collection site.

Using the Advanced Search feature, you can display a list of eAudiobooks that are currently available for checkout. Just select the FORMAT you are interested in, and select the box reading "only show titles with copies available." You can set other parameters, or just select SEARCH to see what's available and not checked out.

Want to suggest an eAudiobook title for our Collection?

Please e-mail artmusic@sandiego.gov if you wish to suggest a title for our eAudiobook Collection.

Maintenance Window

The San Diego Public Library Digital Media Library may be closed for maintenance on the 3rd Thursday of each month between the hours of 3:00 and 5:00 a.m. pacific time. If you are unable to access the site at another time, please contact us at weblibrary@sandiego.gov.

Need more help with eAudiobooks?

For specialized help in using our eAudiobook Collection, please access the Help instructions.

Free eAudiobooks

If you are unable to use the eAudioBook collection, below are a few websites that provide DRM free audio books.

LibriVox - http://librivox.org/
AudiobooksForFree - http://www.audiobooksforfree.com/
Internet Archive - http://www.archive.org/details/audio
Project Gutenberg - http://www.gutenberg.org/browse/categories/1
Audiobooks.Net - http://www.audiobooks.net/audiobooks_free.php
Free Classic Audiobooks - http://freeclassicaudiobooks.com/
LearnOutLoud - http://www.learnoutloud.com/Free-Audio-Video#directory

If you need further help, please contact Library staff at any library location, or use support online by using the eAudiobook Support service, provided by OverDrive.

eVideos

The San Diego Public Library offers patrons eVideos from OverDrive. This section provides a brief introduction on how to access, download, and enjoy eVideos. The eVideo Collection is part of our SDPL Digital Media Library. Future options under consideration for the digital media library include downloadable eBooks, and music.

Access to OverDrive eVideos

Digital Media Library Video screenshot
Screen Image, SDPL Digital Media Library, Browsing eVideo Collection

You may browse, place holds, and checkout our eVideos from any Internet connected computer. You will not be able to download to a library computer. Patrons should download their items from home.

In order to download an eVideo to your home PC or portable device, you will need a valid Library card and PIN. In addition, you will need to install the OverDrive Media Console (OMC) software. The OMC software will manage the eVideos you download.

Guided Tour

If you are new to our Digital Media Library collections, please take a minute to view the Download Digital Media Guided Tour. This self-guided tour covers our eAudiobook and eVideo Collection basics. Note that we do not yet have digital music downloads, though that is noted in the tour. If you have any questions about the service after you view the tutorial, ask a Library staff member or contact Overdrive Support for more assistance.

A Quick Look at eVideo Collection Features

You can choose a checkout period of 7 days, 5 days, or 3 days.
eVideos are automatically returned to the collection at the due date.
Maximum number of items checked out at one time is 5.
eVideo downloads are allowed from home/remote locations, but not in the libraries.
Allows transfer to compatible portable devices.
Some titles may include performance rights during the loan period.
Able to place holds on eVideo titles that are checked out.
No renewals.
eVideos cannot be checked in early.

Is my device compatible?

Check out the OverDrive Compatible Device listing and information on their site. Included there are tools and information that allow you to determine which devices OverDrive has found to be compatible, or incompatible, with the OverDrive Media Console software and OverDrive Media content. The links below will also answer questions about transferring media from your computer to your device.

How do I find eVideos?

All eVideos are listed in our Library Catalog, where you can search for your favorite title, author, subject, or keywords. Here is a search link that links to all the eVideos in our collection. You can also browse the various collections directly on our eVideo Collection site. At this time, we have eVideos in the following broad categories: animation & cartoons, children's, comedy, documentary, drama, feature, foreign, horror, instructional, and travel.

Using the Advanced Search feature, you can display a list of eVideos that are currently available for checkout. Just select the FORMAT as OVERDRIVE VIDEO, and select the box reading "only show titles with copies available." You can set other parameters, or just select SEARCH to see what's available and not checked out.

Want to suggest an eVideo title for our Collection?

Please e-mail artmusic@sandiego.gov if you wish to suggest a title for our eVideo Collection.

Maintenance Window

Need more help with eVideos?

For general help in using our Digital Library collections, please access the Help instructions. For specialized help with our eVideos, use these help links:

If you need further help, please contact Library staff at any library location, or use support online by using the eVideo Support service, provided by OverDrive.

* Not all publishers allow burning to CD. Look for "burn to CD allowed" when viewing the details page of a title you wish to checkout.