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University Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Finding and Using E-Books

Looking for an e-book? You're in the right place!

How to Find E-Audiobooks

You can also access e-audiobooks through the Library Catalog. There, use the advanced search option by selecting "Advanced Search" on the right-hand side of the search bar.

Screenshot of library catalog with a red box around "Advanced Search."


You can browse the library's e-audiobooks in the catalog by performing a subject search for "audiobook."

Screen shot of library catalog with an arrow pointing to the search type filter that is changed to "Subject."

 

Or if there is a specific book, author, or subject you are looking for, you can search for that information. 


You will need to make sure that you have changed the "Material Type" to "Sound recordings."

 

Screen shot of library catalog with a red box around "Sound recording" selected at the "Material Type."

 

Once you have search terms and have limited the results, click 'Search'!


Once you have results from the catalog, you will need to limit the search to "Audiobooks" located under the "Subject" search filters on the left-hand side. Then select "Downloadable Audio Books" to limit the search to e-audiobooks.

Screen shot of "Subject" search filters with a red box around "Audiobooks" and "Downloadable Audio Books."

The remaining results will be e-audiobooks.

How to Use the EBSCO Audiobooks App

The EBSCO Audiobooks app allows users to view and listen to titles they currently have checked out of the library collection. Users cannot browse the collection through the app, but can listen to checked out titles offline and listen to the same title on multiple devices. 

The EBSCO Audiobooks app can be downloaded for free through Google Play or iTunes. 

To access checked out audiobooks on the app, you must log into the app with an EBSCOhost account. To make an account:

  1. Open an EBSCO database (like Academic Search Complete or where you are searching for audiobooks).
  2. Click on the link to “Sign In” at the upper right hand corner.
  3. Click on the “Create a New Account” link and provide the information requested (your name, email address, choose a login name, password, and a security question), then click on “Submit.”

Titles checked out to your account should appear in the app and you can then download and listen to them. 

How to Search the EBSCOhost Audiobook Collection

In addition to searching for all audiobooks in the library catalog, you can search for audiobooks in just the EBSCO collection that can be used with the app.

To search the EBSCO Audiobook Collection:

  1. From the Library homepage, scroll down to the link toward the middle of the page says "Databases by Subject & A-Z" and click the link. 
  2. In the search bar on the far right toward the top of the page that says "Search for Databases," type "EBSCO audiobook collection" and then click "Go." 
  3. From the results, click on "Ebsco Audiobook Collection," which should bring you to the database. 

Once you are in the database, you can search for keywords, titles, authors, and subjects like you would in other databases.

How To Use the OverDrive/Libby App

OverDrive (now updated to Libby) allows users to listen to titles they currently have checked out of the library collection. Users can browse the collection through the app, and can listen to checked out titles offline and listen to the same title on multiple devices. 

The Libby app can be downloaded for free through Google Play or the Apple App Store. (It is also available for Kindle.) To access checked out audiobooks on the app, you must log into the app with a University of Illinois account. To access your account:

  1. Open the Libby app.
  2. Click on the  icon and select "Add Library."  
  3. Type "University of Illinois" in the search box. Select the result. (You can also tap Map in the top-right corner to search for the UIUC library.)
  4. Once you've selected the institution, click "Sign in With My Card." You will then be prompted to be sent automatically to OverDrive.com to sign in using your Net ID and password.
  5. You may then browse the collection and access any titles that are checked out to your account.
     

Please note: When you click the link to get the OverDrive app at the bottom of the university's Overdrive page, it will direct you to the Libby app. Libby is a newer version released by OverDrive, while the original OverDrive is the more "classic" version. The same digital library collection is available on both apps. Learn more about the two apps and their similarities and differences here.

How To Search the OverDrive Collection

The OverDrive database provides access to free, downloadable audiobooks within the library collection. Browse many of the libraries audiobooks for popular fiction and nonfiction in one place. 

To search the OverDrive Audiobook Collection:

  1. From the Library homepage under the section titled "Find Materials,"  scroll to "Databases by Subject & A-Z" and click on the icon.
  2. On the page that comes up, type "Overdrive" into the search bar on the right-hand side of the page, then click on the "Go" button.
  3. One result will be displayed. Click on the title, "Overdrive."
  4. Once you are in the database, you can search for keywords, titles, authors, and subjects like you would in other databases.
  5. Click on the orange Sign In button to log in to your account so that you can check out titles. 
  6. Once you select a title, you will be prompted to borrow it, or you can listen to a sample of the book. If you choose to borrow it, the book will be available across all devices that are linked to your account, whether it's on a desktop browser or on the app.
     

If you search for and borrow an item via the website, and you go to your bookshelf on the OverDrive page, you can listen to it in your current browser. You will also see a message letting you know that your loans are waiting for you in Libby, and can therefore open them in that app as well.