Overdrive for Web

Quick overview

OverDrive is a free digital lending platform provided through participating public libraries and schools. It lets patrons borrow digital materials — including eBooks, audiobooks, and streaming video — from their library’s collection at any time and from any location. Each institution curates its own catalog, so available titles differ depending on the library or school.

Who can use it and how widely it's available

• The service is linked to thousands of participating institutions across the United States, with roughly 16,000 public libraries and about 10,000 school libraries connected.
• Access is simple: you typically need only a valid library card or a student ID to sign in and borrow digital items from your affiliated library or school.

Types of digital items offered

• Audiobooks
• eBooks
• Streaming videos

Collections vary by location, and libraries choose which licenses and formats to make available for their patrons.

Steps to borrow materials

• Locate your local partner library by searching its name, city, or ZIP code on the OverDrive site, or browse available libraries.
• Sign in using your library card number or student ID once you select the correct branch.
• Search the catalog by title, author, ISBN, or by browsing categories such as mystery, romance, fiction, or popular picks.
• If an item is available, you can borrow it immediately; if not, place a hold and you’ll receive an email notification when a copy is returned.
• Keep in mind that lending periods and renewal policies are set by the individual library, not by the platform.

Note: OverDrive supports a range of formats; another way to list them is streaming videos, audiobooks, and eBooks.

Availability, holds, and loan terms

When browsing a title, the catalog indicates whether copies are currently available or checked out. If all copies are on loan, you can join the queue and receive automatic notification when your turn arrives. Since local libraries determine loan lengths and renewal rules, those specifics will vary from one institution to another.

Reported limitations and user feedback

Some users have raised concerns about customer support responsiveness and about limited visibility into their personal usage statistics within the app. If these factors are important to you, consider checking your local library’s help resources or contacting them directly for further assistance.

Practical tips

• If you’re registered at multiple branches, connect to each one separately to expand your access to titles.
• Use ISBN, author, or title searches to find specific editions.
• Place holds on checked-out items rather than repeatedly searching for them.
• Watch loan periods and automatic return dates to avoid unexpected expirations.