Get Started with eBooks & Audiobooks on Overdrive & Libby

Use this step-by-step guide to access the OverDrive digital collections on your computer, phone, tablet, or Kindle.

To get started, you'll need your library card number and your PIN/password. Your PIN was created when you applied for your library card.

If you don’t know your PIN, email spl@minlib.net to request a new PIN. Be sure to include your library card number in the email—we can't reset your PIN without it—and a staff member will create and send a new PIN to you.

You can use OverDrive to access digital collections from any web browser.

1. From the Minuteman Catalog, click Online Resources.
2. Enter your library card number, and then click Log in.
3. Scroll the alphabetical list of databases, and then click Digital Collection (from Overdrive).
4. Click Sign in, select Minuteman Library Patrons, and then enter your library card number and PIN.
5. Click Sign in.

If you have a specific book or magazine in mind, search for it by title, author, or keyword in the search box.

To browse the collections, use any of the links—Subjects, Collections, Kindle Books, Kids & Teens, or Always Available—to find titles of interest. Options for refining your search are displayed to the left of the search results.

When you find a title you are interested in:

1. Click the image to display a summary page.
2. Click Borrow, and then click Borrow again, to check out the title.
3. If the title is not available, you can click Place a Hold to add yourself to the waitlist.

Using a smartphone or tablet? Download the Libby app to access OverDrive digital collections.

Download Libby onto your device from the device’s app store. Libby is available for iPhone and iPad from the Apple App Store and for Android devices from the Google Play store.

1. To download Libby, open the app store on your device and search for “Libby, by OverDrive”. In the Apple App Store, you will need to tap “Get” and although the app is free, you may be asked to enter your Apple ID and password in order to download it.
2. Next, open Libby and answer the questions as prompted to link your library card:
   • Tap Yes when asked "Do you have a library card?"
   • Tap “Search For A Library”
   • Enter “Somerville Public Library”
   • Select “Minuteman Library Network”
   • Tap “Enter Library Account Details”
   • Enter your library card number, and tap “Next”
   • Enter your PIN, and tap “Sign in
3. When Libby displays a facsimile of your library card, tap “Next”
4. At the Libby home page, you can search for a title by tapping “Search for a Book,” entering a search term, and tapping “Search”. Browse the collections by tapping “Explore”. 
5. Use "Preferences" to restrict your search. You can select eBooks or audiobooks by specifying format, choose a language, or restrict your search to include only items that are available.
6. Once you find a title you want, click “Borrow” to display details about the title.
7. Tap “Borrow” on the summary screen to check out the title.
8. If the title is not available, you can tap “Place a Hold” to add yourself to the waitlist.

For a visual tour of the Libby app, follow along on this helpful video:

Using a Kindle?

You can send digital books to your Kindle from OverDrive or Libby.

Kindle eBooks in OverDrive (note: OverDrive audiobooks are not available for Kindle)

1. Make sure your Kindle is connected to WiFi.
2. To browse the Kindle section, tap “Kindle Books” at the top of the OverDrive home page to browse ebooks available in the Kindle format.
3. To search for Kindle books, limit your search results to Kindle books by tapping “ebooks” in the left navigation and then tapping “Kindle Book”.
4. Once you find a title you want, display details about the title or tap “Borrow” to check out the title, then tap “Borrow” again to confirm the checkout.
5. Tap “Read Now with Kindle” to open an Amazon login screen.
6. Enter your Amazon username and password, and then tap “Sign-In”.
7. Tap “Get Library Book’ to send the title to your Kindle.

Kindle eBooks in Libby

1. Tap “Preferences” on the Libby home page to restrict your search to Kindle-compatible titles.
2. Next to “Compatibility, ” tap Libby, and then tap “Kindle”
3. Tap “Apply Preferences” to close the Preferences screen
4. Once you find a title you want, tap “Borrow,” then under the facsimile of your library card, tap “Borrow” again to confirm the checkout.
5. Tap “Go to Shelf” to display your recent loans. (You can also display this page by clicking “Shelf” in the lower right corner at any time.)
6. Tap “Read With” to the right of the book you borrowed to display your reading options.
7. Tap “Kindle” to open an Amazon login screen within Libby.
8. Enter your Amazon username and password, and then tap “Sign-In”.
9. Tap “Get Library Book’ to send the title to your Kindle.
10. Use the back arrow at the bottom of the screen to return to the Libby interface.
11. Your library book should now be available on your Kindle for reading. Enjoy!

Whether using OverDrive or Libby, if you need help with any issue specifically related to your Kindle (such as changing the font size), please go to Amazon Device Support.