eBooks and eAudiobooks

About Wisconsin's Digital Library

Wisconsin’s Digital Library is a shared, state-wide collection of digital materials available to all Wisconsin public library card holders.

It has thousands of popular eBook, eAudiobook, and digital magazine titles that you can read or listen to on most current mobile devices, tablets, phones, or your computer. The library purchases copies of these titles from OverDrive, the largest and leading national provider of eBooks and eAudiobooks to libraries.

eBooks, eAudiobooks, and digital magazines are free to borrow and download from home with your public library card. They expire automatically so there are never any late charges.

Borrow most eBooks for up to three weeks
Borrow most eAudiobooks for up to three weeks
Borrow most magazines for up to two weeks
Borrow up to 10 items at a time
Place up to 10 holds
Some titles are available right away and some have a wait list

Wisconsin's Digital Library is brought to you by the Wisconsin Public Library Consortium and with generous support from the Madison Public Library Foundation, the Friends of Sequoya Library, and the Friends of the Madison Public Library.

Getting Started with eBooks and eAudiobooks on your Device

Read or listen on your iPhone or iPad or on your Android smartphone or tablet.

Use the Libby app by OverDrive.

Read or listen on your computer or laptop.

Head right over to the Wisconsin's Digital Library website.

Read on your Kindle.

Get started at the Wisconsin Digital Library website on your computer or internet-connected device. From there, you may check out and send the eBook to your Kindle, Kindle Fire, or Kindle app via Wi-Fi.

Read or listen on your Kindle Fire.

The Libby app is available on the Amazon Appstore.

Read or listen on another device, such as a Nook, Kobo, Tolino, or other Ereader.

See more info at OverDrive Help - Devices.

Screen Reader Info

Libby and Accessibility

Explore Wisconsin's Digital Library Collections

Other eBooks from the Library

The Library subscribes to a number of databases separate from Wisconsin's Digital Library that provide eBooks on a variety of topics including technology, business, and the arts.

O'Reilly for Public Libraries (formerly Safari Books Online)

More than 43,000 books and 30,000 hours of video in areas such as information technology and software; business; digital media; professional and personal development; and desktop and web applications. Includes 900+ books from the "For Dummies" series; 150 titles for job-seeking and career development; hundreds of books and videos for makers, gamers, and tinkerers; 100+ hobbyist titles including STEAM Lab for Kids and The Lego Build-It Book, Volumes 1 & 2; and case studies, expert playlists, and learning paths.

Gale Virtual Reference Library and Business Plans Handbook

Information resources about the arts, business plans, history, literature, religion, and social sciences.

EBSCOhost eBook Collection

Searchable full text copies of over 8,000 online books. The basic collection primarily includes ebooks in the fields of computer science, engineering, and technology. The publicly accessible portion of the collection includes classic works of literature and history, as well as speeches, government documents, and other resources pulled form sites such as Project Gutenberg and the Alex Catalogue of Electronic Texts.

ComicsPlus

Thousands of digital comics, graphic novels, and manga. The collection includes popular and award-winning titles for every age range and interest, and every title is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for offline reading -- no waiting on holds lists! Comics are also available in the LibraryPass app from the App Store or Google Play.

Free eBook Websites

Project Gutenberg

Over 60,000 free eBook titles. Download them (EPUB or Kindle format), or read them online. You will find the world's great literature here, with focus on older works for which U.S. copyright has expired.

See the Project Gutenberg website for more information on downloading.

Digital Public Library of America - Open Bookshelf

For kids and adults

6,300 eBook titles are available to download (EPUB format). Classic novels, children’s books, textbooks and non-English titles.

These books are also available to read for free via the SimplyE app. Just download the SimplyE app on iOS or Android (from the App or Play store) and choose “Digital Public Library of America” as your library.

Glossary

What's with all the different names?

We know there are a lot of different terms and names related to using eBooks at the Library. We've developed a little glossary to help.

Wisconsin's Digital Library
- A shared, state-wide collection of digital materials available to all Wisconsin public library card holders.
OverDrive
- The platform that powers Wisconsin's Digital Library. Lots of public libraries around the country also use OverDrive to provide access to their digital collections.
Libby
- An app created by OverDrive where you can borrow eBooks and eAudiobooks from the Library. Libby also includes an eBook reader and an eAudiobook player so you can do it all without ever leaving the app!
Wisconsin Public Library Consortium
- A consortium of library systems throughout Wisconsin that works on projects that move libraries forward through experimentation and R&D. The primary, and most popular, service the consortium has developed is Wisconsin's Digital Library.
LINKcat
- Madison Public Library and South Central Library System's shared catalog. In addition to searching all of the physical collections throughout the system, you can find all of the eBooks and eAudiobooks there as well. Look for the "Click to access online" link, which will send you over to the book's record in Wisconsin's Digital Library.

eBooks & eAudiobooks