download an audiobook

Pitkin County Library subcribes to two services for downloading audiobooks to your MP3 player, Overdrive and eAudiobooks, which is a service of Netlibrary/Recorded Books. Each service offers a seperate collection of books. There is no duplication of titles.  Below you will find step-by-step instructions for using Overdrive and eAudiobooks.

Overdrive
Guided Tour

There are two ways to download audio books using Overdrive. You may use our dedicated Overdrive station in the library or you may do it from home. If you choose to do it from home, you must first download the Overdrive Media Console. (If you have already downloaded Overdrive Media Console proceed to the next paragraph.) The console only needs to be downloaded once. On the Downloadable Books and Music page scroll down to the Software heading located on the lower left-hand side of the page. use the Overdrive Media Console 2.1 link to download the software. Once you have done this, you can download books.

Now is a good time to connect your MP3 player to the computer through the USB port. You may connect your MP3 player anytime before the transfer process.

• Begin by locating the books you would like to download. You may do a search for a particular book, or browse the categories listed on the left-hand side of the page. Please keep in mind that some books are always available while others may only be checked out to one person at a time. If you see the "Add to Book Bag" box for your book, it is available for check out. If you see the "Place a Hold" box, the book is not available until the due date. If you place a hold on a book, you will be notified by email when it is available. 
• Once you find a book that is available click the "Add to Book Bag" box. From this page you can either click the "Continue Browsing" link and add more books to your book bag or the "Proceed to Checkout" link. The next page will ask for your Pitkin County Library card number. Type in the number and click "Login".
• You will see a display of the book(s) you have chosen. Click the "Confirm check out" button to check out the book to your card.
• If you have already installed the Overdrive Media Console, simply click the "Download" button. This will download the book to your computer. If you haven't downloaded the Overdrive Media Console you can do that from this page by clicking the link next to the "Download" button. You must have downloaded Overdrive Media Console to your computer in order to download a book. 
• Clicking the "Download" button will open the Overdrive Media Console and another window titled "Get Media". The "Get Media" window is simply telling you where it will save the downloaded book. Click "OK". A new window titled "Download Part(s)" will open. Again, click the "OK" button. The book will begin downloading to the Overdrive Media Console. The progress of the download is indicated at the very bottom of the window.   
• Once the download is completed, select the book by clicking it then click the "Transfer" button in the Overdrive Media Console.  
• The Overdrive Media Console Transfer Wizard will open. Click the "Next" button. 
• You will see all of the parts you have downloaded to your computer. Click the "Next" button again. 
• This is the last page. It will tell you that it is transferring the book to your MP3 player and how long it will take. When it has transferred the book click the "Finish" button. The transfer is now complete. Unplug your MP3 player from the computer and begin to enjoy downloadable audiobooks from Overdrive.  

eAudiobooks

In order to use eAudiobooks you must first create a free account through the NetLibrary web site and you must do this on one of the Pitkin County Library's computers. You must also have Windows Media Player on your computer. If you don't have Windows Media Player you may download it for free here. Once you create your account and download Windows Media Player, click here to go to the eAudiobook Center.

Your first step once you have created your account and found the eAudiobooks Center is to log in to the account you created. Once you log in you can begin the search for the book(s) you would like to download.

• On the eAudiobook Center page you can browse the subjects located on the right side of the page or do a search. A keyword search is the suggested method.
• Once you find the book you would like to download click the link titled "Download this eAudiobook". The next page is the Download this eAudiobook page. Here you have three options, Checkout and Download CD Quality, Checkout and Download Radio Quality, and Checkout (no download, only license to play). I suggest chosing Checkout and Download CD Quality. 
• Once you chose your download method a window titled "File Download" will open. You will have the option to "Open", "Save", or "Cancel". Click on "Save".
• Next, the "Save As" window will open. This window is telling you where the downloaded book will be saved on your computer. Choose the Desktop to save the book and then Click "OK".
• Next, open Windows Media Player and then select the "Sync" tab at the top.
• The Sync List should open on the right hand side of the player.
  
• Go to "Start" menu on lower left corner of you computer screen, select "Programs", then "Windows Media Player" (WMP).
• Reduce the size of the WMP window, so that your desktop is visible in the background.
• Click on the icon for the book you have saved on the desktop and drag it into the sync pane in WMP (on the right side of the WMP window)
• Click the "Start Sync" button, and Media Player will transfer the book to your MP3.
  
• Do not disconnect your MP3 until the transfer is complete. You should see a bar indicating the transfer status and the title of the book should appear under the "Files You Added" list on the left side of the WMP window.
  

Important Tips

We have one station dedicated to downloading Overdrive audiobooks in the library. Our public computers can be used to download audiobooks from eAudiobooks.

iPods are not presently compatible with the audiobook software requirements. The downloadable audiobook titles provided by Overdrive and eAudiobooks use copyright protection technology, also known as DRM (digital rights protection) technology from Microsoft Corporation. IPods and Macs do not currently support DRM-protected Windows Media Audio files. We have heard that Apple and Microsoft have reached an agreement to enable support for Microsoft-based DRM-protected materials on the iPod/Mac, and that it should be avaiable in the next few months.

If you have any questions, please call the library at (970) 429-1900.