Digital Audio Books and eBooks
Cuyahoga Falls Library is now a member of the Ohio eBook Project. This means that anyone with a Falls Library card in good standing can download audio books and ebooks and use them on a compatible portable device (or on your computer). You can choose from thousands of available titles in the categories of Classic Literature, General Fiction, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Biography & Autobiography, Business & Careers, History, and many more. There are even titles for kids!
To get started or to learn more, just visit the Ohio eBook Project web site. The web site has a Quick Start Guide (click on "Click here to get started" in the upper left corner) as well as help on many topics (click on "Digital Book Help" at the top of the page).
This project was started by the State Library of Ohio in 2005. All member libraries purchase titles for the collection, and any of these titles can be used by any cardholder at any member library. This allows Cuyahoga Falls Library to provide access to a much richer collection than if we were acting alone, and allows the library to make more efficient use of its money.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What do I need to get started?
- Can I used the computers in the library to download these titles?
- What kind of portable device can I use to play the digital audio books?
- What kind of portable device can I use to read the ebooks?
- Do I have to check out the digital audio books and ebooks?
What do I need to get started?
You'll need a computer with Internet access and some free software in order to download and access the digital audio books and ebooks. You can play or read these files on your computer or on a supported portable device (see below).
Can I used the computers in the library to download these titles?
No. Unfortunately the software wasn't designed to work on shared computers such as those in the library.
What kind of portable device can I use to play the digital audio books?
The digital audio books are created using Microsoft® Windows Media Audio format; you can find a list of devices that will play this format using the PlayForSure web site. There are several players on the list that cost under $100. Due to digital rights management issues, iPods are not supported.
What kind of portable device can I use to read the ebooks?
The ebooks are available in Adobe Acrobat and/or Mobipocket formats. You can get free software for most PDA's that will allow you to read ebooks in these formats.
Do I have to check out the digital audio books and ebooks?
Yes. You'll need to have a Cuyahoga Falls Library card in good standing (with less than $5.00 in fines), and the titles you check out will stop working on the "due date."