eBooks FAQs

  • General Questions

    Due to demand, we’re unable to increase the limits on checkouts and holds. Checkout and holds limits are:

    OverDrive

    • 10 checkouts
    • 5 holds

    hoopla

    • 5 checkouts per month

    Yes. Fill out our eBooks Support form and we will be in touch.

    Some publishers do not offer eBooks to libraries, do not offer eBook versions of new titles to libraries or delay availability of eBook versions of new titles to libraries.

    Adobe Digital Editions 2.0, which is an app used to read eBooks from OverDrive, is compatible with several screen readers for people with low vision or visual disabilities.

    Individuals who are unable to read standard print material due to a permanent or temporary visual or physical disability are eligible for downloadable book service via the National Library Service Braille and Audio Reading Download Service. This service is available through the Assistive Resources and Talking Book Center.

  • OverDrive

    CPL cardholders in good standing who live in Chicago may check out eBooks, audiobooks and magazines. OverDrive eBooks, audiobooks and magazines are not available to reciprocal borrowers.

    You may check out up to 10 OverDrive titles at a time, excluding OverDrive magazines.

    The loan period for eBooks and audiobooks is up to 3 weeks.

    You can set shorter default loan periods by changing the settings in your OverDrive account.

    You can check out an unlimited number of OverDrive magazine issues for up to 3 weeks each. OverDrive magazine issues do not count towards your 10 item limit.

    Everything is returned automatically. There are never any late fees.

    You can have up to 5 holds on OverDrive titles.

    Yes, you can renew a title up to three days before it expires if no one else has placed it on hold. Find step-by-step instructions on OverDrive Help: How to Renew Digital Titles.

    If someone else has placed a title on hold, you can't renew it, but you can request it again up to three days before it expires.

    If you’ve accidentally selected the wrong format, contact eBooks Support.

    Yes, we do have Kindle eBooks.

    To transfer library eBooks to your Kindle, you must be connected to a WiFi network. You also may transfer Kindle eBooks to your Kindle using a USB cable.

    For more information on how to use the OverDrive service with a Kindle, please refer to the help section.

    Yes, but we'll need to transfer your information from your old card to your new card.

    Please send your old and new card numbers to OverDriveSupport@chipublib.org and we'll transfer your information (checkouts, holds, wish list items and history) to your new card number.

    OverDrive has an extensive Help section with answers to the most common questions.

    Or you can contact eBooks Support if you need additional help.

  • Flipster

    CPL cardholders may use Flipster magazines.

    There is no limit to the number of titles you can borrow.

    Log into your account on the CPL website to access Flipster.

    Select a magazine to check out by clicking on its cover. The magazine will automatically open for you to read online. Use the navigation tools on the right side of the screen to move around within the issue.

    You need an internet connection to download magazines, but once downloaded, magazines can be read offline. Selected titles will expire but can be downloaded again. Weekly titles that are downloaded expire after two days and monthly titles after seven days.

    There are no due dates and no late fees.

    While not necessary, you may wish to create a Flipster account, which allows you to save preferences, organize your research with folders, share your folders with others, view others' folders, save and retrieve your search history, and create email alerts and/or RSS feeds.

    Flipster apps are available for iOS and Android.

    OverDrive offers hundreds of popular magazines in multiple languages. Flipster offers over twenty-five additional titles frequently sought by our patrons, but not offered through OverDrive. These titles include The Atlantic, Bloomberg Businessweek, Entertainment Weekly, Essence, People, Real Simple, Scientific American, and Time.

  • hoopla

    CPL cardholders in good standing who live in Chicago may use hoopla. Hoopla is not available to reciprocal borrowers.

    To create your hoopla account, you will need your library card number and PIN. You also need an email address. You will be prompted to create a password to log in to your account each time you use hoopla.

    A free hoopla app is available for many Android, iOS and Kindle devices. Use the app to watch, listen to or read any hoopla titles.

    You can also play titles on your computer. To play titles using Internet Explorer or Safari, you'll need to install the free Widevine plugin on your web browser.

    You can watch hoopla movies and TV shows on your TV with the hoopla iOS or Android app and Apple TV or Chromecast devices. Or you can connect your device to your television using an HDMI adapter.

    Whether you use hoopla on a mobile device or a computer, you'll have access to the same titles.

    You can check out 5 hoopla titles every calendar month.

    One music album counts as one checkout, and one episode of a TV show counts as one checkout.

    Loan periods are set by studios and producers. Everything is returned automatically. There are never any late fees.

    • Audiobooks: 21 days
    • eBooks: 21 days
    • Movies/TV: 3 days
    • Music: 7 days

    Please note: Daily lending limits may temporarily override individual borrowing limits.

    To manage the costs of this service, there's a limit on the total number of titles that can be checked out each day. Once this overall daily lending limit is reached, no checkouts are allowed until the system resets in the evening.

    In the meantime, you can browse and add to favorites; then return later to borrow titles.

    The daily lending limit is a librarywide limit that differs from your individual monthly borrowing limit.

    All hoopla titles are available immediately, no holds required.

    Click the "Return" button at the top right of the hoopla title detail page.

    All titles are available for streaming. Most are available for download, based on studio or publisher restrictions. However, when available for download, titles may only be downloaded to mobile devices, such as iOS and Android phones or tablets.

    On the hoopla app, there’s a button that looks like a box with an arrow at the top right of the title detail page. Tap this to see the “Contact Us” button, and from there you can select “Report a Problem.”

    On the hoopla website, if there’s a problem with playing a title, you should see the error message in the playback window with a link to “Report a Problem.”

    Check hoopla Help for answers to more frequently asked questions.

    Or contact eBooks Support if you need additional help.