We have thousands of downloadable audiobooks for kids, teens, and adults that can be checked out instantly with a library card. Each audiobook platform is unique and has its own website or app. You can check out most (but not all) audiobooks directly from the library catalog. Our two main audiobook platforms are OverDrive and Hoopla. Detailed directions for how to use each of them appear below.
You can also check out pre-loaded audiobook devices called Playaways with your library card. A Playaway is a self-playing battery-powered device small enough to fit in the palm of your hand.
How to Borrow Playaway Pre-loaded Audiobooks
Playaways are audiobooks that are pre-loaded onto individual pocket-sized devices. No internet or Wi-Fi is needed. Playaways give you the portability and freedom to take audiobooks anywhere with no connectivity or downloads necessary. We have Playaways for both adults and teens.
For a similar experience for kids, try our audio enabled book collection - print books that have an audio player permanently attached to them. Children simply push a button to listen and read. The next time you visit one of our libraries, ask where the audio enabled books for kids shelf is or browse the list of all of them.
Need help? Ask a Library staff member at any of our locations or call, text or email Ask-a-Librarian. The Tinker Station helpline at (317) 275-4500 is also available. It is staffed by device experts who can answer questions about how to read, watch, and listen on a PC, tablet, or phone.
OverDrive routinely features audiobooks of interest on their home page and in their app. What is featured often coincides with current events and trending or seasonal interests. They also have an audiobook subjects page you can browse that includes fiction and nonfiction listings for adults, teens, and kids. See the FAQ below for audiobook recommendations from our staff!
Skip the Wait! Hold lines can get very long for new and popular titles, but there are actually thousands of audiobooks available with no wait. Lucky Day! Audiobooks are popular titles that are immediately available. All Lucky Day titles have a seven day loan period and cannot be renewed. You may borrow only one Lucky Day title at a time. If you are lucky enough to get a Lucky Day copy, please remember to cancel the hold you might have on the regular copy! Here are two helpful skip-the-wait lists for young readers: No Wait, No Problem Audiobooks for Kids and No Wait No Problem Audiobooks for Teens.
How to Borrow Audiobooks from Hoopla
Hoopla has audiobooks for all ages. You can borrow 10 Items each month using your IndyPL library card. If you have never borrowed from Hoopla before directions (.pdf) are available as well as a video tutorial.
If you are listening to Hoopla audiobooks on a PC or Mac you can only stream them, so you'll need an internet connection to listen. Streaming audiobooks can consume a lot of data, so we recommend streaming Hoopla over a Wi-Fi connection. If you are listening to Hoopla audiobooks on the Hoopla app, you can download them when you have a connection, and then enjoy them offline later.
Finding What to Listen to Next Hoopla routinely features audiobooks of interest on their home page and in their app. What is featured often coincides with current events and trending or seasonal interests. You can easily browse the Hoopla audiobook collection by subject or genre here. See our FAQ fo rour staff's audiobook recommendations!
Skip the Wait! You don't have to put Hoopla titles on hold. You are allowed to borrow whatever titles you want, up to 10 per month. However, if you've already read your 10 monthly borrows, Hoopla frequently, but not always, offers Bonus Borrows. Bonus Borrows don’t count against your monthly borrowing limit - look for them on Hoopla.
How can I see the greatest number of audiobooks choices?
You can check out most (but not all) audiobooks directly from the library catalog. The advantage to searching in the library's catalog is that you will be searching most of the audiobooks in all of our platforms all at the same time. When you see an audiobook in the catalog it will typically look like this:
2024 Libby Awards
Here are some finalists for the inaugural Libby Awards! The Libby Awards recognize titles that are well-acclaimed and popular on their app. Here are some of e-book and audiobook titles we have available through IndyPL.
Finalist for Best Fiction. Five years ago, Mira Bunting founded a guerrilla gardening group: Birnam Wood. For years, the group has struggled to break even. Then Mira stumbles on an answer, a way to finally set the group up for the long term. Also in e-audiobook, physical book, and large type.
Finalist for Best Nonfiction. Ramsey provides a kaleidoscopic account of the 1980's - 90's crack cocaine era, and a community's ultimate resilience. Told through a cast of characters whose lives illuminate the dramatic rise and fall of the epidemic. Also in e-book and physical book.
Finalist for Best Audiobook. When an MI5 case file appears without explanation, civil servants Griselda and Malcolm are drawn into the buried history of a classified operation in Cold War Berlin. The case ended in tragedy and scandal--and whose cover-up has rewritten 30 years of Service history. Also in e-book and physical book.
