OverDrive
OverDrive Digital Library
Downloadable audiobooks, eBooks and streaming videos for Garland Library card holders
- Listen to MP3 audiobooks
- Read eBook, PDF, Kindle and/or graphic novels
- Watch streaming videos
- Audiobooks and eBooks can be used on a PC, Mac, tablet or smartphone
- Videos can be watched in the OverDrive app or in your browser
- Apps are available for iPhone, Android and Windows Mobile
OverDrive Streaming Videos
Great news! We have added hundreds of streaming videos to our OverDrive library.
OverDrive videos:
- Part of your 10 item checkout limit
- They check out for seven days and can be enjoyed for 24 hours once you start viewing
- Only works in the OverDrive app and on the OverDrive site
Getting started with streaming video from your library
Garland Library cardholders can borrow and watch free shows, movies, and more. Videos are streaming only and can’t be downloaded, so you’ll need an internet connection to watch them. Depending on what device you’re using, videos will play either in the OverDrive app (on Android, iOS, and Fire devices) or right in your web browser.
Note: Streaming videos can consume a lot of data, so we recommend streaming over a Wi-Fi connection.
How to watch streaming videos
To get started, borrow a streaming video from your library. Then:
- If you’re using your computer’s web browser (like Chrome or Safari) or OverDrive for Windows 8/10, select Watch now in browser to start watching in a new tab.
- If you’re using an Android, iOS, or Fire device, tap Add to bookshelf to add the video to the OverDrive app. You’ll need to go to your app Bookshelf to start watching the video.
What devices and browsers work best
Streaming videos work on computers and Windows 8 and 10 devices as long as you have:
- Adobe Flash Player
- An up-to-date web browser, like Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Internet Explorer 10 or newer, or Safari
On Android, iOS, or Fire devices, you’ll need:
- The OverDrive app, v3.8.6 or newer
- Android 5.0 or higher
- iOS 9 or higher
- FireOS 5 or higher
How can I find the permissions for streaming videos and what do they mean?
Some videos have extra permissions (digital rights) that are set by the publisher. These permissions determine how you can watch the video once you borrow it. You can view a video’s permissions from its details page by opening the Details tab.
Permissions can include:
- Expires: Once you start watching this video, it will expire from your library account after a set amount of time (24 hours), even if there are extra days left in your lending period.
- Public performance: The publisher does (or does not) allow this video to be played in a public setting (like a classroom or public library).
- Playback limited: You can only watch this video from certain geographic regions (like the United States or Canada), and/or you can only watch this video from a certain number of IP addresses.
Libby - the new OverDrive app!
Meet Libby
Libby Instructions (313 KB)
Libby app in a browser
Original OverDrive App
Instructions for downloading outside the app:
Downloading audio books to your computer (PDF 238 KB)
Downloading to Kindle or Kindle App (PDF 96 KB)
OverDrive Help & Support links:
OverDrive Help - Search for answers and/or watch how-to videos
Libby Help - Learn about Libby and how it works
Device Resource Center - A snapshot of how popular devices can be used with OverDrive
OverDrive status - A site for determining if OverDrive is experiencing performance issues