If you have Sonos speakers, you can listen to free audiobooks from any author thanks to a new integration with the Internet Libby App.
You may already know the Libby app. This way, you can borrow e-books and audiobooks from your local library and download them to your Kindle, iPhone, iPad or Mac.
If not, Libby offers the possibility to borrow electronic versions of books with your existing library card. These work just like physical ones: the library buys one or more copies, and each copy can be loaned to one person at a time. If they return it, it will be available to the next person. If a book you want is currently on loan to someone else, you can reserve it and it will be added to your app as soon as you get to the top of the waiting list.
The makers of Libby, OverDrivehave now extended the same audiobook loan to Sonos speakers.
The award-winning Libby app is now compatible with Sonos wireless home sound systems. When users connect Libby to their speaker system, they can enjoy popular audiobooks, learn a foreign language, or entertain children throughout the home by accessing tens of thousands of titles from their public library. To get started, users only need the Sonos app, the Libby app, available in 90 percent of North American public libraries, and a valid library card.
“This new Sonos compatibility is our latest response to how librarians evolve to provide the best access to books and reading anytime, anywhere,” said Shannon Lichty, Vice President Partner Services at OverDrive. “Our partnership with Sonos for audiobooks for public libraries enables millions of households to enjoy the sounds and tales of a great story wherever a Sonos speaker is connected.”
The best thing is that it is compatible with all generations of Sonos speakers, old and new.
If you are not yet using Libby, start with Download the free app and register with your library card number. Download one or more audiobooks into the app and they will appear on your rental shelf. Then open the Sonos app and connect it to your Libby account. You can then play any audiobook on your rental shelf.
If you don’t have a library card, check your library’s website. While most are currently closed, you may be able to register for a card online. All Libby needs is the card number.
A few pointers for Libby newbies. All loans have a fixed term (e.g. 14 days in the UK) and books are automatically returned at the end of this period, so you must complete them within that time. You can also manually return a book early. They are each limited to a small number of loans.
If free audiobooks sound too good to be true, you have to expect long waiting lists for newly published books, especially books by famous authors.
