So today I would like to talk about some ways in which I access Audiobooks. I know sometimes that audiobooks can be hard to get, and they can also be very expensive. I understand completely why their cost is so high, Its much different from a physical book or ebook where the words are printed on a page instead of a story being narrated to you. Quite frankly, I think narrators deserve the extra cost that can come with an audiobook. But today I want to share some of my tips and tricks on accessing more audiobooks while keeping the costs of them minimal and these are all legal ways. I do not believe in piracy or stealing books just because you have a low budget because there are many avenues in working around that without stealing from authors.
LIBRARY BOOKS! —I don’t think I can stress this enough, USE YOUR LIBRARY! It’s completely free. You already pay taxes for it and you might as well use it. Now your local library may not have the type of catalog that you would prefer. But many libraries offers out of state subscriptions. Now I know sometimes these can be pricey, but in the long run you will save money on them. I currently have 4 library subscriptions, although that will most likely change this summer. I do still have access to the Brooklyn Library. I was lucky enough to renew my subscription literally TWO weeks before they stopped it for out of state users. For romance, this was a great resource because their catalog was so massive. Now I have heard the Floria library system has a great romance catalog. I still need to check that out and do more research on other catalogs. The key is to search library subscriptions that have catalogs that suit your best interests in reading.
ANYPLAY.FM—This is the MOST UNDERRATED audiobook service and I have no clue why more people don’t use this. So if you don’t know what Anyplay is, its a subscription service that is completely unlimited. Its 9.99/month or if you pay for the 3 month or 6 month service, its way cheaper. You can use a free week trial, and if you check out their website, you can browse their catalog. Their app doesn’t have this function yet. You can literally borrow and listen to as many audiobooks as you can or want to. And the catalog is amazing, and they have tons of new releases as well! If I didn’t have Hoopla access, I would be using this regularly. I still pay for it to support them as Audible has done some attacks against them because they are a true competitor and its completely legal. And their catalog is so much better than Scribd or Audible plus especially if you are a romance reader. I do plan on soon doing a tutorial in using Anyplay.fm. I think its a valuable resource for audio listeners and I don’t hear anyone talk about it ….ever! So If you like audiobooks, please check it out.
HOOPLA DIGITAL-This is a service that some libraries have access to. Now unfortunately not all libraries have access for this. But it has some great content. And with the combination of this plus my library subscriptions I have no need to pay for audiobooks if I don’t want to. I really love Hoopla though especially for Audiobooks. I don’t like their ebooks because you can’t send them to your kindle like you can with the Libby app and I really hate reading on a tablet or phone. So I really only use it for audiobooks. If you want this service, the key is to find a out of state library subscription that has Hoopla. I do know Florida has hoopla, or I have heard that they do. Dallas does as well and I am sure many others do.
There are other services that you can use that are more known such as Audible, Scribd and such. I personally don’t recommend Scribd, as its not truly unlimited. And they restrict how many audiobooks you can listen to. Audible plus has some good stuff, I keep a subscription because there are some authors that use it only for those Audible originals, and there are some authors I prefer their audiobooks and they can only be found on Audible. But what I do recommend is paying attention to the Audible sales. Every few months, they will do this massive sale on audiobooks where you can get audiobooks for 50-75% off.
So, tell me what are some of your tips and tricks in accessing audiobooks? Let me know in the comments below!
I’ve tried a few times to listen to an audiobook and I just don’t have the patience. I can read a lot faster than it takes to listen to one.
I count myself lucky to have access to such great library resources. I know that’s not the case for everyone. Audiobooks are the best of my library borrows because they are pricy and so are all those subscription services.
I just started Scribd but now you make me hesitate…
I use my library for audiobooks the majority of the time. Either Overdrive, Libby, or Hoopla. I actually have 3 library cards: my home library, Las Vegas, and Broward County. Those last two allow for library cards even if you don’t live in their area. I’ve also used Audible a little bit when I can get books for $1.99 or a deal on the service in general.
I love these tips. My local library has a great selection and I can check out 10 books per month via Hoopla. I do have a nice sized digital library. I use Audible, Libro.fm, and Estories.