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.
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 Use 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 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.
Get an Audiobook Newsletter
Would you like to receive audiobook recommendations right in your inbox? Subscribe to our NextReads Newsletter and choose the category "Audiobooks." See the latest issue here.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Where can I find recommendations for good audiobooks?
You can see a variety of recommendations by looking at our staff created audiobook lists here.
For a regular stream of audiobook ideas, try our monthly audiobook list series, Listen with Liz.
Another great source for audiobook recommendations is the Audie Award, given each year to recognize the best of the best in audiobooks. You can see a listing of the Audie Award winners in the catalog here.
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:
Audiobooks Narrated by Bahni Turpin
Listen to science fiction, fantasy, romance, suspense, and nonfiction read by award-winning voice actor Bahni Turpin. Turpin masterfully interprets characters of all ages, genders, and ethnicities. Find these titles and others voiced by Turpin by searching her name.
Written in epistolary format, Dear Haiti, Love Alaine is the story of a high school senior with aspirations to study journalism at Columbia and follow in the formidable footsteps of her mother who works as a reporter. This book tells some of Haiti's history, generational stories passed down by her family, growing up Haitian American, and a young woman's growing acceptance of her mother's Alzheimer's diagnosis.
Hazel, the OBG new hire (who takes code-switching to a new level ) seems to always know the right thing to say or do and gradually nudges Nella - with 2 years at the Wagner Publishing Company, out of the good graces of the editor she assists. Nella slowly begins to feel unwanted and out of place. Nella tries to hold to her position at this prestigious publishing in spite of the appearance of seemingly threatening notes left on her desk. Eventually, Nella will question whether Wagner is worth it. Added to the suspense of Hazel's sudden appeal at Wagner are secrets of the past building in every two or three chapters.
Another fast-paced mystery from the author of; Hollywood Homicide, and Hollywood Ending, Detective by Day stories. Grad student Lena Scott is estranged from her half-sister, reality star, and social media influencer Desiree Pierce. Lena didn't care much for Desiree's partying lifestyle, but when Lena is told that her sister was found dead at a playground of a drug overdose, she refused to believe the cause of death - Desiree is afraid of needles! Lena knew Desiree was no angel but, the story didn't make sense. Fearing that the police are too quick to believe that Desiree is just another celebrity strung out on drugs, Lena risks her own safety as she seeks to uncover the truth about her half-sister's death. Her search for clues leads Lena to Desiree's associates as well as her wealthy rap artist father Mel Pierce, also known as Murder Mel. This story is a little darker than Garrett's Detective by Day mysteries, however, the author still maintains her quirky comical use of metaphors throughout the book
