I have a new favorite smartphone app: OverDrive Media Console.
Having been accused of both penny-pinching and a slight case of nerdery, it is only fitting that my new favorite app is a free ebook reader. It’s a fantastic app that gives access to both audio and written content from the local library, all on my phone.
Recently I downloaded and quickly finished “Decoded” by Jay-Z. Part memoir, part autobiography, and entirely controversial. I’m working on a review of it, to be posted very soon.
Today I downloaded “Switch” by Chip and Dan Heath. I just finished the first chapter and can already tell I’ll like it just as much as the other book of theirs I’ve read, “Made to Stick.”
By far the best part of this app is that the books are free and legal to download. I have 7 days to read them. I can assure you I’ll be wearing out the battery on my phone multiple times over using this treasure trove.
Here’s my quick and dirty guide for getting started:
- Download the OverDrive Media Console App. For Android, click here. For iOS, click here.
- Get a library card. My wife recently got the look-over-the-top-of-the-glasses treatment from our local librarian for not having her library card, and this app is no different. Gotta have a card. You use the card number and pin to access your specific local library’s files for download.
- Get a free Adobe membership. Once you’ve successfully navigated the labyrinth that is the library system and downloaded your first book, you’ll need a free Adobe membership to actually open the otherwise locked-down files. It’s pretty painless. Click here to go ahead and set that up.
All in all, the Overdrive Media Console app is blazing up the charts of my favorite apps, by scratching the “free” itch as well as the “need for good books” itch. Chime in below with what books I should search for next!