Reading is an important part of living the excellent life. Through reading we learn, develop, gain insights and perspectives and ultimately grow as a person. But if you are anything like me, you may find reading difficult. For me, between a busy practice and a busy household, I find it difficult to find time to sit down and read. And when I do, I find it difficult to stay focused on what I am reading for a prolonged period of time (things to work on for sure).
Several years ago I was frustrated by the tension between wanting to read and learn vs time and focus limitations. That was until I realized that many of the books that I wanted to read were also available as audiobooks. I actually had this realization while I was reading about how a blind man did his reading.
For me, I have found this to be a perfect solution. While I don't have large chunks of time to sit down and read, I do have blocks of time driving and working on home projects (mowing, etc). So by filling this time with listening to books, I have been able to greatly increase the number of books that I consume on an annual basis.
So how do you do this? There are a number of ways of consuming audiobooks - some paid and some free. Personally, I download and listen to audiobooks through my public library. This has the advantages of being both free and portable as they are downloaded on my devices. What follows is a step-by-step guide for listening to audiobooks through the library.
Step 1: Get a Library Card
The first step is getting a library card. As a resident or taxpayer of any jurisdiction, you should be eligible for a card. With that new card, you can go to the library website and register for a web account. This will be either a username and password that you choose or a card number and pin. Whatever the case, remember your login credentials, you will need those later.
Step 2: Download Audiobook App
Unless your library has an option to directly reserve books through their website, you will need to use a third-party app that integrates with your library. In my case, I have been using the Overdrive app for many years and have had great success. This year Overdrive is switching to an app called Libby. Overdrive also has a web interface at www.overdrive.com. On the Overdrive you will be asked to create a login profile that will store your library information and books that you download.
Step 3: Connect Your Library
Once you are in the Libby app or Overdrive website, you will be asked to login with the library credentials that you created earlier in step one. Once validated, you will be taken to a library specific homepage inside the Overdrive app or website.
Step 4: Search for Books
Now it is time to search for books. You can select various filters for e-books vs audiobooks, genre, fiction vs non-fiction and much more. As you find books of interest, you can tag them on a saved list, borrow the book or place a hold if it is not immediately available.
Happy Reading!
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