Read to me

January 24, 2012 6:28 AM

Asking for a friend -- haven't found a recent post that quite addresses this: Is it possible to download audiobooks (mp3) from a public library using Overdrive onto an iPod touch? Or will the iPod touch only accept audiobooks from iTunes or Audible?

She's having problems downloading mp3 audiobooks from the library, utilizing Overdrive.

My own Google-fu suggests that there is a problem with the newest version of the Overdrive app being compatible with the newest version of the ipod operating system. But what do I know?

Overdrive appears to be loading books into her ipod touch, but they never actually appear.

posted by vitabellosi to technology (6 answers total)

Is she using the Overdrive app on the iPod or using iTunes? I think I've been able to use the former but not the latter. But then I gave up and just burned CDs because it was Overdriving me crazy.
posted by mskyle at 6:34 AM on January 24, 2012

To the best of my knowledge, this should work. Can you let us know what OS and what version of the app she's using? I'm aware that this is cold comfort. Has she tried downloading the audiobook to a computer and then transferring it to the touch? Is she checking the "books" section in Itunes for the downloaded item? Has she asked the librarian?
posted by jessamyn at 8:05 AM on January 24, 2012 [1 favorite]

I don't know about the Overdrive app, but you can definitely do it via itunes, at least on OSX.

Just drag the mp3 file to the itunes library. Locate it, and go to "get info" by right clicking or going File->Get Info.

Once in there click on options. Change the media type to "Audiobook" and make sure that "remember playback position" and "skip when shuffling" are checked on.

Then drag the file to your itouch and everything should be hunky dory. I've done this with many mp3 files.
posted by bswinburn at 8:36 AM on January 24, 2012

Opps... misread the question. Nevermind. I have no clue.
posted by bswinburn at 8:40 AM on January 24, 2012

Yes, it should be possible. See this Overdrive help page for all the variations on why I'd need more info before I could ask around and tell you what the problem might be but you can at least take a look--select "Portable Devices" and "mp3" and it'll show you multiple generations of iPod touch. Select the correct generation and Overdrive will tell you which software you can use.

If that still doesn't work, your friend can have you Memail me and I can ask around. I know someone who works for a public library and she uses an iPod (not Touch) to do this all the time so she should know, though no guarantees.
posted by librarylis at 10:04 AM on January 24, 2012

Thanks everyone! She says that her library only downloads direct to device and doesn't have the option to try downloading it into itunes first.

Good news! She has now successfully downloaded two books from a different library.

librarylis -- I will share the Overdrive help page with her and now I'm interesting in checking out some audiobooks.
posted by vitabellosi at 12:26 PM on January 24, 2012