eBooks and eAudiobooks

The search option in the app looks for matches to any words and part words.

Tap the search icon at the bottom of the app to do a quick search for Title, Author, Series, Narrator etc.

• enter your search text and tap the Search button.
• use the slider to view results for either eAudiobooks or eBooks
• tap ‘available’ to restrict the search to titles that are currently available for loan.

Browse by author

To find other books by the same author, open the record for one of their titles, and scroll down the screen to view additional eBook and eAudiobook titles.

Browse by featured titles, category or genre

There are several ways to filter results when browsing the BorrowBox app.

To view titles by topic, go to the bottom of the app and select either eBook or eAudiobook.

At the top of the screen select ‘All’ or a specific age group, then select from

• Featured
• Categories
• Genres or
• All Releases
  
   

Featured

The first Featured listings on an Android device, and the second on an Apple device is the 'Borrow Now' (eBook) and 'Listen Now' (eAudiobook) titles. These are a selection of titles that can be borrowed by multiple BorrowBox users at the same time.

New titles are added every month, and each title is available to borrow for up to two months, or until 500 copies are borrowed, whichever is the earliest. 

 

Categories

Scroll down through the Categories to find one that interests you:

• either scroll right to find titles of interest,
• or select the numbered arrow (top right of each list) to open the detailed list
• each detailed list can be filtered to show only titles available for loan. 
  
   

Genres

There is a wide variety of genres, some of which include several subsections.

If you are not sure which genre to select, view a previously borrowed title or a new title that you are interested in.

• scroll down to view the Genres listed against this title; or

• scroll to the bottom of the screen to see other eBooks and eAudiobooks on similar topics

Finding eBooks in other languages

Select Genre, scroll down to language, then select the language you want from the list.

Android phone/tablet – if your Android device runs Android 8.0 or above, download the app from the Playstore.

Apple iPhone/iPad/Apple watch - if your Apple device runs iOS 15.0 or above (or watchOS 8.0 or above for Apple Watch), download the BorrowBox app from the Appstore.

Fire tablet – if your Fire tablet runs Amazon OS version 5 or above, download the “BorrowBox library app” from the Amazon website

Computers/laptops/tablets/smart phones - use the BorrowBox website to:

• Read eBooks online, or download to an eReader
• Download eAudiobooks to listen offline or transfer to an MP3 player, USB stick (for a USB audio player) or Yoto card, etc.
  
  Make sure that all downloaded eAudiobook files are deleted from your computer and portable media device when your loan period expires or after you return an eAudiobook. This is a requirement of the BorrowBox licence agreed to when you first sign up to use BorrowBox.

eReaders compatible with BorrowBox

You can transfer eBooks, eMagazines and eNewspapers to compatible eReaders by using Adobe Digital Editions.

More information on this process is available via  BorrowBox Help (you need to sign in to the website to access this page). If you need additional support, please check support provided for your make and model of eReader via the maker’s website, ask library staff, or book to see a Computer Buddy.

eReaders not compatible with BorrowBox

Kindle eReaders, including Kindle Paperwhite and Oasis, cannot be used with BorrowBox eBooks as they don’t support ePub format.

Older versions of other eBook readers may also not support the use of ePub format and/or Adobe Digital Editions. Please check the sites/contacts listed above.

You can borrow or reserve up to 10 eBooks and 10 eAudiobooks, e.g. if you have 3 eBooks on loan, you can reserve up to 7 eBooks, or borrow 2 eAudiobooks and reserve 8, etc.

Loan periods are 7 days for eAudiobooks (this change is due in April 2026), 14 days for eMagazines and eNewspapers, and 21 days for eBooks. eAudiobooks can be renewed up to 3 times  (this change is due in April 2026), and eBooks twice, even if there is a waiting list (unless the title is no longer available).

If you’ve reached your maximum number of loans and reservations, or you find a title you may want to borrow later on, you can add this to your reading list:

Using a smartphone or tablet

• Press on the image of the book cover or tap the 3 dots (top right-hand corner of the screen)
• Select 'Add to Reading List’.

Using a computer

• Select ‘+My List’.

When you're looking for your next read, you can filter your Reading list by selecting the “Available” button to see the list of titles that are currently available to borrow.

There are several reasons why particular publications may not be available:

• Publishers often have delayed release dates for digital editions
• Some books are only available as either an eBook or an eAudiobook, but not both formats
• Exclusive rights may have been agreed with another supplier such as Audible
• Some authors/titles may not be available in digital format

Requests for eBook or eAudiobook titles can be made via the Stock Suggestion form on the Gloucestershire Libraries website.

Please note that not all authors/titles are available in eBook or eAudiobook format, or there may be a delay to them being available in this format.

You can listen to content of eBooks whilst following the text whilst you listen, by using accessibility settings on your smart device (speak selection/speak screen options), or the free Reading Mode app (Android devices).

For anyone with low or no sight, the app can be navigated using Talkback (Android devices) or VoiceOver (Apple devices), or the website navigated using a screen reader such as JAWS or NVDA.

If you're having problems with the BorrowBox app, please check the following before raising a technical query with BorrowBox:

• Check if a newer version of the app is available
• If you've recently changed your library PIN, please check if you're using the correct PIN by signing into your library account via the library catalogue or the Spydus Library app
• If you've recently change your Gloucestershire Libraries membership number, please email Bolinda support (see email address below) with your current and previous membership number, so they can merge the accounts 

App users: Please raise any technical problems via the Send Feedback option in the app. This option is available via the Settings button at the top of the app's Home screen.

Web users: Please raise any technical problems by sending an email to [email protected] and clarifying in your email that you are a Gloucestershire Libraries customer.