• OverDrive

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Overview

OverDrive has a rating of 4 stars from 14 reviews, indicating that most customers are generally satisfied with their purchases. OverDrive ranks 39th among Ebook sites.

  • Service
    2
  • Value
    2
  • Quality
    2
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How would you rate OverDrive?
Top Positive Review

“Sophia's reveiw”

Sophia D.
3/10/20

I love this app. It is easy to use and great when you can listen to books anywhere if you download the book first when you are in wifi. I don't have data and I can still use the app. The is that some books you want to read are not on there. But over all I rate this app a four out of five star rating.

Top Critical Review

“School Librarian Says Don't waste Your Money”

Michel L.
12/17/20

We purchased SORA by Overdrive, to use with our kids. I regret that decision for several reasons" (1) customer service was poor and timely; (2) lack of data about individual patron use on the app. There program allows kids to see how many minutes they are engaged but all the school can see is which books were checkout by each individual patrons. Therefore, you cannot use it for incentives unless you teach a population that reads several books per school year. In the 21st century when software has the ability to gather data, this software program is behind the times. It may be okay for public libraries but school librarians should look for another vendor that can offer better data of individual usage/engagement. I never could understand if they provided it on the individual patron app why the software could not log that same information inside the program to see individual student progress and engagement. Librarians have to have data to support costs of providing e-solutions. If the software cannot provide you more detailed patron information, I would suggest going with another vendor for school libraries.

Reviews (14)

Rating

Timeframe

Other

Thumbnail of user mels132
3 reviews
10 helpful votes
March 26th, 2018

Overdrive connects to any libraries. You can connect to your library to get loans of ebooks, audio books, and even movies. You can download the ebooks and audio books or read online, or listen online, or both, if you wish. The selection is best if you get a card at a larger city library. Library cards are often available online or by using your phone number. Get OverDrive and find more to read than you have time left in your life to read. Best of all? IT'S FREE! Also: No adds and no weirdness or risks.

Thumbnail of user sophiad179
1 review
1 helpful vote
March 10th, 2020

I love this app. It is easy to use and great when you can listen to books anywhere if you download the book first when you are in wifi. I don't have data and I can still use the app. The is that some books you want to read are not on there. But over all I rate this app a four out of five star rating.

Thumbnail of user natashal62
3 reviews
15 helpful votes
December 29th, 2019

I used this online lending service before I moved four hours away from my hometown. I found it a very useful way to read books that my local library branch did not have physical copies of. Sometimes, the wait for a book was a few weeks. At other times, it was days. I do wish they had a larger selection of books by indie writers.

Thumbnail of user avidr7
1 review
2 helpful votes
April 2nd, 2020

OverDrive is excellent. Why? Because it increases the availability of free stuff.
If you have a valid library card, there are free books, magazines and videos out there for the borrowing. Think of borrowing like renting... For FREE! Many libraries which lend books and allow you to browse magazines make it possible to borrow a digital and/or audio version through OverDrive.
However, your library must have these versions of your favorite books, audiobooks, magazines or videos available.
You may borrow from wherever you are. If you are vacationing in Oregon and left your neighborhood library back home in Tampa, FL., no worries. Simply login with your credentials and borrow a digital resource from Tampa and read it in Oregon.
Further, it is impossible to be charged late fees. The same invisible hand that placed your borrowed material on your Overdrive bookshelf, quietly removes it on the due date while you're sleeping!
You can expand your OverDrive universe of borrowing privileges by belonging to more than one library. Many libraries throughout the country enable a would-be borrower to apply for a non-resident library card. Some charge a fee while others do not. My residency in New York allowed me to apply for noncity resident cards New York Public Library, Brooklyn Public Library and Queens Public Library without a fee.
It takes some research but is well worth the effort. However, before applying and paying for any non-resident library card, make certain the library has enough OverDrive items available to justify the cost. For instance, I paid an annual fee of $27.00 for access to the Fairfax County Library system in Virginia. It remains a viable expense because Fairfax County has a great deal of material available on OverDrive.
Essentially, OverDrive makes your library accessible to you wherever you are with an internet connection.

Thumbnail of user gc140
6 reviews
19 helpful votes
January 9th, 2019

Easy to use software. Offerings are a function of the member library but are reasonable but not generous. Nevertheless, compared to the competetion it is a favorite

Thumbnail of user kyeral
4 reviews
7 helpful votes
November 3rd, 2018

Okay for a free app. Does what it is supposed to. Used to be a bit more tricky to download, new app is good for playing.

Thumbnail of user michell73
1 review
1 helpful vote
December 17th, 2020

We purchased SORA by Overdrive, to use with our kids. I regret that decision for several reasons" (1) customer service was poor and timely; (2) lack of data about individual patron use on the app. There program allows kids to see how many minutes they are engaged but all the school can see is which books were checkout by each individual patrons. Therefore, you cannot use it for incentives unless you teach a population that reads several books per school year. In the 21st century when software has the ability to gather data, this software program is behind the times. It may be okay for public libraries but school librarians should look for another vendor that can offer better data of individual usage/engagement. I never could understand if they provided it on the individual patron app why the software could not log that same information inside the program to see individual student progress and engagement. Librarians have to have data to support costs of providing e-solutions. If the software cannot provide you more detailed patron information, I would suggest going with another vendor for school libraries.

Products used:
Sora by Overdrive, the K-12 version of Overdrive.

Service
Value
Quality
Thumbnail of user barbaram431
2 reviews
4 helpful votes
June 4th, 2018

Use overdrive consistently for library borrowed audiobooks. User friendly, and best part its free to use!

Thumbnail of user ronw82
27 reviews
40 helpful votes
April 19th, 2018

OverDrive works with local libraries throughout the United States to deliver loaned e-books right to your device of choice for FREE! One can loan most e-books for a duration of two weeks. OverDrive even lets one download the loaned e-book through Amazon Kindle for reading!

Thumbnail of user kh449
1 review
0 helpful votes
May 24th, 2022

Whole audiobook is in Spanish. English is my native language. App never remembers my selection, and I have to reenter the from and to language every time I submit a translation request.

Thumbnail of user camdenb1
3 reviews
24 helpful votes
January 8th, 2016

Overdrive is a great service where you can check out ebooks and eaudiobooks for free and transfer them to mp3 players, ereaders, tablets, phones, your computer, and many more. I am so happy with Overdrive's app and selection. Last year alone, I have saved hundreds of dollars in audiobooks, ebooks, and books in general. I can't wait to see how much I save this year! Thanks, Overdrive!

Service
Value
Quality
Thumbnail of user marks423
4 reviews
0 helpful votes
December 1st, 2016

A resource I found accidentally tbh. Now it is a good database of samples for me, just to know whether I want to buy a book or search for anything else.

Thumbnail of user jaredb56
3 reviews
4 helpful votes
May 29th, 2018

Perhaps it depends if your local library is a member, but this is a great service. I love it and it and save money every month instead of spending it on subscription services.

1 rating was submitted through the Sitejabber Browser Extension or converted from reviews due to lack of content.

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