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All the Apps a Reader NEEDS


Today I bring you the 5 apps that every reader needs! Are you super attached to your paperbacks? Do you love books, but feel like you're spending too much money on your favorite reads? Did you know that you can check out ebooks and audiobooks for FREE from your library and have them available on your eReader AND phone?! Do you wish someone knew your taste in books well enough to give you AWESOME recommendations?

What you need to begin: a smart phone, an eReader/ tablet (my favorite is the Kindle), and a library card! Seriously, if you don't have a library card, you need to stop reading right now and GO GET ONE!!!



The Kindle App

 Whether or not you have a Kindle, you should be able to download the Kindle app. It stores all of your ebooks. It allows you to change the reading settings, size of font, color of font, etc. My favorite part, though, is that I can read an eBook on my Kindle, and then later if I pick up my phone and open my Kindle App, it goes to the exact page that I left off on when I stopped reading on my Kindle, and vice versa! How cool is that?!


The Overdrive App

 This is usually the app that your library will use to check out eBooks to you. Download the app, then search for your library. If your library is there, select it, and then it will prompt you to sign in with your library card number and pin. You should already have a pin set up with your library card, if not, call or go in to your local library and they will take care of it for you. Then, once you log in, all of the available eBooks and audiobooks will come up. You can search by category, title, author, just like a normal library catalog. If it is available, you will be able to borrow it for 2-3 weeks depending on your library. If it's unavailable, you can put yourself on the waitlist. You can either download it straight to your Kindle, or, if you don't have a Kindle, you can read it through the Overdrive App.


The Libby App

 This app is connected to the Overdrive App, but is specifically for your phone. I like that it is so user friendly. You can still check out books and send them straight to your Kindle/Kindle App. I will say, there have been times when I couldn't find a particular book on the Libby app, but then later find it on the Overdrive App. I'm not sure if it's a glitch or user error, but either way, it is a must for your smart phone.

The Hoopla App

This is very similar to the Overdrive App! The only difference is the books do not download straight to your Kindle, so you will read the books in the app. Also, there are audiobooks available here as well as MOVIES! (Whaaaat?!) Again, it depends on if your library uses these particular apps or not.


The Goodreads App

 This app is SO fun! So, this is an app that you can use to track your reading. At the beginning of the year, you can set a challenge for yourself and decide how many books you want to try and read for the year. Then, you mark books that you are currently reading, books that you have read, and books that you want to read. As the app keeps track of books that you've read and rated (you can rate and review books as well), it will come up with custom book recommendations for you. This has brought me a lot of awesome recommendations of books that I hadn't heard of before. You can also find your friends and connect with them, so you can see what they are reading and recommending as well.










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