OverDrive Basic Access FAQs

I want a book now, but I don’t have a library card. Can I apply online?

At this time, there is not a way to get a library card that works for electronic resources online from all of the libraries in the Capital Area Library District. Here’s some information:

For Cumberland County: You can apply for a temporary card online: Get a card from Cumberland County Library System online but this card is a temporary card that will not work immediately with ebooks, you must first visit a library location in-person with documents to verify your address and identity. When you apply for a card in person, the library will issue you a card that works with ebooks right away.

For Dauphin County residents you should choose your library:
Dauphin County Library System: Patrons who live in the district service area can apply online or in person for a card. If you apply online, a card will be mailed to you. Applying in person gets access and a PIN number right away.
Hershey: Apply in person for a card Only residents who live in the service area of Derry township and/or have a Hershey Public Library branded card can access ebooks. If you use Hershey through Access PA Statewide Library Card program, ebooks are not available. Apply for a card at your “home” service area library for access or purchase a card with a Hershey branded logo.
Middletown: Visit the library to get a card

For Perry County: Visit the library to get a card.

How do I access my account in the system?
To use the audiobooks service, visit this website and click on My Account: http://capitalarealibrary.lib.overdrive.com/

Users with a card issued by the Dauphin County Library System will need the barcode on the library card issued from your local public library and a PIN number. If you are unsure of your PIN number, please contact your local library.

Users of Hershey Public Library or Middletown Public Library just need a barcode issued by your local public library.

Users in Cumberland County will only need the barcode on your library card issued from your local library.

Users in Perry County will need a valid library card updated since October 2011.

Who pays for this service?

The downloadable digital media platform service and most audio items in the collection are funded by district library center funding. The dollars come from a state funding appropriation that encourages efficient library cooperation. District library center funding provides a resource for libraries to acquire services beyond the basics through a yearly negotiated cooperative agreement to benefit residents of the three county library cooperative district.

Your local public library is a part of a larger network of libraries throughout the state. Learn about the other services and resources that your local library receives funded through this state appropriation here: http://capitalarealibrarydistrict.org

The ebook collection is currently purchased with Dauphin County Library System funds, but in the future other libraries in the district will also contribute.

Libraries in Cumberland, Dauphin, and Perry County are working together to meet library needs throughout the area with the support of the Capital Area Library District.

Why did you choose this service?

The decision to use the Overdrive service as our platform for digital media was made by a collective group of library leaders from Dauphin, Cumberland, and Perry County.

Overdrive is a library partner. They offer libraries the option to select and purchase individual titles in multiple formats from a wider variety of publishers. It provides an up to date and constantly evolving platform for downloads and transfers that works with the widest variety of devices and computer operating systems. Overdrive also offers customer support.

Customer demand led to our choice to focus the collection on bestselling titles and popular fiction and nonfiction. Because this collection is a new service, it does not have the breadth of the collections of books and audiobook CDs you will find at your local library. Please check your local library’s catalog to search for a more diverse collection of audiobook titles in traditional format.

At this time, we are aware that many of the titles in the collection are constantly in use. We understand the hardship it can be to have to wait for a title to become available, but like other popular library bestsellers, demand is greater than available resources through this funding stream can afford. Please be patient. Your local library works hard to use public resources wisely to provide the best possible service within funding constraints.