Wisconsin's Digital Library FAQ

Wisconsin's Digital Library was established in 2001 and is a shared, statewide collection of ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, and streaming video available for free to all Wisconsin public library card holders.  Currently, Wisconsin's Digital Library is the collection of digital materials powered by OverDrive.

Support FAQ

Do you need help using OverDrive and the Libby App in Wisconsin's Digital Library?  Here are some common questions and their answers for using theLibby App and OverDrive interface, both on desktop and mobile devices.  Also, you can consult OverDrive's very thorough Help articles.  If you aren't able to answer your question here, contact your local library for help!

I'm brand new to Wisconsin's Digital Library in OverDrive.  How do I get started?

Welcome to the library!  This guide will help you get borrowing in no time.

Why can't I log in? / Why does it say library card is invalid? / Why does it say there is something wrong with my card?

There are a few reasons that your library card may not be working to log into Wisconsin's Digital Library.  It could have expired, or a block has been placed on it for overdue books or fines for late physical items.  Contact your library and they will get it all worked out for you.

I have a new library card. How do I move my holds/checkouts? 

Contact your library!  They will be able to move your checkouts, holds, and lists from your old card to your new card.

How do I change my email address for hold notifications?

Follow these simple instructions

Can I renew? 

That depends on how many other people want your book.  Read about when and how to renew your digital titles.

How do I return my book early?

Thank you for asking this question!  We strongly encourage patrons to return their ebooks or audiobooks when they are done reading, but the process changes for each format and device.  Read more about how to return your ebook or audiobook before the end of the lending period.

How do I find books that are available and don't have holds on them? 

Search for titles that are "Available Now."  Here is more information on how to do that.

Why am I getting an error about a fulfillment limit?

There is a limit to how many times you can try to download titles from Wisconsin's Digital Library, and you've just hit it.  Contact your library to have the limit reset.

Why am I getting an error message on Amazon, or a button that asks me to buy the book, when I try to get my Kindle title?

This happens sometimes when links change on Amazon.  Contact your library and report the error to them for a resolution.

How do I recommend a title to the library that isn't in the collection?

You can recommend a title for the library to purchase by searching the collection using the "Additional Titles to Recommend" filter.  In the Advanced Search, this is a checkbox near the bottom of the page.  Alternately, from the search results page, you can select "Additional Titles to Recommend" to see titles available to the library but not in the current collection.  Once you find the title you are looking for, click the "Recommend" button and enter your email address if you wish to receive notification if the title is purchased and/or be placed on the waiting list.

Policy FAQ

How is Wisconsin's Digital Library managed?

Wisconsin's Digital Library is a project of the Wisconsin Public Library Consortium (WPLC), a statewide consortia of public library systems and their member libraries.  Direction for the library is provided by the WPLC Board and the Digital Library Steering Committee.  The content for the library is chosen by the Selection Committee, and content and format decisions are informed by the Collection Development Committee.

Why can I only have 10 books checked out?

The checkout (and hold) limits are in place to minimize holds, in number and duration. If everyone could checkout 20 books or have 20 holds, that would essentially double the wait time for titles, which is an issue the WPLC has battled given the library’s popularity in the state.

Why can I only have 10 books on hold?

The hold (and checkout) limits are in place to minimize holds, in number and duration. If everyone could checkout 20 books or have 20 holds, that would essentially double the wait time for titles, which is an issue the WPLC has battled given the library’s popularity in the state. 

Why can some titles only be checked out for 14 days, instead of 21?

In order to reduce the holds and wait time for high-demand titles, there is a cap on the maximum amount of days those titles can be checked out. This helps the books circulate more quickly and fulfill holds more efficiently with the number of copies the library has. 

Why am I only allowed to recommend three titles a month?

The WPLC Selection Committee has a limited budget with which to purchase the many tens of thousands of dollars worth of ebooks and audiobooks recommended by patrons every month. In order to get the widest array of suggestions, there is a limit to the number that can be recommended every 30 days.  When a title both meets all the selection criteria established by the Selection Committee, and is recommended by more than one patron, the title is purchased.  

Why are there so many books in [insert genre here]?

The collection of Wisconsin’s Digital Library is meant to be popular, and full of high-circulating materials. The development of the collection is determined by what titles and genres are popular with its users – specifically in bestselling fiction and nonfiction, mystery, and romance, to name a few.  Please see the full Collection Development Policy for details.