LibrariesWest provides a single shared eBook, eAudioBooks, eNewspapers, and eMagazines service provided by BorrowBox. You will need your library membership number & PIN/Password to log on to BorrowBox.

If you need a PIN/Password reminder, then click on 'Sign in' (top right of screen) and 'Forgot my PIN/Password'. Not yet a library member? No problem - just click here to register and you can use your new digital membership number to log on to BorrowBox and start checking out eResources straight away!

How does it work?

eBooks

• Free to use. Check out up to 10 eBooks and at a time.

• Borrow eBooks for 21 days – you can return them early or renew them (up to 2 times even if there is a waiting list for the title).

• Choose from around 14,000 titles - including fiction (for adults & children), biographies, popular science & history, health & wellbeing, cookery and much more.

If you are using a PC or laptop to transfer ebooks to a stand-alone e reader such as a Kobo you should find the following guidance helpful:

1. Once you have logged on and checked out an e book, click on the 'Download Now' option. When you get a pop up box asking whether you would like to Open, Run or Save, make sure that you select 'Open with' and choose Adobe Digital Editions. Adobe Digital Editions will then import the e book file and you can find it in the 'Borrowed' section on the left side.

2. If you don't already have Adobe Digital Editions on your PC or laptop you will need to install it. It is free software. If a message pops up on screen asking you to choose between the UK and the USA just ignore this by clicking on X in the top right corner of the pop up box.

3. On first launch of Adobe Digital Editions, click on Help>Authorize Computer. In the following screen choose 'Adobe ID' from the dropdown menu and enter your Adobe ID and password. If you don't have an Adobe ID please click on the 'Create an Adobe ID' link on the right hand side or visit the Adobe Login website and click on 'Get an Adobe ID'.

4. Once Adobe Digital Editions has been installed you will need to connect your e reader to your PC or laptop (following the on screen instructions once connected) to transfer the e book file across so you can read it.

Click here for guidance notes on how to use Voiceover (for Apple devices) & TalkBack (for Android devices) to listen to e-books.

eAudioBooks

• Free to use. Check out up to 10 eAudioBooks at a time.

• Borrow eAudioBooks for 14 days – you can return them early or renew them (up to 2 times even if there is a waiting list).

• Reserve an eAudioBook if it being borrowed by another customer (Note - a reservation counts as part of your loan entitlement)

• Choose from around 17,000 titles - fiction (adult and children), biographies, history, science, cookery, health and lifestyle, travel and much more.

1. You can either use a web browser to access the website or download the free BorrowBox app, currently available for Android and iOS devices. When setting up the app for the first time you will need to select your library authority (e.g. Bristol, Somerset).

2. Log on with your library membership number and PIN/Password

3. Start browsing and check out titles straight away!

eNewspaper

• Unlimited access for all library members. Checkout editions for 50 days and renew them if you need longer.

• Access the full text of around 90 UK national, regional and local titles on the day of publication.

• National titles include – Daily Express, Daily Mail, Daily Mirror, I Newspaper, Metro, The Guardian, The Independent, The Observer, The Spectator & The Jewish Chronicle.

• Regional & local titles include – Bath Chronicle, Bristol Post, Central Somerset Gazette, Frome Standard, Somerset Guardian, Wells Journal, Western Daily Press, Western Gazette.

• Newspapers can be downloaded and read offline or streamed via a tablet, smart phone (app available for iOS, Android & Kindle Fire) or web browser.

• Titles are always available on the day of publication, including supplements, and are in full text (including adverts and illustrations) as they appear in print editions.

• The previous 6 editions are available for most titles.

• Choose to subscribe to your favourite title(s) and receive automatic delivery of new issues to your Loans Shelf.

• Content can be synchronised across up to 6 devices, enabling you to pick up where you left off on another device!

• Accessibility features include - font resizing, ability to zoom in a variety of ways, change background theme colours to enhance text visibility (e.g. sepia & night modes), change margin size, word spacing & page orientation, adding bookmarks, integrated dictionary & word search functions.

• The BorrowBox app is fully compatible with the Voice Control/TalkBack features in Apple and Android devices, which means that when Voice Control is turned on via the device settings you can command BorrowBox with speech rather than touch.

Some LibrariesWest authorities also offer a range of other digital newspaper resources which can be accessed from the links below.

Digital facilities and resources | Bath and North East Somerset Council (bathnes.gov.uk)

Information and reference | BCP (bcpcouncil.gov.uk)

Online newspapers and magazines (bristol.gov.uk)

E-newspapers - Dorset Council

If you or someone you know has a visual impairment you may find it helpful to sign up for the free newspaper subscription service provided by the RNIB.

eMagazines

• Choose from around 1100 titles across a wide range of genres including computers & technology, crafts, current affairs, entertainment, food & cooking, lifestyle, science & nature, sports and home & garden.

• Titles include Amateur Gardening, BBC Easy Cook, BBC Science Focus, BBC Wildlife, Best, Bike, Coast, ComputerActive, Country Living, Cycling Weekly UK, Delicious Magazine, Digital Photographer, Elle, Empire, Good Housekeeping, Hello!, How It Works, Ideal Home UK, Marie Claire, Men’s Health, MoneyWeek, National Geographic Traveller, New Scientist, OK!, Olive Magazine, Radio Times, SFX UK, Simply Knitting, The Spectator, Vegan Food & Living, What Car?, Woman’s Weekly UK, Women’s Health, and hundreds more to choose from – log on to BorrowBox and take a look! .

• Checkout up to 50 editions of any title and keep them for 50 days. You can renew them at the end of the 50 days if you need longer. The 50 limit also includes eNewspapers.  

• Choose to subscribe to your favourite title(s) and receive automatic delivery of new issues to your Loans Shelf.

• Titles are always available to checkout so you won't ever need to reserve them.

• eMagazines can be downloaded and read offline or streamed via a tablet, smart phone (app available for iOS, Android & Kindle Fire) or web browser.

• All titles are unabridged, interactive and in full colour.

• Available at the same time as they appear on newsagent shelves.

• Each title comes with back issues to explore.

• Content can be synchronised across up to 6 devices, enabling you to pick up where you left off on another device!

• Accessibility features include - font resizing, ability to zoom in a variety of ways, change background theme colours to enhance text visibility (e.g. sepia & night modes), change margin size, word spacing & page orientation, adding bookmarks, integrated dictionary & word search functions.

• The BorrowBox app is fully compatible with the Voice Control/TalkBack features in Apple and Android devices, which means that when Voice Control is turned on via the device settings you can command BorrowBox with speech rather than touch.

Download the free BorrowBox app to your tablet or smartphone - compatible with android and iOS devices, or use the website if you are using a PC or laptop.

No late fees - eBooks and eAudioBooks expire automatically at the end of the loan period unless you have returned them early.

How to start borrowing - it's easy!

For help or support, please try the Help section at the top of each BorrowBox site (you will need to log on) or send an email

If you have any suggestions for e-audiobooks you would like to see in the collection please email us.

Disclaimer

Access to digital content is provided by a third party supplier who delivers access to the platform and content through their own systems. Please be aware that the supplier will be the data controller for the information it collects. The supplier has their own terms and conditions which you will need to read before choosing to use their service.The Library Service is not responsible for third party content, and the information you share with the third party supplier.

Thousands of free eBooks and audiobooks in Ukrainian

In order to provide Ukrainian speakers with a range of free reading, listening, learning and entertainment opportunities, multimedia content provider Odilo launched a free app for both Android app and iOS app in April 2022. Available across Europe, the app includes 3000 e-books and audiobooks in a variety of genres, including 1,700 Ukrainian titles and 500 in English. There is material for both children and adults. We hope that everyone – from social workers to host families – will draw the attention of the refugees to this app. To offer them the support, pleasure or comfort of reading, learning and listening in these difficult and uncertain times.

A web version of Odilo is also available. Instructions on how to use Odilo can be found here.