My home country’s library card expired and I no longer have “proof of residency” to renew. I’ve also “emptied out” the entire nonfiction Audiobook section of the Taipei Public Library.
I’m looking to join one of the libraries in this attached article or one that you may suggest. Has anyone had experience buying access or getting free access as a non resident to a foreign library?
How did you pay?
https://blog.the-ebook-reader.com/2011/09/22/library-ebooks-for-non-residents-where-to-get-ebooks-if-your-library-is-lacking/
There was a decent library in the American Culture Center behind the old us embassy in Nanhai. Is that still a thing?
The swarm is the best library. No card required.
Or join Kindle unlimited.
The Swarm? Is it legal. I prefer Audiobooks. The cost per year for “Unlimited” would be several times the cost of any of the libraries mentioned in the article.
Edit: I did a quick search about the swarm and I don’t see any references to “book libraries”. I seem to only get references to programing libraries and nodes. Links please.
Maybe legal free libraries like Gutenberg and others have audiobooks?
I’ve looked at joining some of the USA libraries. Seems they either/and want a phone number and/or monthly fee.
Some libraries also suggest “Libby”.
The best thing to do is to get a card from one of the libraries in the link above where you pay to use their services since you’re not a resident and don’t pay local taxes. It supports the library to fulfill their function and make sure all the kids learn to read.
So, here is what some people (let’s not say bad people) do. Search for every county library system that uses Libby or RBdigital. Find out which ones have some sort of e-card, which is most of them, and which allow you to sign up online. Some of them only require you to use a made-up local address and an email address. Many libraries use both Libby and RBdigital. From what I’ve seen, they use Libby more for audiobooks and RBdigital more for magazines. Both and others are used for text, and some libraries let you check out texts with Kindle.
So, basically, you create a fake identity of someone living in the county and abuse the system of libraries that aren’t big on verification.
Looks like Toronto library has lots of books. But probably only accessible by residents.
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What are their non citizen / non-resident fees. Can I use a credit card?
Try hoopla. I think they might have access to Taipei public library. They have a lot of good stuff there you don’t see on Libby or overdrive. Only 6 checkouts a month though
What do you mean “good stuff there you don’t see on Libby or overdrive”? Taipei public library has what it has.
I’m not sure how hoopla works but often the books where I’m at currently show up different in Libby, overdrive, and hoopla. I’m guessing it has something to do with digital rights?
Unfortunately when I was in taiwan I never used the public library there because I didn’t know Chinese at all and was too nervous to try.
When I head back I’m definitely going to get a card though
Ok. So what is hoopla? Website, app, ???
It’s an app
What do you mean? I already have membership to the Taipei of Public Library even though I live in the south.
I’ve exhausted their overdrive audiobook nonfiction collection already. Is there another collection with hoopla?
Politics, history and food are the subjects that I like.
I was thinking of joining a foreign Public Library that will take my money (credit card) and offer a fair price collection .
I don’t like the volunteer reader’s voices. Plus I’m just too picky. I like newer stuff under copyright protection
I recommend subscribing to Scribd for $9usd/month. They have quite a lot of books and audiobooks.
There are libraries all over the world where “All you need is a library card”.
Getting the card is the problem.
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