SuffolkWave Downloadable Audio Books

SuffolkWave provides 24/7 access to an online digital collection of audiobooks, e-books, videos and music. A cooperative project of the public libraries in Suffolk County, SuffolkWave offers best selling fiction, nonfiction, children’s books, music, movies and how-to videos. Browse hundreds of great titles to play on your computer, transfer to a portable device (your own, or one borrowed from the library), or burn to CD. Suffolk Wave is available 24/7 from the comfort of home or from anywhere by using your library card. Titles are automatically returned at the end of the lending period so there is never a late fee. (The player must be returned.)

Frequently Asked Questions

Will SuffolkWave titles play on my MP3 player?

The majority of SuffolkWave audiobook titles are in WMA format which supports digital copywrite protection also known as Digital Rights Management (DRM). In December 2008, we began adding books in the MP3 format, which does not use DRM. WMA audiobooks are about half the file size of MP3 Audiobooks but maintain the same level of audio quality. WMA Audiobooks are generally compatible with most portable listening devices, but will not play on Apple iPods®, because iPods® don't support DRM. However, MP3 audiobooks will play on virtually any portable listening device, including iPods®, cell phones, PDAs, and other MP3 players. If you wish to transfer audiobooks to an Apple device (iPod®, iPhone™, etc.) or other device that plays MP3 audio files but does not support DRM-protected WMA files, you must check out MP3 Audiobooks. A list of all compatible players can be found at Overdrive.com.

What if I don't own an MP3 Player?

If you do not have your own portable digital audio player, you can borrow one from the library (like the one pictured at right). There is no fee for borrowing the player, but you must provide your own headphones. If you do not own headphones, you may buy an inexpensive pair from the library. You can also listen to downloaded audio books on your computer through its speakers or using headphones.

What if I own an iPod®?

iPod® users may only download SuffolkWave audiobooks in MP3 format as explained above. iPod® owners may also click here for links to free audio books that can be downloaded and played on Apple iPods.

Can I burn SuffolkWave audio books to a CD?

Many SuffolkWave titles, but not all, may be copied (burned) to a CD-ROM, if you have a CD-Writer in your computer. Information on whether a title can be burned to a CD-Rom can be found under the heading "Digital Rights Information" in the catalog.

Do I need special software to use SuffolkWave?

The first time you use SuffolkWave, you will be required to download a small free software program -- the Overdrive Media Console -- to your computer. Versions of the Overdrive Media Console are available for both PC and Mac. Instructions for downloading are available at the SuffolkWave website, http://suffolkwave.org. PC owners must also have a recent version (Ver. 9 or higher) of the free Microsoft's Windows Media Player® installed on your computer. After downloading the Overdrive Media Console, most users will need to update their copy of Microsoft Media Player®. This can be done from within the Overdrive Media Console.

Macintosh users must have iTunes® v7.6.2.9 (or newer) and QuickTime® v7.4.5 (or newer) installed on your computer. Quicktime® is also required for PC users who wish to transfer files to an iPod®.

Do I have to use a particular computer to download audio books?

You may access SuffolkWave and download materials from any computer connected to the Internet, but you must have the rights to install the free media console on that computer. However, it is not possible to download materials from SuffolkWave onto the library's public access computers.

How many books can I check out at one time?

You may have a maximum of 5 titles checked out from the Digital Library.

How long may I keep a book out?

Downloaded titles are checked out for 7 days and are automatically returned to the library. You may renew the book by checking it out again, if it has not been reserved by another patron.

Is more help available?

If you need help with using SuffolkWave, a Guided Tour of SuffolkWave is available at the SuffolkWave site, or you can start the tour now by clicking here.

How do I get started?

To get started with SuffolkWave click on the logo below.

Click here for other sources of audiobooks.

This page was last updated on 12/17/08.