Is it possible to continue listening to Overdrive library audio books once they've "expired"?

[Cornelia]

John wrote: "MP3 files don't have DRM encoded. The expiration comes from additional files Overdrive includes in the transfer."

Thanks. Can those files be identified so I can start looking into what might be done respecting them?

[Havalah]

Here's what I just figured out. I transferred the book to Itunes. Then I selected the audio file I wanted to keep and then I went to file > Convert > convert aac version. I then returned my book and the aac version still played on my computer. So I think that's a way around keeping it a little longer.

[Cornelia]

Are you on a Mac? If so maybe it's newer than mine because I can't get any of my latest Overdrive files into iTunes either directly or through another route.

[Ivy]

my internet is sketchy at best so I found using downloadhelper from Firefox is a way to download the mp3 files then I can play the audiobook without it stopping and starting. I play the book in the browser then download.

[Cornelia]

Thanks, I've been wondering if there was a way to do that. Will have to try, maybe with a short book first!

[Andy]

I either download through the Windows client, go into the folder where the MP3's are, then copy them manually to my phone Audiobook folder. I play them with my app of choice in Android (Listen or Smart). Then I'm completely outside of Overdrive's time limits. I delete when I'm done to clear space.

Or, I download with the Android Overdrive client, go into the data folder on Android that has the books, and copy them from there into my Audiobook folder (again playing with my player of choice, not Overdrive). Then I return within Overdrive. Delete when done.

This 1) lets me navigate the often long hold times from Overdrive to accumulate series and listen on my own pace, not on the pace of the hold queues.
2) lets me use more fully featured apps to play them back. Not as big a deal as it once was, as Overdrive and Libby are improved, but I still like Listen and Smart as players better (features like auto-sleep if no motion is detected are great and not in Overdrive).

I don't share files with others, I delete books when done, etc. I just consume with my app of choice more when I want to listen.

Also note, if you download with the Libby app on Android, I haven't found where the files go. On Overdrive, it's easy to find them.

[Cornelia]

Some workarounds worked on a Mac before Overdrive or Macintosh or both upgraded. I am about due for some new Macs so will see if any workarounds are possible with the updated system. I would appreciate input from any Mac users, thanks.

[Peggy]

I would also like to hear what other Mac and iPhone users do. Once the files are in Overdrive on my phone I don't know how I can copy those files. (Does that make sense?)

[Cornelia]

Several times I have been told that such files on the phone don't expire but can't be transferred to any other devices. This applies to OneClick Digital as well as Overdrive.

[Rick B]

I have a Macbook Air. When when I check out an audiobook from my local library, it goes to my downloads. When I click on the downloaded file it automatically goes to my Overdrive app. Since I have an Android phone, my Mac doesn't recognize it as anything. So, I hook up my iPod and then click the "transfer" button in the Overdrive window. When I'm finished listening to a book, I delete it.

[Cornelia]

If I had a device for nothing but listening I would put all audio files onto it, but the iPod I had was so perfectly horrible I sold it and I am using my own phone to listen to audiobooks so can only keep so much on at a time.

[JZ]

Ah, Andy, that must be why they're trying to get us to switch over to the Libby app instead of Overdrive. One of my librarians told me that Overdrive wasn't supported on iOS devices anymore, and I'm guessing they're working on phasing out Overdrive on computers, too, because of the ability to 'steal' books in our own time frame. I, too, read lots of books in series, mostly mysteries, and particularly with popular authors like Louise Penny, it would take me years to get through them with the long wait lists.
I use a Macbook Air, and an external hard drive to store the mp3 files until I can get to them. That way, they can't ever be deleted from the cloud or whatever they've devised to tempt us away from ownership of our media.

[JZ]

Cornelia, what is it you need help with, specifically. I have been at it for a while, using a MacBook Air, Overdrive, and I found out that once you download a book to a computer, but NOT an iOS device, that you can return the book to the library, but the book stays on your computer, fine and dandy, until the 3 weeks are up, or forever if you transfer them to another folder, on or off your computer or external hard drive. I return books as soon as they're downloaded, to help keep those good audiobooks in circulation.
That was my discovery of the year in 2018. Not bad, eh?

[JZ]

Peggy, if you transfer the books to a computer, you can keep them. They're inaccessible from a phone, I believe.
I find it easier to download to the computer, and transfer to the phone, if I want to listen that way.

[Cornelia]

JZ wrote: "Cornelia, what is it you need help with, specifically. I have been at it for a while, using a MacBook Air, Overdrive, and I found out that once you download a book to a computer, but NOT an iOS dev..."

That's basically what I did until Overdrive changed something so their books can be opened only in Overdrive and, once they've expired, can't be opened. iTunes used to work for this on a Mac but does not now. If anyone finds anything which does, I would be interested, thanks.

[JZ]

Cornelia, what operating system are you using? Have you gone to your "My Media" folder and found the files?

I'm using High Sierra, and it's fine. Did you upgrade past that?

[Cornelia]

JZ wrote: "Cornelia, what operating system are you using? Have you gone to your "My Media" folder and found the files?

I'm using High Sierra, and it's fine. Did you upgrade past that?"

Have not tried again since upgrading to High Sierra. Maybe it would work now.

[Cornelia]

It's a Christmas miracle! For awhile there, no power on heaven or earth could get an Overdrive file into iTunes. Either an update in iTunes or in Overdrive now makes it just as simple as it was years ago back in the good old days!

[Cornelia]

Recently I imported an Overdrive audiobook into iTunes perfectly easily with no problem, but when I tried various ways with another book downloaded the exact same way, it didn't work. Perhaps some titles have these extra codes and some don't.

I just noticed the book which worked had only the book title and then .odm. The book which did not work had the book title, a number, and then .odm, but that might indicate that the second one is available in more than one version and the first is not, nothing to do with secret codes.

[Cornelia]

Still absolutely unable to transfer Overdrive audiobooks to the computer through iTunes or by any other means. The ONLY thing which worked was downloading the Libby app onto an iPhone where the book of course expires in 14 days.

[John, Moderator]

As of September 4, 2019 Overdrive audiobooks cannot be downloaded to Macs, only stream-able.

[Cornelia]

:(

[Jim]

I skimmed through this topic & didn't see the easy answer to the topic question. I'm not recommending it, but I know how difficult reading a series in order can be without a little creative borrowing. Remember that authors aren't paid nearly enough & they do get some money each time you borrow a book.

When you download the mp3 version of a book on Overdrive there is a file ending with .wax in the folder. It is the licensing file. If you copy the book folder to another location on the computer & only delete the .wax file out of that copy your Overdrive app can still keep up with & return books on time or as you desire, but when you copy your new copy to your phone, it will work fine.

Overdrive will only look in its home directory (MyDocs\mymedia\mp3 Audiobooks by default) for the books. Only delete files from the copy you make. Your computer won't delete files you copied, but you can't copy them to your phone unless you delete the .wax file. If you try, it will start & then fail.

Apple users can & probably should use an app other than iTunes for audiobooks. My boss & another friend at work read a lot of audiobooks & they download the MP3 books to their PC, then put them in Dropbox. They use an audiobook app on their iPhone that gets the files from Dropbox. It's a little more convoluted, but works fine for them. Both are Apple fanboys, but found iTunes wasn't great with MP3 audiobooks. I don't know the name of the app, but I'll get & post it when I do know.

[Jim]

The iPhone app they use for audiobooks is called "Bound". It's $3.99. You can find it here:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bound-c...

[Cornelia]

Wow, that's genius! Wonder if it would work on a Mac.

[Jim]

It should, if a MAC lets you see the .wax files. You might have to fiddle with some settings. I don't know anything about them, but Windows hides many file types by default. It's easy enough to change.

[JZ]

Apparently the hue and cry was sufficient for the library gods to pay attention to the Overdrive users.
Recently, my library re-activated Overdrive for Mac users of older operating systems. Screws me on my new computer, but works on my old Air.
OS are Snow Leopard (10.6) through Mojave (10.14).