Having spent the past 4 weeks with my butt glued to either the couch or my bed (on strict doctors orders- down to my bunionectomy) I've watched lots of TV (thanks Fetch TV and Netflix) and have also been doing lots of reading.
I used to spend a small fortune on magazines and books. Then I discovered there were apps that would provide me with what I was after - for free - and now I get to enjoy a great variety of reading matters, but without the expense. I wanted to share my two favourite apps that bring me my content for free.
Libby for Library Books
Libby by Overdrive is a library book borrowing app (and it works with libraries all over the world), you just join your local library and make an account so you can log into the library online, then start borrowing ebooks and audiobooks from the Libby app (linking your card with your library username and password). You can then borrow ebooks and audiobooks and read or listen to them on your tablet or phone (and Kindle in the USA).
If you belong to multiple libraries, you can link all your cards and borrow from each library. You can reserve books (just like with hard copies, libraries have a limited number of digital copies, so sometimes you have to wait to get a book) and then when it's available it will be automatically borrowed to your Libby App.
You have 21 days to read the book - but you can also renew loans with the touch of your finger if you're not quite ready to return. I accidentally forgot to renew a book before it expired (and was automatically returned to the library) and when I borrowed it again, the app remembered exactly where I was up to - Bonus!
Download: iTunes or Android
RB Digital for Magazines
This is a great app to borrow and read magazines from your library. Unlike with library books, you don't have to return magazines - fabulous for those food magazine recipes that you like to use regularly. Or if you're working with a knitting pattern from a craft magazine - no worries about losing it before you're finished.
There is also no limit on the number of magazines you can checkout at any time! I love to download a bunch of magazines before I go to my hairdressers as I know I'll be in the chair for a few hours, and find that the environment isn't conducive to concentrating on a book, but a magazine is ideal.
You can also now download audiobooks too with the RB Digital app. But unlike the magazines, you only have a 14 day period before the title is returned (unless you renew it first).
Some libraries also use RB Digital to loan ebooks, comics and other entertainment options as well.
Download: iTunes or Android
So if you love to read, then get onto your device and start borrowing.
