OverDrive is a popular site for e-books and e-audiobooks. Titles can be borrowed for 7, 14, or 21 days.
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The OverDrive classic mobile app was discontinued on May 1, 2023. Please download Libby to continue to access McGill Library OverDrive content on mobile devices, where titles can be borrowed, read, and listened to (for audio books). Access to the McGill OverDrive website or McGill Libby website continues to be available. *New* Instructions to log-in and borrow e-books and audio-books on Libby on iOS. Looking for more info on Libby? See their help pages. |
How to sign in
McGill students, faculty and staff sign in to OverDrive using a McGill Username and password. Alumni can also sign into OverDrive using a McGill username and password. If you do not yet have a McGill username or yours is no longer active, please register with the McGill Alumni Online Community.
For students:
firstname.lastname [at] mail.mcgill.ca
For staff:
firstname.lastname [at] mcgill.ca
Note: your username may have numbers in it, an initial or your middle name, in order to make it unique.
Your McGill password is what you use to sign into McGill email, myCourses, Minerva, and many other McGill services. If you have forgotten it, you can go to Minerva and reset it using your McGill ID number and PIN.
Due to a change in our services we can only offer OverDrive to McGill faculty, students, alumni, or others in our community with McGill a username. We apologize to any members impacted by this change. For Alumni who were signing in using their library card, please register for a McGill username here.
Signing in to OverDrive using...
A mobile device running iOS (Apple):
A mobile device running Android:
On a computer:
The process for signing into Classic Overdrive using a computer is similar for all operating systems and the browser programs. Access the McGill Library Overdrive home page.
Signing in to your account:
Signing into OverDrive on the Libby app
Download the Libby app onto your device. On the welcome screen under "do you have a library card?" press 'Yes'
On the next screen "Search for a Library"
Type "McGill" into the search box and McGill University Library should come top of the results. Click on this link.
Click on "Sign In With My Card"
Click on "Next", at which point you will be prompted to login via the usual McGill Shibboleth login screen using your McGill username and password.
You should see a successful login and "Linked Card" with the McGill logo display. Click on "Next".
You are now ready to start searching for content on McGill Library.
On a mobile device with Android:
See OverDrive's support page for instructions on installing and signing-in to Libby on Android devices.
How to find your OverDrive reading history
The history of books downloaded to an OverDrive app can be viewed within the app. At this time, the borrowing history of books viewed, read or borrowed through OverDrive's web interface is not available.
To see the history of the books you have downloaded to the OverDrive app, follow these steps:
- Sign into OverDrive using the steps above.
- From the Home menu on the left, select History. This menu may look slightly different depending on your app.
Hold redelivery
In March 2020, Overdrive introduced a new option called hold redelivery (or the "deliver later" option) for available holds. This feature gives you more control over your holds, so you can borrow and read titles when it is most convenient.
To support this feature, the automatic hold checkout setting is no longer active and any current holds will be updated to the new redelivery mechanism. This means you will need to manually borrow your new holds as they become available.
How does hold redelivery work?
- When a hold becomes available, you will receive a notification email and have 3 days to pick up your hold.
- You can choose to borrow the hold, have it delivered later, or cancel the hold.
- If you do not take any action during the hold pickup window, the "deliver after seven days" option will automatically be applied.
- If the book becomes available for you a second time, and you take no action for a second time, the hold will be cancelled.
How can I see my holds?
Your holds appear under "My Account", just underneath Loans.
For more information and instructions on how to manage your available holds, please see the OverDrive holds help page.
