Streaming Movies and Music

Electric Lady Bird (ELB) is the Austin Public Library's curation of current music by Central Texas artists. ELB has annual submission rounds and adds 50 - 100 albums / EPs per year. The music is free to stream anywhere in the world!

LISTEN TO MUSIC

Start streaming now. From rock, hip hop, country, Americana, pop and more, ELB has sounds for everyone.

Discover your new favorite musician on the current ELB roster that includes up-and-coming artists and Austin legends.

New playlists are added regularly to help you explore the collection.

Check out the Concerts page!

CALL FOR MUSIC

During open submission periods, upload 1-3 full-length tracks representative of your overall work to the submission form. The tracks should be from a full album or EP released within the last 2 years that you own the rights to. More details are at our FAQ.

Jurors from the Austin music community will select the best albums. Selected musicians will be awarded $200.00 for their album/EP. In exchange, the Library will receive non-exclusive rights to stream the album/EP for a 3-year term. If selected, you will be contacted with instructions on how to join Electric Lady Bird.

En español

If you have questions not answered in the FAQ, please email Electric Lady Bird.

hoopla has digital movies, music, TV shows, audiobooks, eBooks and comics.

• Instantly available borrowing.
• No hold queues
• Stream content through your browser on PC/Mac.
• Stream or download with the hoopla digital app for iOS, Android, Kindle Fire and Roku.
   
• Check out 4 items per month.
• Movies & TV shows check out for 3 days.
• Music CDs check out for 7 days.
• Audiobooks, eBooks and comics / graphic novels check out for 21 days.
• BingePasses check out for 7 days.
• Read our hoopla FAQ for more tips.

To get started in your browser:

1. Go to hoopla and click "Get Started."
2. Create your hoopla account with an email address and password (8-character minimum). The hoopla account is not linked to other Library accounts.
3. Under "Choose your library," select "Austin Public Library (TX)".
4. Enter your Library card barcode and Library PIN/Password, and you're ready to use hoopla.

You can also create an account directly in the app following similar steps. Get the app from your device’s app store, open it and tap Sign Up.

Note: Kindle eBooks are not available on hoopla. Select titles in OverDrive / Libby are available in Kindle format.

For more information: 

• hoopla has a Help page
• Email them at feedback@hoopladigital.com
• Watch their how-to videos on YouTube
• Check our hoopla FAQ
• Check out the hoopla tutorial from Niche Academy.
• Ask a Librarian

Kanopy has thousands of movies and documentaries that you can stream on any device.

Starting November 1, 2023, Kanopy uses monthly tickets instead of play credits:

• You have 8 tickets each month
• Videos use different ticket amounts depending on running time.
• Videos have different viewing periods depending on running time.
• Each video is labeled with ticket amount, viewing period and running time.
• Tickets reset on the 1st of each month.
• Unused tickets don't roll over to the next month.
• Loading and playing 4+ seconds of a video counts as a play credit.
• Read the Get Started instructions.

Kanopy includes acclaimed movies and documentaries on-demand from award-winning filmmakers. Browse the collections of top film-festival favorites, classic films, world cinema and popular movies.

• Kanopy Support Form
• Visit Kanopy Help
• Check our Kanopy FAQ
• Check out the Kanopy tutorial from Niche Academy.

OverDrive / Libby provides eBooks, audiobooks and magazines. Libby Extras has streaming video channels.

• Download Libby for iOS, Android and Kindle Fire.
• Sign in using your Library Card number and Library password.
• Visit Getting Started for device-specific information.

Checkouts & Holds:

• Check out 10 items at time and have 7 holds
• Audiobooks and eBooks: select a check-out period of 7, 14 or 21 days
• Magazines: check out for 21 days. They don't count towards your 10-item checkout limit. Always available, no holds, no limits!
• You have 72 hours to check out a hold once you are notified that it's available

• Extras on Libby:

  • Find these in Libby under "Extras" for a 7-day pass. They don't count against your OverDrive checkout limits.

  • You will need to create separate accounts for each channel and can stream on almost any device.

  • Kanopy: thousands of movies and documentaries to stream on any device. Use your Kanopy login to access on the Kanopy app or browser.

Lucky Day collection: Skip the line for high-demand titles with a 7-day checkout, no holds or renewals. You can borrow 1 Lucky Day title at a time, and it counts against your 10-item checkout limit. If you have a hold on a Lucky Day title, borrowing from Lucky Day won't cancel your hold. See how these titles display in the Libby app.

• OverDrive Help - Search for frequently asked questions by device or format
• OverDrive Support - email tech support specialists 24/7
• Libby Help - one-tap app for eBooks, audiobooks and magazines
• OverDrive / Libby FAQ - search the FAQ or get help from Austin Public Library Adult Services librarians
• OverDrive / Libby tutorial - quick intro from Niche Academy