By Michelle Metcalf

Community Information Librarian

Beginning April 26, a library of free audiobooks will be made available to download and keep every week from authors such as Brittany Cavallaro, Kwame Alexander, Jazz Jennings, Jon Walter and Elizabeth Fama. The selections change each week, and the audiobooks are presented in pairs, sharing a theme.

The free audiobooks are made available through the SYNC Audiobooks for Teens program, sponsored by AudioFile Magazine and powered by OverDrive. The SYNC program was developed especially for young adult readers, but anyone who would like to participate is invited to download the weekly titles. This year’s program, now in its ninth year, will run for 13 weeks, making a total of 26 audiobook titles available.

Titles are selected with the goal of helping teens develop personal tastes and to encourage critical listening.  “I have discovered authors I particularly like through these audiobooks, and have read other works by these authors as a result,” commented one teen.

Anyone can enjoy this program by downloading the free OverDrive App to their device, and then visiting the SYNC website every week to download the audiobooks. Every Thursday after 7 a.m., the next set of titles becomes available and can only be downloaded during the one-week window.  You can also sign up on their website to get reminders when titles become available, either through text alerts or an email newsletter.

Simply visit nopl.org/overdrive to get started. We’ve provided links on our website to download the OverDrive App for your device, as well as to SYNC audiobook program so you can download your free audiobooks.