Hoopla Digital
Credit: Hoopla

Hoopla takes the hassle out of libraries. Get what you want, when you want it — without moving an inch. Sort of. So what is the Hoopla app?

Hoopla is a streaming service with over 500,000 eBooks, audiobooks, albums, TV shows and movies available, it’s got something for us all. The best thing about Hoopla? It costs us NOTHING.

Stream movies for free on Hoopla

This is where Hoopla laughs in the face of other streaming services. All you need is a library card from a participating library and a device to consume content on.

It sounds too good to be true. It’s not, but there is a catch. You’re limited to how much and how often you can borrow from Hoopla.

You read that right — BORROW from Hoopla. My brain stalls when the words borrow and streaming service get read in the same sentence. This shouldn’t be happening in 2019.

Is there a limit? Yes.

You get movies and TV show episodes for three days, music albums for a week, and all other content for three weeks. Here’s the biggie: your local library determines what and how much monthly content we can borrow!

It’s not great that Hoopla’s catch is a limiting old-fashioned set of rules, but there’s a very good reason.
You don’t pay for this service, your library does. Mic dropped.

Once upon a time, there were no limits to Hoopla but that proved unsustainable. Libraries couldn’t afford to foot the bill for everyone’s Netflix-style binging habits.

That’s right. People who knew about Hoopla first are to blame for this rule change.

You just need a library card

Hoopla is exactly what libraries need. For a free service, the borrowing limits shouldn’t be a hold-up for anyone. 

Don’t let it put you off. It’s accessibility and selection make it an offer no one should miss!