Chicago residents can start using the Chicago Public Library's digital collection from home in two steps: apply for a library card online, then sign into the platform that matches what you want, whether that's an e-book on OverDrive, a movie on Hoopla, or a course on LinkedIn Learning. According to the Chicago Public Library, you can apply online or visit any CPL branch with a valid ID to get a card. Once you have your card number and PIN, most services are, in the library's own words, "all free and accessible anywhere."
That second step is where many new users stall. The library's digital offerings live across different platforms, each with its own app, sign-in method, and quirks. This guide consolidates the library's scattered guidance into one task-oriented path: first the card, then a side-by-side comparison of the most popular services, then the specific login details that tend to trip people up on their first try.
Discover CPL's Top Digital Resources
The library's digital collection spans four broad needs: reading, listening, watching, and learning. For reading and listening, CPL points to two main platforms. OverDrive offers a variety of eBooks, audiobooks, and magazines, and is used through its app, Libby. Hoopla covers audiobooks, music, video, and eBooks, where you can listen to audiobooks and music, watch movies and TV, and read comics, graphic novels, and other eBooks.
The two platforms overlap in content but differ in how they deliver it, and that difference shapes which one you should open first. Libby is built around downloading: the library's guidance for teens describes using it to download books and comics, which means borrowed titles sit on your device and work offline. Hoopla is built around instant availability. The library describes Hoopla Digital as available 24/7 without wait times, so you can read comics right away rather than joining a hold list.
That wait-time distinction matters in practice. Popular new releases on OverDrive-style platforms can carry holds because the library licenses a limited number of copies, the same way it owns a limited number of physical books. Hoopla's model, as the library describes it, removes the wait for the content it carries, which makes it the better first stop when you want something to read or watch immediately and aren't attached to a specific title.
Beyond reading and streaming, the library's online resources include structured learning platforms. LinkedIn Learning offers video courses for professional and creative skill-building. Mango Languages supports language learning. For people building foundational computer skills, the library highlights Cell-Ed for digital-skills lessons and Chicago DigitalLearn for basic computer-skills videos. Flipster rounds out the lineup for digital magazines.
Two scope notes before you dive in. This guide covers a curated selection of popular services, not an exhaustive list of every database the library offers; CPL maintains a full A-to-Z directory of its resources for anything not covered here. And access requirements and platform availability are subject to change by the library, so treat the details below as the current state of things rather than a permanent guarantee.
