Library Digital Services

Your library card gives you more than books. Streaming movies, genealogy research, language learning, and more.

Access rules, catalogs, and monthly limits change. Some library provider pages were blocked during the August 3 review, so read the verification notes and confirm limits with the library before relying on them.

49 NYPL resources

17 BPL resources

13 QPL resources

Cancel your subscriptions

Your library card replaces these paid services:

Criterion Channel

$11/mo

Free w/ card

Ancestry

$25/mo

Free w/ card

LinkedIn Premium

$30/mo

Free w/ card

Audible

$15/mo

Free w/ card

Duolingo

$7/mo

Free w/ card

NYT

$17/mo

Free w/ card

Search resources

Category

Showing 63 of 63 resources

New York Public Library (NYPL)

Manhattan, Bronx, Staten Island. 49 digital resources.

Kanopy

Discontinued

Verification note: Verified: NYPL press release confirms July 2019 discontinuation. No evidence of rejoining as of July 2026.

Hoopla

Replaces: Netflix ($15.49/mo), Spotify ($11.99/mo), Audible ($14.95/mo)

NYPL: 5 borrows per month (may vary; some library contracts also have daily budget caps). Select Bonus Borrows offered during the last 7 days of the month do not use your monthly borrows.

Verification note: 5 borrows/month limit not confirmed on NYPL website as of 2026-07-19 (NYPL digital pages blocked by Incapsula WAF). Many libraries reduced Hoopla limits in 2024–2026 due to cost-per-circulation model. Verify with NYPL Ask a Librarian.

Libby / OverDrive

Replaces: Audible ($14.95/mo), Kindle Unlimited ($11.99/mo), Scribd ($11.99/mo)

3 checkouts + 3 holds from OverDrive/Libby at any one time. Loan period: up to 21 days.

Verification note: 300K–500K+ titles is an estimate; OverDrive does not publish per-library catalog totals. Treat as rough figure.

cloudLibrary

Replaces: Audible ($14.95/mo), Kindle Unlimited ($11.99/mo)

3 checkouts + 3 holds from cloudLibrary at any one time

LinkedIn Learning

Replaces: LinkedIn Learning subscription ($29.99/mo), Skillshare ($19/mo), Coursera Plus ($59/mo)

Unlimited — no checkout limits

PressReader

Replaces: Apple News+ ($12.99/mo), individual newspaper subscriptions ($15-30/mo each)

Unlimited

Flipster

Replaces: Apple News+ ($12.99/mo), individual magazine subscriptions ($5-10/mo each)

Unlimited — no checkout limits

Mango Languages

Replaces: Babbel ($13.95/mo), Rosetta Stone ($11.99/mo), Duolingo Super ($6.99/mo)

Unlimited

Ancestry Library Edition

Replaces: Ancestry.com ($24.99/mo for US Discovery, $34.99/mo World Explorer)

No limit during access session

HathiTrust

Replaces: Google Books (free), individual academic journal access ($30-40/article)

Unlimited

Digital Collections

Replaces: Getty Images (paid), library special collections access (limited hours)

Unlimited — no checkout, free to browse and download

Newspapers.com

Replaces: Newspapers.com Publisher Extra ($19.90/mo), GenealogyBank ($29.95/mo)

Unlimited — available from home with NYPL card

New York Times (1980–Present)

Replaces: NYT Digital subscription ($25/mo for basic, $50/mo for All Access)

Unlimited

New York Times (1851–2022) with Index

Replaces: NYT archive access ($100+ for PDFs), ProQuest Historical Newspapers ($200+/yr)

Unlimited during access

New Yorker Digital Archive

Replaces: New Yorker subscription ($12/mo digital), Complete New Yorker ($150 one-time)

Unlimited

JSTOR

Replaces: Individual academic journal articles ($30-50 each), institutional academic access

Unlimited — temporarily expanded for remote access from home courtesy of JSTOR

ProQuest Research Library

Replaces: EBSCO similar databases ($100+/yr personal)

Unlimited

Gale Academic OneFile

Replaces: Individual journal subscriptions ($100+/yr each)

Unlimited

Gale General OneFile

Replaces: EBSCO MasterFILE ($100+/yr)

Unlimited

Gale eBooks (formerly Gale Virtual Reference Library)

Replaces: Encyclopaedia Britannica ($70/yr), Oxford Reference ($29.95/mo)

Unlimited — always available, no checkout required

Credo Reference

Replaces: Oxford Reference ($29.95/mo), Encyclopaedia Britannica ($70/yr)

Unlimited

Oxford Reference Online

Replaces: Oxford Reference subscription ($29.95/mo), OED print edition ($1,000+)

Unlimited

LearningExpress Library

Replaces: Kaplan prep courses ($300-2000), Magoosh ($149), Princeton Review ($150-1000)

Unlimited — create a personal account to track progress

Career Cruising

Replaces: Career assessment tools ($50-200), career coaching sessions

Unlimited

DocuSeek

Replaces: Kanopy alternative, academic documentary streaming ($100+/yr for individuals)

Unlimited — new NYPL database as of 2026

Naxos Music Library

Replaces: Spotify Classical ($11.99/mo), Apple Music Classical ($10.99/mo), Idagio ($9.99/mo)

Unlimited

TumbleBooks

Replaces: Epic! ($11.99/mo), ABCmouse ($12.99/mo)

Unlimited

BookFlix

Replaces: Epic! ($11.99/mo), Reading Eggs ($9.99/mo)

Unlimited

ScienceFlix

Replaces: Mystery Science ($120/yr), Science subscriptions ($50-100/yr)

Unlimited

Culture Pass

Replaces: Individual museum admissions ($15-30 each). Met Museum ($30), Guggenheim ($25), MoMA ($25), NYBG ($28), Brooklyn Botanic Garden ($18).

4 active reservations max. Passes released on the 1st of each month for the following month.

NYPL Archives Portal

Replaces: In-person research visits to special collections

Unlimited

Digital Research Books (Beta)

Replaces: Google Books limited access, individual ebook purchases

Unlimited

NOVELny Resources

Replaces: Various paid databases

Unlimited — no login needed within NY State

EBSCOHost

Replaces: PubMed (free), Google Scholar (free), individual research databases ($100+/yr)

Unlimited

Project Muse

Replaces: Individual journal articles ($30-50 each)

Unlimited

Gale LegalForms

Replaces: LegalZoom ($79+ per document), Rocket Lawyer ($39.99/mo), attorney fees ($200-500/hr)

Unlimited

Gale Business: Plan Builder

Replaces: LivePlan ($20/mo), business plan consultants ($500-5000)

Unlimited

Gale Business: Insights

Replaces: IBISWorld ($1,000+/yr), Hoover's ($300+/yr), Statista ($199/mo)

Unlimited

HeinOnline

Replaces: Westlaw ($200+/mo), LexisNexis ($200+/mo)

Unlimited — in-library use only at certain NYPL locations

Oxford English Dictionary (OED) Online

Replaces: OED print edition ($1,000+), OED subscription ($99/yr)

Unlimited

World Book Online

Replaces: Encyclopaedia Britannica ($70/yr), Wikipedia (free but less reliable)

Unlimited

Biography in Context (Gale)

Replaces: Biography.com (limited), individual biography sources

Unlimited

Literature Resource Center

Replaces: Bloom's Literary Reference ($89/yr), Gale Literary databases

Unlimited

ProQuest Central: Journals & Newspapers

Replaces: Multiple database subscriptions

Unlimited

Transparent Language Online

Replaces: Rosetta Stone ($11.99/mo), Babbel ($13.95/mo), Pimsleur ($21.95/mo)

Unlimited

HeritageQuest Online

Replaces: Ancestry.com limited features ($24.99/mo)

Unlimited

Reference Solutions (formerly ReferenceUSA)

Replaces: ZoomInfo ($15,000+/yr), Dun & Bradstreet ($2,000+/yr), Hoovers ($300+/yr)

Unlimited

Morningstar Investment Research Center

Replaces: Morningstar Premium ($34.95/mo), Bloomberg Terminal ($2,000+/mo)

Unlimited — in-library use

Value Line Investment Survey

Replaces: Value Line Standard & Premium ($99–$599/yr)

Unlimited — in-library use

Brooklyn Public Library (BPL)

Brooklyn. 17 digital resources.

Kanopy

Discontinued

Verification note: Verified: BPL press release (2019-06-24) confirms discontinued July 1, 2019. Portal at kanopy.com/bklynlibrary/ is legacy (shows only loading spinner).

Hoopla

Replaces: Netflix ($15.49/mo), Spotify ($11.99/mo), Audible ($14.95/mo)

BPL typically offers 5-10 borrows/month (check current policy). Bonus Borrows don't count toward limit.

Libby / OverDrive (eBooks & Audiobooks)

Replaces: Audible ($14.95/mo), Kindle Unlimited ($11.99/mo)

20 checkouts max + 10 holds at any one time

Comics Plus

Replaces: Marvel Unlimited ($9.99/mo), DC Universe Infinite ($7.99/mo), ComiXology Unlimited ($5.99/mo)

Unlimited — no limits

Creativebug

Replaces: Skillshare ($19/mo), Craftsy ($11.99/mo), individual art classes ($50-200 each)

Unlimited

LinkedIn Learning

Replaces: LinkedIn Learning ($29.99/mo), Skillshare ($19/mo)

Unlimited

Mango Languages

Replaces: Babbel ($13.95/mo), Rosetta Stone ($11.99/mo)

Unlimited

Brainfuse HelpNow

Replaces: Private tutoring ($30-80/hr), Khan Academy (free but no live help)

Unlimited

Brainfuse JobNow

Replaces: Career coaching ($50-200/hr), resume services ($100-500)

Unlimited

Ancestry Library Edition

Replaces: Ancestry.com ($24.99/mo US Discovery)

Unlimited during session

HeritageQuest

Replaces: Ancestry.com limited features ($24.99/mo)

Unlimited

Brooklyn Newsstand

Replaces: Newspapers.com Publisher Extra ($19.90/mo), Brooklyn Public Library microfilm access

Unlimited — no card needed

BPL Digital Collections

Replaces: Getty Images (paid), physical archive visits

Unlimited

Culture Pass

Replaces: Individual museum admissions ($15-30 each)

4 active reservations max. Passes released on the 1st of each month.

BookMatch

Replaces: Personal book shopper ($50+), Amazon recommendations (free but impersonal)

As often as you want

biblio+

Replaces: Netflix ($15.49/mo), Hulu ($17.99/mo), Peacock ($7.99/mo)

Unlimited — no checkout or streaming limits

Reference Solutions (formerly ReferenceUSA)

Replaces: ZoomInfo ($15,000+/yr), Dun & Bradstreet ($2,000+/yr), Hoovers ($300+/yr)

Unlimited

Queens Public Library (QPL)

Queens. 13 digital resources.

Hoopla

Replaces: Netflix ($15.49/mo), Spotify ($11.99/mo), Audible ($14.95/mo)

5 borrows per month (movies, music, comics, TV all count toward this limit)

Freegal Music

Replaces: Spotify Premium ($11.99/mo), Apple Music ($10.99/mo), Amazon Music Unlimited ($10.99/mo)

5 song downloads per week + 3 hours streaming per day. Music videos = 2 downloads each.

Libby / OverDrive (eBooks & Audiobooks)

Replaces: Audible ($14.95/mo), Kindle Unlimited ($11.99/mo)

Standard OverDrive limits apply (typically 10-20 checkouts depending on card type)

Axis 360

Replaces: Audible ($14.95/mo), Kindle Unlimited ($11.99/mo)

Varies — standard ebook lending limits

PressReader

Replaces: Apple News+ ($12.99/mo), individual newspaper subscriptions ($15-30/mo)

Unlimited

LinkedIn Learning

Replaces: LinkedIn Learning ($29.99/mo), Skillshare ($19/mo)

Unlimited

Rocket Languages

Replaces: Rosetta Stone ($11.99/mo), Babbel ($13.95/mo)

Unlimited

Transparent Language Online

Replaces: Rosetta Stone ($11.99/mo), Babbel ($13.95/mo)

Unlimited

Brainfuse HelpNow

Replaces: Private tutoring ($30-80/hr)

Unlimited

Culture Pass

Replaces: Individual museum admissions ($15-30 each)

4 active reservations. 1 per institution per calendar year.

Gale Business: Insights

Replaces: IBISWorld ($1,000+/yr), company research databases

Unlimited

QPL Digital Archives (Local History)

Replaces: In-person historical society visits

Unlimited

Kanopy

Replaces: Criterion Channel ($10.99/mo), Netflix ($15.49/mo)

15 checkouts/month (bonus titles don't count toward limit)

Verification note: Verified active July 2026: user confirmed active QPL Kanopy account. Kanopy website shows QPL portal at kanopy.com/en/queenslibrary/.

Library tips most New Yorkers don't know

Get all 3 library cards

NYPL, BPL, and QPL are separate systems. You can have cards from all three. Triple your digital access.

Kanopy is back (QPL)

QPL rejoined Kanopy. If you have a QPL card, you can stream the full Criterion Collection for free.

PIN issues?

Default PIN is the last 4 digits of your phone number. If that doesn't work, reset it at any branch.

Ancestry access is disputed

NYPL's database page still lists expanded home access, while its LibGuide and vendor policy say in-branch only. Try remote access, but plan on visiting a branch; use HeritageQuest from home as a fallback.