20K free audiobooks, e-books available for all N.J. residents in new app

A new digital library service offering free e-books and audiobooks is now available to all New Jersey residents, state officials announced this week.

The digital service, called the Palace Project, includes more than 20,000 items curated by the Digital Public Library of America and the New Jersey State Library, which is an affiliate of Thomas Edison State University in Trenton.

“This new e-reading experience allows users to access thousands of free books in one simple app,” said Michael Maziekien, the state library’s shared services project specialist.

“It offers unique content, including many titles without holds, waits or checkouts, making it perfect for use in the classroom, for book clubs and community events, and for those who just love to read,” he said.

The project was partly funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, an independent federal agency that provides library grants, New Jersey State Library officials said.

The free e-books and audiobooks include everything from classic novels to new bestsellers, officials said. The New Jersey State Library has also curated its own digital lending collection within the app, called the New Jersey Topics Shelf.

The collection features New Jersey biographies, inventions, events, photographs and more.

Most local libraries give patrons access to online books and audiobooks through Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy and other services. But, often libraries only have access to a limited number of copies.

The Palace app combines all of a patron’s local library’s digital content and also includes additional titles purchased in the Palace Marketplace, according to its website. The app also offers access to the Palace Bookshelf, which has more free titles.

Users can access the Palace app on their mobile device by downloading it from the Apple or Google Play stores. A library card, email address and authentication through geolocation from anywhere in New Jersey is required to sign up.

A list of participating New Jersey libraries is available on the New Jersey State Library website.

But, if your local public library is not listed, users can access the app by using the New Jersey State Library as their library. Instructions for signing up are available through the library website.

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Brianna Kudisch may be reached at [email protected].