Library Account API

The Library Account API delivers general information about an account including available formats, OverDrive Advantage collections, and a products hypermedia link that returns all available titles in a library collection.

Note: The examples below show our production API URL. If you're using our integration environment, use https://integration-patron.api.overdrive.com. For more information on the integration environment, please see Getting Started.

Before you can access the Library Account API, you'll need to log in and search for a library account ID in the Member Center.  When you find your library, you'll be given a URL to access the Library Account API.

Accessing the Library Account API

The Library Account API serves as the starting point for most API clients to discover additional resources for a library account using hypermedia.

Library Account API resources include:

• products: A library's digital collection, and the starting point for the Search API.
• advantage accounts: Titles purchased to supplement a library's digital collection. These are in addition to the consortium titles available.

Resource URL

https://api.overdrive.com/v1/libraries/{Library ID}

This URL returns a JSON response that includes:

• The library's name
• The account type
• A link for all products available in the digital media collection
• A link for all advantageAccounts associated with the account
• The formats supported by the library account

Example request

GET https://api.overdrive.com/v1/libraries/4225
User-Agent: {Your application}
Authorization: Bearer {OAuth access token}
Host: api.overdrive.com

Example response

200 OK
Pragma: no-cache
X-Frame-Options: deny
Content-Length: 1134
Cache-Control: no-cache
Content-Type: application/json; charset=utf-8
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 2015 18:50:57 GMT
Expires: -1

{
    "id": 4425,
    "name": "OverDrive API Integration Library (OH)",
    "type": "Library",
    "collectionToken": "v1L1BBQ0AAA2_",
    "links": {
        "self": {
            "href": "https://api.overdrive.com/v1/libraries/4425",
            "type": "application/vnd.overdrive.api+json"
        },
        "products": {
            "href": "https://api.overdrive.com/v1/collections/v1L1BBQ0AAA2_/products",
            "type": "application/vnd.overdrive.api+json"
        },
        "advantageAccounts": {
            "href": "https://api.overdrive.com/v1/libraries/4425/advantageAccounts",
            "type": "application/vnd.overdrive.api+json"
        },
        "dlrHomepage": {
            "href": "https://link.overdrive.com/?websiteID=100300",
            "type": "text/html"
        }
    },
    "formats": [
        {
            "id": "ebook-pdf-adobe",
            "name": "Adobe PDF eBook"
        },
        {
            "id": "ebook-mediado",
            "name": "MediaDo eBook"
        },
        {
            "id": "periodicals-nook",
            "name": "NOOK Periodical"
        },
        {
            "id": "ebook-epub-adobe",
            "name": "Adobe EPUB eBook"
        },
        {
            "id": "ebook-kindle",
            "name": "Kindle Book"
        },
        {
            "id": "audiobook-mp3",
            "name": "OverDrive MP3 Audiobook"
        },
        {
            "id": "ebook-pdf-open",
            "name": "Open PDF eBook"
        },
        {
            "id": "ebook-overdrive",
            "name": "OverDrive Read"
        },
        {
            "id": "audiobook-overdrive",
            "name": "OverDrive Listen"
        },
        {
            "id": "video-streaming",
            "name": "Streaming Video"
        },
        {
            "id": "ebook-epub-open",
            "name": "Open EPUB eBook"
        }
    ]
}

Now that you have the library account products URL, you can access the Search API. From there, follow the hypermedia links to access the Metadata and Library Availability APIs to get the information you need to make your app work.