For Colusa County residents, a library card opens more than the doors of seven library branches. It also provides access to thousands of eBooks, audiobooks and other digital materials from virtually anywhere, thanks in large part to the continued generosity of the Friends of the Colusa County Free Library.
The Friends have committed an additional $10,000 to support the digital lending platform, hoopla, for another yea. Their generosity helps the library maintain the popular digital service while preserving limited funds for other materials and services. Hoopla is a digital library service that allows cardholders to instantly borrow eBooks, audiobooks, music and comics from a phone, tablet, computer or smart TV.
The investment comes as hoopla use continues to climb. In the first eight months of 2020, patrons borrowed just 170 items. By 2024, annual circulation had grown to 3,386 checkouts, and in 2025 it reached 3,545. From January through July 2026, patrons borrowed another 2,295 items, including an impressive 1,772 audiobooks. Since hoopla was introduced, Colusa County library users have checked out 13,656 digital items, including 9,419 audiobooks.
That popularity, however, comes with a growing price tag. Hoopla operates under a pay-per-use model, meaning the library is charged as materials are borrowed. To help keep the service sustainable and available to as many residents as possible, hoopla borrowing will be limited to three items per eligible patron each month. Fortunately, hoopla is only one digital bookshelf available with a Colusa County Free Library card.
Patrons also have access to Libby by OverDrive, which offers a large collection of eBooks and audiobooks through a more traditional library lending model. While popular titles on Libby may require placing a hold, borrowing through Libby does not count toward a patron’s three-monthly hoopla checkouts. Patrons are encouraged to search both platforms. A title unavailable or checked out on Libby may be instantly available through hoopla, while a title found on Libby can help patrons save their limited hoopla borrows for something else.
Together, the two services give readers more choices and more opportunities to find what they want.
The Friends have contributed $24,500 toward hoopla since we signed up in 2020, almost completely offsetting the amount that would have otherwise been paid from the library’s limited collections development budget. Their latest contribution ensures that even as demand grows, Colusa County residents can continue carrying the library with them wherever they go.