Important Update: Changes to Hoopla Digital
Beginning Jan. 1, 2026, Novi Library’s monthly Hoopla checkout limit will be reduced again, from 7 to 5 items. This adjustment is necessary to help us manage rising digital content costs while continuing to offer Hoopla to our community. This adjustment is necessary to ensure that we can continue offering equitable access to digital resources for all our patrons while staying within the library’s budget.
Why are we reducing the number of hoopla checkouts?
Novi Public Library and other libraries nationwide are facing similar challenges as digital media usage continues to rise while budgets stay the same. According to a 2023 report from the American Library Association, digital book use in libraries has increased by 34% since 2019, with many libraries reporting even higher rates of usage. Read the full report here.
At Novi Public Library, we’ve seen similar growth. In 2023, our patrons borrowed 22,230 items from Hoopla, but that number surged to 30,906 in 2024—a nearly 40% increase. Our 2nd quarter usage for 2025 shows a continued increase of almost 17%.
With this increased usage comes increased costs. Hoopla operates on a pay-per-view model, which means the library incurs charges for each item borrowed, regardless of whether it is fully consumed. For example, eBooks and videos cost us around $2 per checkout, while audiobooks, the most popular—and most expensive—category, can cost as much as $3.99 each.
What can you do?
We encourage you to take advantage of Hoopla’s “Bonus Borrows” feature, which is offered towards the end of each month. Bonus Borrows don’t count against your monthly limit, and they don’t incur any cost to the library. Additionally, we kindly ask that you consider borrowing only the titles you plan to fully enjoy. By doing so, we can help ensure that we are able to continue to offer this popular service.
We know this change may be disappointing, and we appreciate your understanding. Please remember that our other digital services—such as Libby/OverDrive, Comics Plus, Kanopy and Tumblebooks—remain available for additional reading, listening, and viewing options.
Thank you for your continued support!