by Ben Schrag

There’s nothing quite like sharing the road trip with your loved ones! But to help pass the time, you need something to focus on while you drive. Audiobooks offer hands free entertainment that keeps everybody in the car entertained and keeps the driver safe. 

Road trips are also opportunities for unforgettable shared literary experiences. I can still vividly remember books I’ve listened to on road trips from years past, who I listened to them with, and where we went together. 

I recall a beautiful summer drive across South Dakota my wife and I took as a newly married couple listening to Stephen King’s “The Library Policeman”. Later, with kids in the back seat, we traveled through a wintery northern Minnesota playing Madeleine L'Engle’s “A Wrinkle in Time”. And, this last summer, my grown son and I took turns driving out to Colorado while experiencing the impressive “The Spear Cuts Through Water” by Simon Jimenez. 

Each of these stories and each of these trips would have been memorable. Together? They were exquisite. 

Looking for a good audiobook to pair with your next trip? The library has robust digital collections available to stream or download. And, if you prefer physical media, we still have plenty of audiobooks on CD for you to choose from. 

The main conduit for our digital audiobooks is Libby. Libby is a free app that connects you to your library card and lets you check out digital books on your own device. 

There are a lot of things I love about using Libby. Holds are delivered automatically without having to visit the library. I love the surprise of a book I put on hold for myself showing up on my phone! And, when I’m done, the book is returned just as easily. 

I love how Libby keeps my place for me. And I also love the fully adjustable speed. This is especially handy when your road time doesn’t quite match your drive time!

Can’t find your book on Libby or don’t have time to wait for it to be available? We might just a copy on Hoopla. Just remember you have a limited number on borrows on Hoopla per month, so plan accordingly!

The next time you’re in the library, we’d love to hear about your favorite audio book! We might even have some new favorites to share with you too!