BorrowBox

BorrowBox is an easy to use eAudiobook and eBook platform with downloadable fiction and nonfiction titles for adults, young adults and children. There is a wide selection of titles including lots of Australian and New Zealand titles.

Use BorrowBox now

With BorrowBox you can:

Download up to 10 eAudiobooks and 10 eBooks at a time
Check out for a maximum of 21 days
Return titles once you have used them
Renew titles up to two times (if there are no holds)
Place holds on titles (Please note that holds count towards the number of items you can check out).
Access available for Christchurch residents only*.

App Information

Create a new BorrowBox account

How to borrow and listen or read a BorrowBox book

Borrow

You can browse through a curated selection of categories to find titles you might enjoy. To do this, click on a format in the navigation bar. A list of options will appear within the navigation bar, e.g. Featured, Explore, Genres etc., categorised by target age group.

If you would like to preview a title prior to borrowing you can use the Preview button on/below the title's cover.

Want more? Choose 'Borrow' and then ‘Confirm Loan’. A loan confirmation will be sent to your email address.

At this point you can continue browsing or click the download button.

You can choose to read or listen online or download for offline use.

Download an eAudiobook on your PC or Laptop

On the Download page choose to download an eAudiobook either in a single download or in parts.
If you get a pop-up with options to Open, Run or Save when you download, make sure that you select Save, otherwise the eAudiobook will not save to your computer properly.

Unzip eAudiobook Downloads

PC
Locate your downloaded eAudiobook zip file, right click and select Extract All, then follow the prompts to finish unzipping.

MAC
Locate your downloaded eAudiobook zip file, then double-click to unzip.

Tips
Your downloaded eAudiobook zip file will be located where you have set your internet browser to download to (e.g. Downloads, Desktop, etc).

For those Mac users running the latest MacOS, depending on your settings the eAudiobook may automatically populate into Apple Music also.

Listening to eAudiobooks

Windows Media Player: Open Windows Media Player, select Music, drag and drop the unzipped eAudiobook folder into the main window, then listen or sync with your portable media device.

Apple Music: Open Apple Music, drag and drop the unzipped eAudiobook folder into Music, then listen or sync with your iPod or iPhone.

Portable Media Device (without software): Connect and open your portable media device, then drag and drop the unzipped eAudiobook folder into device.

MAC

Apple Music: Open Apple Music, drag and drop the unzipped eAudiobook folder into Music, then listen or sync with your iPod or iPhone.

Portable Media Device: Connect and open your portable media device, then drag and drop the unzipped eAudiobook folder into the device.

Download eBook on your PC/Laptop

Make sure that you have installed Adobe Digital Editions. If you haven't installed this software yet, please visit the Adobe Digital Editions download page, opens a new window and follow the installation instructions provided.

On first launch of Adobe Digital Editions click on Help > Authorize Computer. In the following screen choose Adobe ID from the dropdown menu and enter your Adobe ID and password. If you don't have an Adobe ID yet, please click on the Create an Adobe ID link on the right hand side or visit the Adobe login website, opens a new window and click on Get an Adobe ID.

On the download page press the Download eBook/ePress button. When you get a pop-up dialogue asking you whether you would like to Open, Run or Save, make sure that you select Open With and choose Adobe Digital Editions. Adobe Digital Editions will then import the eBook/ePress file and you can find it in the Borrowed section on the left side.

To transfer an eBook/ePress title to an eReader device…

Attach your eReader device to your computer. It should appear in Adobe Digital Editions in the list on the left side. Now just drag the eBook/ePress title onto the device.

*Access available for Christchurch residents only

Watch author talks on the BorrowBox YouTube channel

BorrowBox eBooks are here

New to the BorrowBox menu. eBooks with a kiwi flavour.

New to the BorrowBox menu. Now you can enjoy a side of homegrown eBooks with your eAudiobooks on BorrowBox.

BorrowBox FAQs

To get started all you will need is an internet connection, your email address and library card number and password/PIN

The BorrowBox apps allow mobile device users to download eBooks and eAudiobooks directly onto their smart device. For users without a compatible BorrowBox device - you can download eAudiobooks directly to your computer.
No, to download an eAudiobook to your desktop you only require a media manager or media device that is MP3 compatible. Most computers already have these installed. For example most Windows computers have Windows Media Player or VLC player and Mac computers will have iTunes.

For downloading and listening on smartphones and tablets you will need the BorrowBox mobile app. These apps are available in iOS (Apple) from the App Store and Android from Google Play.
- App Store - BorrowBox
- Google Play - BorrowBox
The speed of your download depends on your own internet connection and the size of the eAudiobook. If you are using a dial-up connection or have selected a large eAudiobook to download, you may want to use the option of downloading in parts.
After you log in go to your My Account page, from there you can update your details by clicking the Edit Account Details button.

Featured

Staff List

Listen in! Donna's best audiobooks of 2025

The fave audiobooks Donna listened to in 2025 - fiction and non-fiction - true crime, apocalyptic dystopias, weird fiction, memoirs, & more.

Donna_R

Audio

Listen to Alexander McCall Smith's new book on BorrowBox

The Winds from Further West is a story of chance encounters and is packed with compassion and humour. Read by James Rottger. Available now.

Website

Read Leave the Girls Behind by Jacqueline Bublitz: BorrowBox

The acclaimed New Zealand author of Before You Knew My Name returns with another taut suspense thriller. Available now, no wait.

Audio

WORD Christchurch 2025 audiobooks

Listen to eAudiobooks by authors who came to the WORD Christchurch Festival, 27 to 31 August 2025.

Staff List

Listen in! Donna's best audiobooks of 2025

The fave audiobooks Donna listened to in 2025 - fiction and non-fiction - true crime, apocalyptic dystopias, weird fiction, memoirs, & more.

Donna_R

Audio

Listen to Alexander McCall Smith's new book on BorrowBox

The Winds from Further West is a story of chance encounters and is packed with compassion and humour. Read by James Rottger. Available now.

Website

Read Leave the Girls Behind by Jacqueline Bublitz: BorrowBox

The acclaimed New Zealand author of Before You Knew My Name returns with another taut suspense thriller. Available now, no wait.

Audio

WORD Christchurch 2025 audiobooks

Listen to eAudiobooks by authors who came to the WORD Christchurch Festival, 27 to 31 August 2025.

Getting Started

To get started all you will need is an internet connection, your email address and library card number and password/PIN.

The BorrowBox apps allow mobile device users to download eAudiobooks and eBooks directly onto their smart device. For users without a compatible BorrowBox device - you can download eAudiobooks directly to your computer.