Hoopla (digital media service)

Hoopla is free-of-charge for patrons of participating libraries. The content is paid for by library systems, using a "per circulation transaction model".{{Cite web |url=https://vendor.hoopladigital.com/about |title=Hoopla |publisher=vendor.hoopladigital.com|access-date=2017-04-17}}{{cite news |url=http://www.thedigitalshift.com/2013/03/media/midwest-tape-launches-hoopla-pilot-for-pay-per-circ-streaming-media/ |work=Digital Shift |publisher=Media Source Inc. |date=March 4, 2013 |title=Midwest Tape Launches Hoopla Pilot for Pay-Per-Circ Streaming Media }}

Hoopla claims to have over 500,000 content titles across six formats,{{Cite news|url=http://hub.hoopladigital.com/whats-new/2016/11/eaudiobooks-are-in-high-demand|title=eAudiobooks are in High Demand!|website=hub.hoopladigital.com|publisher=Hoopla Library Admin Site|access-date=2017-04-12|language=en-US}} including over 25,000 comic books.{{cite news |last1=Tibken |first1=Shara |title=The Money-Saving Power of Your Library Card |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-money-saving-power-of-your-library-card-8f490455 |access-date=9 April 2023 |publisher=Wall Street Journal |date=April 9, 2023}} As of November 2016,{{Needs update|date=April 2024}} Hoopla's content comprised 35% audiobooks (for which Hoopla has contracts with publishers such as Blackstone Audio,{{Cite web|url=https://www.hoopladigital.com/publisher/7135|title=Blackstone Audio on hoopla digital|website=HooplaDigital.com|language=en|access-date=2017-04-12}} HarperCollins,{{Cite web|url=https://www.hoopladigital.com/publisher/5907|title=Harper Collins on hoopla digital|website=HooplaDigital.com|language=en|access-date=2017-04-12}} Simon & Schuster Audio,{{Cite web|url=https://www.hoopladigital.com/publisher/199555270|title=Simon & Schuster Audio on hoopla digital|website=HooplaDigital.com|language=en|access-date=2017-04-12}} Tantor Audio,{{Cite web|url=https://www.hoopladigital.com/publisher/8657|title=Tantor Audio on hoopla digital|website=HooplaDigital.com|language=en|access-date=2017-04-12}} and others), followed by 22% movies (for which Hoopla has motion picture contracts with publishers such as Disney,{{Cite web|url=https://hoopladigital.com/publisher/1250564716|title=Walt Disney Pictures on hoopla digital|website=HooplaDigital.com|language=en|access-date=2017-04-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170413073236/https://www.hoopladigital.com/publisher/1250564716|archive-date=2017-04-13|url-status=dead}} Lionsgate,{{Cite web|url=https://hoopladigital.com/publisher/2187357257|title=Lionsgate Entertainment on hoopla digital|language=en|access-date=2017-04-12|website=HooplaDigital.com}} Starz,{{Cite web|url=https://hoopladigital.com/publisher/1191013999|title=Starz on hoopla digital|website=HooplaDigital.com|language=en|access-date=2017-04-12}} Warner Bros.,{{Cite web|url=https://hoopladigital.com/publisher/1195|title=Warner Brothers on hoopla digital|website=HooplaDigital.com|language=en|access-date=2017-04-12}} and others), 19% music, 12% ebooks, 6% comics, and 6% television. One drawback is that Hoopla has few new bestsellers.

In February 2025, 404 Media reported that Hoopla's collection includes books created by generative AI with fictional authors and dubious quality. Often not labeled as AI-produced or fact-checked, this AI slop can cost libraries money when checked out by unsuspecting patrons.{{Cite web |last=Maiberg |first=Emanuel |date=2025-02-04 |title=AI-Generated Slop Is Already In Your Public Library |url=https://www.404media.co/ai-generated-slop-is-already-in-your-public-library-3/ |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=404 Media |language=en}}

Hoopla expanded to serve Australia{{Cite web |last=Mem: 10092928 |title=Digital library service hoopla expands to Australia {{!}} Books+Publishing |url=https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2021/06/07/187552/digital-library-service-hoopla-expands-to-australia/ |access-date=2023-07-11 |language=en-AU}} and New Zealand{{Cite web |last=Albanese {{!}} |first=Andrew |title=Midwest Tape's Hoopla Expands Internationally—and at Home |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/libraries/article/87678-midwest-tape-s-hoopla-expands-internationally-and-at-home.html |access-date=2023-07-11 |website=PublishersWeekly.com |language=en}} in June 2021.

Hoopla content can be borrowed and consumed on the web, or via the native Android or iOS apps.{{cite news |date=December 6, 2013 |title=Magazines, movies and more |url=http://www.hollandsentinel.com/article/20131206/NEWS/131209553/10932/ENTERTAINMENT |work=Holland Sentinel}} Hoopla broadcasts only in Standard definition unlike most of its competitors such as Kanopy.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

John Eldred and Jeff Jankowski founded Hoopla's parent company, Midwest Tape, in 1989. Midwest Tape is a library vendor of physical media such as audiobooks, CDs, and DVD/Blu-ray.{{cite news|work=Library Journal|title=hoopla Adds Ebooks and Comics, Develops "Action View" Technology for App|url=http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2015/05/digital-content/hoopla-adds-ebooks-and-comics-develops-action-view-technology-for-app/|author=Enis, Matt|date=May 21, 2015|access-date=May 27, 2015|archive-date=November 9, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171109022630/http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2015/05/digital-content/hoopla-adds-ebooks-and-comics-develops-action-view-technology-for-app/|url-status=dead}}

Hoopla and Midwest Tapes were censured by the Library Freedom Project and Library Futures in a joint statement for hosting what it described as "fascist propaganda", including a recent English translation of A New Nobility of Blood and Soil by Richard Walther Darré of the SS and books related to Holocaust denial, in public library collections without the input from the staff. Criticism was also directed at the inclusion of books on homosexuality, abortion, and vaccines claimed by the Library Freedom Project and Library Futures to be misinformation. On February 17, 2022, Hoopla removed a number of titles after public outcry about Holocaust denial books available on the app under non-fiction.{{cite web| website=Library Freedom|title=We demand accountability from Hoopla Digital and OverDrive regarding the platforming of fascist propaganda in their digital library collections.|url=https://libraryfreedom.medium.com/we-demand-accountability-from-hoopla-digital-and-overdrive-regarding-the-platforming-of-fascist-c47c88e62ddc|author=Library Freedom Project|date=Feb 22, 2022}}{{Cite web |last=Sato |first=Mia |date=2022-04-20 |title=Ebook service Hoopla brings anti-vax, Holocaust denial, and pro-LGBTQ conversion books to libraries |url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/20/23034169/hoopla-ebooks-public-library-conspiracy-theory |access-date=2024-06-05 |website=The Verge |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Woolhouse |first=Meg |date=2022-04-20 |title=Public libraries unwittingly offered 'hate' books through a private service |url=https://www.wgbh.org/news/2022-04-20/public-libraries-unwittingly-offered-hate-books-through-a-private-service |access-date=2024-06-05 |website=GBH |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Enis |first=Matt |title=Holocaust Denial Materials and Other Fascist Content Removed from Library Ebook Platforms |url=https://www.libraryjournal.com/story/holocaust-denial-materials-and-other-fascist-content-removed-from-library-ebook-platforms |access-date=2024-06-05 |website=Library Journal}} The advocacy groups expressed appreciation for the response, however state that it is "insufficient," as they maintain concerns about the company's practices in selecting materials and lack of transparency.

• CloudLibrary
• Kanopy
• Libby
• Libro.fm – audiobook app

{{reflist}}

{{E-book digital distribution platforms}}

{{Music digital distribution platforms}}

{{Video digital distribution platforms}}

Category:Digital media

Category:Video on demand services

Category:Online content distribution

Category:Mass media companies of the United States

Category:Audiobook companies and organizations