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We continue to offer other accessible editions of Reader's Digest®, Newsweek® free of charge. If you would like more information about these editions, please visit magazine subscriptions. Thank you to our wonderful donors who make all of this possible.
Who is Eligible to Download Newsweek and Reader's Digest in DTB Format?
Patrons of the National Library Service (NLS) are eligible to download Reader's Digest and Newsweek in Digital Talking Book (DTB) format. If you are not a patron, visit the NLS website at www.loc.gov/nls and follow the instructions there.
What Player is Needed?
To play downloadable magazines, you must have a Digital Talking Book player that has been authorized by NLS. In addition, you must have a computer from which to download the magazines.
Computers and commercial mp3 players will not play these magazines. The magazines are encrypted to protect the content from unauthorized use.
Digital Talking Book players are available on loan from NLS or for purchase from various vendors. APH offers the Book Port Plus Digital Talking Book player.
If you are using the NLS player, you must also have either a flash drive or a blank NLS cartridge and a cable to connect that cartridge to the computer. (Both blank cartridges and cables are available from APH.) Note that you cannot copy files to the cartridges you receive in the mail from NLS; you must purchase a writable cartridge.
If you have a player, such as APH's Book Port Plus, you must request an authorization key to allow that player to play protected content. Go to the NLS website and click the My Account link, then click the Add a Player link and select the type of player you plan to use. Follow the instructions on that page to get the player authorized.
What is the Process for Downloading and Playing the Magazines?
To prepare one of the magazine files for playback, you must perform the following steps:
- Register on this APH website. (one time)
- Register with NLS. (one time)
- Authorize your player. (one time)
- Log into the account you created in step one.
- Find the issue you wish to download and click the link. See details below for saving the download file.
- Unzip the file you downloaded in the previous step. See details below for unzipping the file.
- Copy the unzipped folder to the player.
How Do I Download the Magazine?
To download the magazine, click the link for the issue of interest. Your browser opens a "Save As" dialog box. Take note where it saves the file. You need this file location for the next step.
On the Mac, the browser usually places your downloads in a folder named "Downloads".
How Do I Unzip the File?
To unzip a file using a Windows computer, find the file and open it. Select "Extract All Files" from the File menu.
If using a Mac, the file is automatically unzipped.
The unzipped files are contained in a folder named with the magazine's title and date.
How Do I Copy the Magazine to the Player?
Follow the instructions that come with the player. Many of the players include software that takes care of the unzipping process described in the previous step.
If using the NLS player, you may either copy the folder containing the magazine to a flash drive or purchase blank cartridges and copy the folder to one of those cartridges. Note that if you are using a cartridge, this procedure requires a special cable. Both blank cartridges and cables are available from APH.
If using a flash drive, plug that drive into the USB slot on the right side of the NLS machine.
What Do I Do With the Magazine When I Finish Reading It?
When you finish reading a magazine, you may delete it from the player or put the files into your computer and delete it from there. For instructions on deleting titles from your player, see the documentation that came with the player.
What Happened to Cassettes?
As cassette tapes become more scarce, APH is looking for ways to reduce cassette tape use and, at the same time, provide you with a superior reading experience.
Some users will not want to use the digital download service, and we respect your choice. However, if you choose to download Reader's Digest or Newsweek, we will discontinue your cassette subscriptions to avoid duplicate issues being sent.
For further assistance, contact magazines@aph.org or 1-800-223-1839 [menu option 3].