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Hoopla Update

Discontinuation of Hoopla: 

Town Hall Library is committed to fiscal responsibility and ensuring sustainable services for all patrons. In response to the growing demand for digital materials both at our library and throughout the library system, we have conducted a comprehensive review of digital borrowing trends and performed a budget analysis. 

We are focusing our funding on the continued development of our robust digital collections within the Libby app, which includes access to digital books, audiobooks, and magazines. We will be discontinuing the hoopla service on November 15, 2025. 

It was determined that hoopla’s pay-per-checkout model has become unsustainable, consuming a disproportionate share of resources while serving a limited percentage of patrons. By focusing on the Libby app, we aim to continue delivering high-quality digital content effectively to a wider audience without compromising the sustainability of our library’s resources. 

We appreciate your understanding and want to assure you that our commitment to providing excellent digital services remains a priority. We encourage patrons to explore ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines through the Libby app. Additionally, patrons are invited to explore other digital resources available with your CAFÉ library card. 

For any questions or assistance in accessing our digital resources, please do not hesitate to contact us. 

Hoopla FAQ: 

Why is hoopla being discontinued? 
While hoopla has been enjoyed by our patrons, its pay-per-checkout model is no longer sustainable for the library. Each checkout costs about three times more than Libby, using a significant portion of digital budgets while serving only a small percentage of patrons.  

While hoopla offers flexibility with no waitlists, the more it is used, the more expensive it becomes to maintain with little predictability. With rising usage, tighter budgets, and inflation impacts, choosing to discontinue hoopla ensures the responsible use of tax dollars, using our funds fairly to continue providing sustainable, high-quality digital services for all patrons.  

When is hoopla ending?   
hoopla will no longer be available after November 15, 2025. After that, patrons will still be able to log in to their hoopla account. However, patrons won’t be able to check out new digital materials after November 15, 2025. 

Patrons will still have access to any materials checked out on or before November 15, 2025, for the duration of the item’s normal lending period. Once the due date arrives and the item has been automatically returned, patrons will no longer have access to it. 

Where can patrons access digital content?  
Patrons can find a wide variety of digital books, audiobooks, magazines, graphic novels, comics and more through the Libby app with their CAFÉ library card. Libby offers one of the largest collections of digital media available to patrons, all free to borrow.  

Our Lucky Day Collection currently features more than 600 copies for residents in Jefferson and Waukesha counties. We are committed to further expanding access by adding more copies of popular titles to help reduce wait times and adding to our “Lucky Day” collection, ensuring you can continue to enjoy your favorite reads and listens.   

How has the library handled the growing demand for digital materials so far? 
To meet patron demand and control budgets, Town Hall Library and Bridges Library System made adjustments to these services over the last year. 

  • Libby: We have continued to expand our digital collection within the Libby app. We have purchased additional copies of popular titles with long waitlists. We have also built up our “Lucky Day” collection in the app to provide titles that are available for immediate checkout, with no holds allowed. This “skip-the-line” feature gives instant access to patrons with no waits. Libby’s Lucky Day titles are identified with a shamrock icon, labeled as “skip-the-line” and show up in search results under the “Available Now” filter.  
  • hoopla: As the popularity of the service continued to grow, Bridges member libraries-including Town Hall Library-reduced the number of hoopla instant borrows from four to two each month to help manage the cost of the service. Despite these adjustments, the cost of continuing with hoopla has become unsustainable for us. 

How do library digital services like Libby and hoopla work? 
Digital materials services, like Libby and hoopla, each work with different models for libraries: 

  • Libby: Works like a traditional library. Libraries purchase a set number of copies for patrons to borrow one at a time per copy. This means there can be waitlists for popular titles.  
  • Hoopla: Provides instant access with no waitlists, and multiple patrons can borrow the same item at the same time. Libraries pay for each checkout under this model. 

Can patrons pay a fee for the ability to have hoopla? 
No, unfortunately, hoopla’s model does not allow the service to function like other platforms, such as Kindle or Audible. There are no individual accounts where funds can be added, and libraries are unable to enable or disable the service for individual patrons.