Onleihe

Onleihe is a digital lending platform for public and institutional libraries, operated under the brand by divibib GmbH of Reutlingen, Germany, since 2007. The name is a portmanteau of "online" and "Ausleihe" (lending). Participating libraries in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Denmark, Belgium and France, as well as international Goethe-Institut locations, offer their members access to digital media through the Onleihe. Users authenticate with their library card and can borrow e-books, e-papers (daily and weekly newspapers, magazines), e-audio (audiobooks), e-video (documentaries, instructional videos, feature films), e-music and e-learning courses. Borrowed files are protected by digital rights management (DRM), and access expires automatically at the end of the loan period, so no overdue fees apply. Titles can be borrowed repeatedly if not reserved by other users, and popular titles may have multiple copies available. The service is accessed through a web browser on Windows, Linux or macOS using Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari, through the Onleihe app on Android and iOS smartphones and tablets, and on Amazon Kindle Fire tablets. A special grayscale-optimized version supports e-readers such as Cbook, Icarus, Imco, Kobo, Onyx, PocketBook and Tolino that handle EPUB with Adobe DRM or Readium DRM. E-papers are usually PDFs, while e-books are primarily EPUB, occasionally PDF. E-audio can be downloaded or streamed via the app, and on PCs streaming is the only option. E-video is streaming-only. E-learning courses redirect users to the original provider platforms. The "eCircle" kiosk system allows on-site searching and borrowing within a library. Onleihe is organized either by individual libraries or by regional consortia; smaller cities often join forces within regions such as Lower Saxony or Münsterland to share a common Onleihe presence with identical offerings and loan periods, while large cities like Düsseldorf maintain their own Onleihe with a broader selection. In 2020, Onleihe accounted for roughly 40 percent of e-book consumption in Germany. Publishers and authors have criticized it for allegedly distorting competition. The same company also operates libell-e.de for Catholic libraries represented by the Borromäusverein, with a nearly identical offering and page design. In August 2026, EKZ Bibliotheksservice announced that Onleihe would be taken over by the US provider OverDrive and gradually migrated to the Libby app.

The first public library to offer an online lending service was the Public Library in the New York borough of Brooklyn in 2005. In the United States, the company OverDrive had specialized since 1986 in the distribution of virtual media, particularly to libraries. In 2006, there were more online loans than loans of printed books in New York. This model is considered the prototype for Onleihe. Under the Onleihe brand, divibib GmbH of Reutlingen has offered a service for the online lending of digital media since 2007. The company name is an abbreviation of "Digitale Virtuelle Bibliotheken" (Digital Virtual Libraries). Participating libraries include individual libraries and library consortia from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Denmark, Belgium and France, as well as international Goethe-Institut locations. Users of a participating library can borrow the provided digital media via their library's website using their library card. The term "Onleihe" is a portmanteau of "online" and "Ausleihe" (lending). An attempt to register the word mark "Onleihe – Bibliothek digital" with the German Patent and Trade Mark Office was made by divibib GmbH in May 2007 but was initially rejected. In June 2008 the application succeeded. Onleihe has since entered the Duden dictionary. Under the libell-e.de presence, the same company, represented by the Borromäusverein, supports Catholic libraries with a nearly identical offering and page design for online lending. In 2020, Onleihe covered about 40 percent of e-book consumption in Germany. Publishers and authors have accused it of distorting competition. On 11 August 2026, EKZ Bibliotheksservice announced that Onleihe would be taken over by the US provider OverDrive and gradually migrated to the Libby app.

• divibib GmbH begins offering the Onleihe service for online lending of digital media.

• divibib GmbH attempts to register the word mark "Onleihe – Bibliothek digital" with the German Patent and Trade Mark Office; initially rejected.

• The trademark application for "Onleihe – Bibliothek digital" succeeds.

• Onleihe covers about 40 percent of e-book consumption in Germany.

• EKZ Bibliotheksservice announces that Onleihe will be taken over by OverDrive and migrated to the Libby app.

A library-focused digital lending service providing DRM-protected access to e-books, e-papers, audiobooks, music, videos and e-learning through participating libraries.

• Onleihe digital lending platform

  Web-based platform for borrowing e-books, e-papers, e-audio, e-video, e-music and e-learning content via participating libraries.

• Onleihe app

  Mobile app for Android and iOS smartphones and tablets to search, borrow and use digital media, including an integrated reader and media player.

• eCircle

  A special presentation device or kiosk system for searching and borrowing directly within the library.

• libell-e.de

  A service by the same company, represented by the Borromäusverein, for Catholic libraries with a nearly identical offering and page design.

• Allegations of competition distortion

  Source

Read more

1. 1divibib.comdivibib.com
2. 2Onleihe – Wikipediade.wikipedia.org
3. 3Onleihe – Wikidatawikidata.org