hoopla

hoopla for Indie Authors

(NOT a typo, they use a small H. hoopla gonna hoopla)

hoopla is one of the fastest-growing digital lending platforms for public libraries in the United States. Owned by Midwest Tape, hoopla provides ebooks, audiobooks, movies, music, and more to library patrons with a free library card—serving over 8,000 library systems and counting. For indie authors, hoopla represents a crucial opportunity to make their books accessible to library readers, particularly those who prefer streaming digital content.

Although hoopla does not currently accept direct uploads from individual authors, your titles can be made available through approved distribution partners. As of now, the most common methods for indie authors to reach hoopla are via Findaway Voices for audiobooks and Draft2Digital or Smashwords for ebooks. These services bridge the gap, placing your content into hoopla’s expansive catalog where libraries can offer it instantly to patrons.



Platform History: How hoopla Became a Library Powerhouse

hoopla was launched in 2013 by Midwest Tape, a company with decades of experience supplying physical media to libraries. As digital lending became more widespread, hoopla expanded rapidly into ebooks and audiobooks, offering content on a streaming and download basis without long waitlists. This “on-demand” model distinguished hoopla from platforms like OverDrive, which operate on more traditional licensing structures.

Instead of requiring libraries to purchase and manage individual copies, hoopla enables unlimited borrowing under a Cost Per Circ (CPC) model—meaning a library pays a small fee each time a patron borrows a book. This model dramatically reduces friction, encouraging library systems to include a wider variety of content in their collections, including independently published titles.

How hoopla Fits in a WIDE Strategy

For indie authors pursuing a wide strategy, hoopla plays a unique and vital role. As Mark Leslie Lefebvre emphasizes in Wide for the Win, library distribution helps authors reach audiences traditional retail channels often miss. hoopla is particularly effective for:

• U.S. library coverage: Its footprint is heavily concentrated in the U.S., making it ideal for domestic reach.

• No waitlist borrowing: Readers can borrow your book anytime—no queues, no holds.

• Audiobook emphasis: hoopla's interface and catalog are strongly focused on audio content, ideal for narrators and audio-first authors.

• High-frequency borrowing: Titles may earn multiple checkouts per day across systems.

• Community engagement: Libraries that use hoopla often spotlight local and independent authors.

For authors looking to deepen their presence in the U.S. library market, hoopla is a non-negotiable channel.

What hoopla Offers Indie Authors

Through partners like Findaway Voices and Draft2Digital, indie authors can distribute both ebooks and audiobooks to hoopla’s extensive library network. hoopla supports simultaneous borrowing, streaming, and downloads, giving authors robust exposure across formats.

hoopla operates on a Cost Per Circ (CPC) model, meaning you are paid every time a patron borrows your book. This differs from One-Copy-One-User models that require a library to buy a license first. Your ebook or audiobook becomes instantly available to all libraries using hoopla—without the need for gatekeepers or librarian approval.

For audiobooks, Findaway Voices is the primary channel. For ebooks, you’ll typically reach hoopla through Draft2Digital, which incorporates hoopla access via their Smashwords integration.

Authors opt in via the partner dashboard and set library pricing that reflects lending rights (commonly 2–3x your ebook retail price).

Terms, Royalties & Payment Structure

hoopla’s compensation model is built entirely around Cost Per Circ, with set per-checkout pricing established by the distributor. Here’s a closer look at how that works through common indie platforms:

• Royalty per borrow: Varies, but typically ranges from $0.99 to $2.49 per borrow, depending on title length and distributor pricing.

• Payment schedule: Monthly or quarterly through your chosen partner (e.g., Findaway or Draft2Digital).

• No exclusivity: You retain rights and can list your book on other platforms simultaneously.

• Library pricing: Set during the publishing process—higher than consumer pricing to reflect library lending value.

Unlike traditional licensing, this model earns authors revenue with every checkout, making it ideal for discoverability and volume-based sales.

Comparison Chart: hoopla vs Other Library Platforms

Marketing Through hoopla

hoopla doesn’t offer direct marketing dashboards for authors, but it does support discoverability and passive exposure through its catalog structure and public library integrations. Here’s how you can make the most of it:

• Catalog inclusion: Simply being listed makes your book browsable to thousands of library patrons.

• Streaming model appeal: Readers can instantly stream content, boosting chances of discovery.

• Seasonal promotions: Draft2Digital and Smashwords occasionally offer library-facing sales—opting in may boost hoopla visibility.

• Findaway marketing support: Findaway includes hoopla in any promotional campaigns you enroll in for audiobooks.

• Cross-format exposure: Ebooks and audiobooks from the same title increase the chance of a library user discovering one or both.

As with OverDrive, most marketing opportunities flow from proper metadata, attractive covers, clear genre tagging, and leveraging your aggregator’s promotions.

Pros and Cons of Using hoopla

Pros:

• High-reach digital distribution to U.S. libraries

• Streaming model ensures no waitlist delays

• Ebooks and audiobooks both supported

• Steady royalty per borrow with high-frequency potential

• Easy access through partners like Findaway and Draft2Digital

Cons:

• No direct author uploads or dashboards

• No insight into who is borrowing your book

• Limited international reach compared to OverDrive

• Lack of author-specific marketing tools

ScribeCount Integration with hoopla

Because hoopla earnings are reported through intermediaries like Draft2Digital and Findaway Voices, they are automatically captured by ScribeCount once the data flows through your distributor’s royalty reports.

ScribeCount pulls and organizes this data into an easy-to-read dashboard where you can isolate your hoopla earnings and track performance over time. This is especially helpful for authors using multiple library platforms, as it allows for accurate comparisons and growth analysis across channels.

For wide authors, this level of insight is essential. With library distribution often buried in confusing royalty statements, ScribeCount keeps your hoopla performance visible and actionable.

Conclusion

hoopla is a must-have piece of the wide publishing puzzle, especially for indie authors targeting U.S. libraries and digital-first readers. With its cost-per-checkout model, simultaneous access, and strong focus on audio content, hoopla offers both discoverability and sustainable library revenue—without exclusivity or complex contracts.

Though it requires routing through trusted partners, the path is clear: upload to Draft2Digital or Findaway Voices, opt in to hoopla distribution, and let the platform do the rest. Combined with tools like ScribeCount and a savvy understanding of library pricing, hoopla can be a quiet powerhouse for the wide indie author.