Hoopla Access to End December 31, 2025
November 10, 2025
It's not commonly known, but Hoopla is a "pay-per-use" model. The average cost to the library is currently $5.22/checkout, more than a 200% increase from 2024. Last year, most Milwaukee County public libraries lowered Hoopla checkouts from 4 to 2 per month in an effort to keep offering the service in the face of significantly rising costs. However, despite our efforts, we have determined that Hoopla’s pay-per-checkout model has become unsustainable, consuming a disproportionate share of resources.
We are not alone in making this tough decision; many other libraries locally and across the country have had to end this service due to the combination of ballooning costs brought on by increasing popularity and tighter budgets caused by inflation.
Milwaukee County residents can continue to access eBooks, downloadable audiobooks, and e-magazines through Overdrive’s Libby app. By focusing on the Libby app, we aim to continue delivering digital content to a wider audience without compromising the value of library resources.
Our commitment remains to offer sustainable and high-quality resources to our community. We appreciate your understanding as we work toward finding the most viable solutions while ensuring fiscal responsibility.