Many library ebook loans work on a Kobo, but not by copying an ordinary EPUB: they often use Adobe DRM. Adobe Digital Editions (ADE) is the computer program that authorises the loan and transfers it to the reader.
Before you start
You need a library account, a Kobo, a USB cable and Adobe Digital Editions on your computer. The loan must be available for download; some titles can only be read in an app or browser.
Step by step
- Borrow the book from your library service.
- Download the
.acsmfile. It is not the book; it is the licence that lets you get it. - Open the
.acsmin Adobe Digital Editions and sign in or authorise your computer with an Adobe ID if asked. - Connect the Kobo over USB and tap Connect on the reader.
- In ADE, drag the book onto your Kobo's name in the devices column.
- Eject the Kobo and disconnect it. The title appears in My Books for the duration of the loan.
Kobo confirms that its e-readers support Adobe DRM through Adobe Digital Editions. See its supported formats and DRM.
Common problems
If the Kobo says “Content Lock” or “Authorization”, check that ADE and the Kobo are authorised with the same account. If all you have is an .acsm, you have not downloaded the book yet: open it with ADE, not the Kobo.
The loan expires even if the file remains on the reader. You do not need to delete it immediately, but it stops opening when the loan period ends.
Kindle does not use this route
Kindles do not use Adobe Digital Editions for these loans. Check the library service and country you use before choosing a device. For the wider background, read what DRM means.