FREE Popular Magazines On your Tablet, Phone and Desktop (+LARGE PRINT EDITIONS!)

DOWNLOAD COMPLETE MAGAZINE ISSUES for offline reading on your tablet or smartphone or desktop – (if your public library participates in the Zinio for Libraries program).
Immediate access to current magazines and back issues: No wait, No holds, and no time limits.
Handy [TEXT] button converts articles to LARGE PRINT for easy reading on your smartphone or tablet.
Receive Email Notices when new magazine issues are available.

More articles in this series:

Using INSTAPAPER for Ad-Free & Distraction Free Reading (Coming Soon)
Using REEDY to double your Reading Speed (Coming Soon)

Does my Public Library Offer FREE Digital Magazines?

Search for your library using Google or Bing, but add the word “zinio” to the search text. Here is sample search text -> farmington public library zinio
Click on any search result for your library that includes the word “ZINIO” for hints about how to sign up.
If none of your search results include “Zinio,” then call your library directly and ask them if they offer digital magazine access through Zinio or some other service.

“Zinio For Libraries” Sign up Step 1 of 2: Get your Library’s Link

You will need a valid library card. Some libraries require in person proof of residency every so often (every two years at my library) or they may deactivate your library card.

You must sign up using the special URL from your library’s website. Note that each library or group of libraries has a slightly different URL (ours includes “thelibrarynetworkmi”).
Click “Create New Account”
Type your valid library card number (with no spaces)
Click the blue “Next” button
If you have successfully created a New Account, a dialog will be displayed allowing you to create a login and password.

Sign in to Your “Zinio for Libraries” Account

It’s important to use the RBdigital link (instead of a zinio.com URL) so that the magazines displayed are only those offered by your library. If you log into a Zinio link tne non-free magazines will appear such as Playboy.

Login, Click this link to log into your account
Enter Login and Passord. Use the ID and password you created in the previous step
Remember Me, Enable this checkbox if you would like your browser to save your log-in credentials
“Log In” button. Click it after completing the screen.

Set “My Preferences” After Your First Log In

Setting your preferences is important because it’s the best way to track only the few magazines you care about out of the 200-plus magazines that are available. Note that you may need to create a filter in your email program to prevent email notifications from going to your email spam folder.

Preferences Button is the button to the right of your “Welcome” message. Click it then click “My Preferences” from the dialog box that appears.
New Issue Notification. This dialog appears after you select “My Preferences”
Add & Remove Click any [+] in the left box to add a magazine to your notifications. Click any [-] in the right box to remove a magazine from your notifications.
Email Me to tell me about new publications. This checkbox is optional.
[UPDATE] button. Click this button to save your preferences.

How to Check Out Digital Magazines

QUESTION MARK ICON (?) Tap this to display frequently asked questions (FAQ) and tutorials.
MY COLLECTION or BROWSE ALL MAGAZINES Tap this text at the righ to tobble between these two views. You can also change the number and genre of magazines displayed by using the drop down menus near this link.
SEARCH BOX. Use this to find and display magazines by typing a full or partial magazine title.
To CHECK OUT A MAGAZINE, click the [+] icon at the lower right corner of any cover image.

Digital Magazine “Check Out” Dialog.

When you see this screen you’ve “checked out” a digital magazine. Congratulations! If you’re using a phone or tablet, closing then reopening the app will display your checked out magazines.

KEEP BROWSING, adds this issue to your checked out issues, then returns to the magazine covers.
START READING adds this issue to your checked out issue then opens this issue on your current device or desktop for reading.
EMAIL ME WHEN A NEW ISSUE IS AVAILABLE. This weekly email is a convenient way to be notified about new issue of the magazines in which you have an interest. Note that you may need to create a filter in your email program to prevent the emails from landing in your email spam folder.

About the Free ZINIO Digital Magazine App for your Tablet or Smartphone

The free ZINIO app is available from your smartphone or tablet’s online store. After you install and open the Zinio app, you’ll need to enter your ID and password.

BOOKMARK ICON tap it to display a list pages you’ve bookmarked in various magazines.
EDIT. Tap the EDIT link to remove or restore magazines from your device.
THREE DOTS Tap the three dots to view or edit your settings.
CHECKOUT MAGAZINES. Tap this blue button to get new magazines. This requires an Internet connection.
To READ a DIGITAL MAGAZINE, tap any magazine cover. The first time you “open” a magazine it will be downloaded to your device. All magazines that are downloaded to your device can be read without an internet connection.
CLOUD ICON. Magazines that haven’t been opened (haven’t been downloaded) will display the cloud icon.

Navigating Free Digital Magazines on your Smartphone or Tablet

After you’ve tapped a magazine cover to open a magazine…

BROWSE PAGES, SWIPE your finger on the screen to the LEFT or RIGHT
MAGNIFY A PAGE, DOUBLE-TAP the screen then pinch-and-zoom. Double-tap again to allow page-swiping again.
NAVIGATE A MAGNIFIED PAGE, DRAG your finger on the screen

DISPLAY MENUS, tap the screen once. Menus will appear at the top and bottom of the screen.
LARGE TYPE, Tap the [TEXT] button which appears only on the first page of each article.
BOOKMARK a PAGE, tap the Bookmark icon
MENU (THREE DOTS) , tap it to display an Overview (thumbnails), Table of Contents, and a Bookmarks list.
RETURN to the PREVIOUS SCREEN: Tap the left triangle on the bottom row
DISPLAY the HOME SCREEN: Tap the circle on the bottom row.
DISPLAY ALL RUNNING PROGRAMS: Tap the square on the bottom row.

Displaying Digital Magazines in LARGE PRINT (and SHARING)

The [TEXT] button is displayed only when viewing the very first page of each article. Tap [TEXT] to display the article in ADJUSTABLE LARGE PRINT (the large type does not display images).

NAVIGATE the LARGE PRINT SCREEN by sliding your finger up and down on the screen
TO DISPLAY TEXT MODE MENUS, tap the screen once. Tap again to dismiss the menus.
ENVELOPE (“SHARE”). Tap the envelope icon to display what is more commonly known as the “SHARE” dialog. The SHARE dialog allows you to email the current article or display it in a speed reading program, if you have one installed.
ADJUST THE LARGE PRINT SIZE by tapping either the “a/A” icons on the top menu