Getting Started with Flipster Magazines

Flipster provides access to current issues of popular magazines to read on your computer, tablet, or phone.

What you need

Using Flipster on a computer

Reading magazines on your computer requires an internet connection.

  1. Go to tpl.ca/flipster and click on the Access Online button.
  2. Enter your library card number and PIN and select Sign In, then Continue.
  3. Search for magazine by title or browse by Category or scroll through the list of Latest Issues. When you find a magazine that you want to read, click on the cover to open the detail page for that magazine.
  4. Select Read now to open the current issue. To read a previous issue of this magazine, locate the issue under All Issues and select the cover to open.
  5. With a magazine issue open in the viewer, use the arrows at the bottom of the screen to navigate. Zoom and full screen controls are also available on this toolbar.
  6. More features are available in the toolbar in the upper right hand corner. Hover your mouse pointer over each tool to display the name.
    • When available, click on Text View to read an article without images.
    • Click on Print to print the current page(s).
    • Click on All Issues to access previous issues of this magazine.
    • Click on Table of Contents or Pages to view all the sections or pages of the magazine.
    • Click on the magnifying glass icon to search this magazine issue, or all issues of this title, by keyword.
    • Use Settings to change how the magazine is displayed on your screen.

Using Flipster on a phone or tablet

  1. Download the free Flipster-Digital Magazines app for your iOS or Android device.
  2. Open the app and select Get Started.
  3. Search for Toronto and select Toronto Public Library, Toronto, Ontario. Enter your library card number and select Login.
  4. In the Explore section of the app, browse the list of magazines, search for a specific title, or choose from the list of Categories.
  5. When you find a magazine that you want to read, tap on the cover to open the detail page. Previous issues are listed below the current issue. To read a previous issue, tap on the download icon to the right of the date for that issue.
  6. Select Download to save the current issue to your device, then tap on the Read button to open the issue. After downloading, the issue will appear in the My Shelf section of the app. Remember to take note of the magazine's due date, if there is one.
  7. Swipe left or right to flip through the pages.
    • Tap the Table of Contents tool in the upper right-hand corner to see the table of contents with links to every article.
    • When available, the Text View tool will appear to the left of the Table of Contents.

Which magazines are available?

Frequently asked questions

How many magazines can I borrow?

There is no limit to the number of magazines you can read or download.

Are the magazines always available?

Most magazines are always available, but some titles have restrictions on the number of copies that can be borrowed at one time. If a title you want is not available, check back later.

How long can I keep magazines?

You can keep magazines for 2 days, 7 days or indefinitely, depending on the title. If a magazine has an expiry date, this will display at the bottom of the front cover in the app. If no date is shown, the magazine will not expire. See the List of magazines (PDF) for details about expiry dates.

Do I have to return magazines?

If you are reading a magazine on your computer, it will be returned once you close your browser. If you are reading a magazine in the Flipster app, it will be automatically returned when the borrowing period expires.

Can I get back issues of a magazine?

Yes. Back issues are available for many titles. To access back issues, search or browse for the magazine and select the cover for the current issue. Back issues are listed under the current issue on the detail page.

You may also be able to access content from back issues through the library's other subscription databases. Check the Title List of Online Magazines, Newspapers & Journals to see what's available.

Can I get magazines in other languages?

Currently there are only magazines available in English and French.

Can I print from a magazine?

Printing may be available when reading a magazine on a computer, but not from a phone or tablet. The print button is located in the toolbar in the upper right hand corner. The publisher determines the available print options. You may be able to print a single page, a range, or not at all.

How do I delete a magazine once I have downloaded it onto my device?

Magazines that have expired need to be deleted from your device.

  1. Tap on the trash icon to the right of the date of the issue.
  2. Select Delete to confirm.

Help with Flipster