The first thing to do is check that your library is linked in to one of the audiobook library sites, you can do this by checking their website and looking for a link to audiobooks or by asking at your local library when you go to get your card.
Assuming they are which most of them are, your next step is to get your library card.
This is easy to get just go in with some form of ID you may need something like a bill with your address on it.
They will register you and give you your library card with your specific card number
Go to the audiobook section of your library's website, that brings you to another site that most library's use, there are two main providers of online library services oneclickdigital.com and overdrive.com,
In my case it was oneclickdigital some library's use both, at this point you create an account on the OneClickDigital site using the library card number on your card once your registered you will be sent to a OneClickDigital.com site specific to your library, so for example my library was
http://wicklow.oneclickdigital.eu/ your's might be USstate.oneclickdigital.com
it depends on your library as to what will be available to you.
When it comes to DRM 99% of the audiobooks I've downloaded were in mp3 format with no DRM 48kb 32,000 sample rate, with a separate file per chapter.(NOTE: the last file each book is usually a small file that starts with PRExxxx.mp3 this is the file thats used to preview the book, it's generally just a 2-3 min random section of the book I delete this file before I do anything further.)
The one's that were DRM'ed were in 32kb WMA format, I use os x by default so to rip these I used a VM of Win 7 and Sound Taxi Pro +Videorip 4.3.8 theres a torrent floating about of this with serials.
When I open the program and add files the program brings up a window about DRM and gives you an option to put in your user name and password from your library site account, once thats done the conversion starts.
All of that is for oneclickdigital.com I would imagine overdrive is somewhat similar.
Once you have your library card you can get set up in minutes.
When you log in first, go to My Account, then My Preferences, when there choose Download as zip file for the audio download method.
When thats done click browse and search for audiobooks, when you select something you want theres a checkout button and drop down box with 1 to 21 days, select one and a download window opens and you down load your file.
Theres generally a limit of 5 to 10 books at a time, but all you have to do to get more is click return on the ones you have downloaded.
I dont know weather library's in america will be more strict on requiring DRM but for me I have only come across 3 or 4 audiobooks that had DRM, the rest were MP3.
