# Is there a better way to browse library apps (Libby, Hoopla, etc.) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 29, 2026, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-better-way-to-browse-library-apps-libby-hoopla-etc/1027141 "2026-01-29T02:03:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CaveMike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cavemike/32/16379_2.png) [@CaveMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaveMike)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2026, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-better-way-to-browse-library-apps-libby-hoopla-etc/1027141/1 "2026-01-29T02:03:00Z")
Ok, a true first-world problem. I’m a little embarrassed to even ask… Is there a better way to browse library apps (Libby, Hoopla, etc.)? For example a web site that mirrors their index? Or am I missing a way to browse by author? Or find similar titles to ones that I’ve liked? These apps work great when I know what I want (and they have it), but discovering new stuff is a chore. Lately I’ve been listening to Fantasy books. If I look for first in a series, there are 700 titles. I can sort my Popular a scroll through the first pages of titles I already read or don’t want to read. Or should I just find suggestions some other way (e.g. Goodreads) and then hope it is in my system? ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2026, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-better-way-to-browse-library-apps-libby-hoopla-etc/1027141/2 "2026-01-29T02:21:38Z")
[search.overdrive.com](http://search.overdrive.com) isn’t very good, but sometimes I use it. To search through all your to-be-read titles, at once, for all the library collections you have, use the free calibre software with the free Overdrive plugin. This plugin also works for Overdrive competitors, including CloudLibrary and Hoopla. But I have been unable to search multiple Hoopla collections at once. This is only an issue if you have a bunch of library cards, as I do. This stuff is extensively discussed at [Mobileread.com](http://Mobileread.com). I am not addressing your exact situation because I know all the authors and exact titles I want to read. The Overdrive plugin does let you put in a book and say you want to see all the available books for that author in all your libraries. ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2026, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-better-way-to-browse-library-apps-libby-hoopla-etc/1027141/3 "2026-01-29T05:08:10Z")
> [@CaveMike](#): > > Is there a better way to browse library apps (Libby, Hoopla, etc.)? For example a web site that mirrors their index? Or am I missing a way to browse by author? Or find similar titles to ones that I’ve liked? This would be an excellent question to pose to your nearest local librarian. They would love to sit down with you and show you how to use their version of Libby, Hoopla, etc to get the most out of it. It’s what they do, it’s what they live for. Plus it also bumps up their circulation numbers : ). Take your laptop, iPad, tablet with you so they can show you how to do it on your device. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2026, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-better-way-to-browse-library-apps-libby-hoopla-etc/1027141/4 "2026-01-29T14:46:16Z")
What? And directly interact with a _human_? Are you nuts? 🤪 More seriously, that’s excellent advice. I’ve done a few 🤦‍♂️ where I’ve struggled with how to figure something out on my own or online when 5 minutes with an expert on the phone or in person outperforms 3 hours of internet faffing. It’s funny how much “Ask a live person for help” has fallen out of my (everyone’s?) consciousness.