Up to now, I have used “Libby by OverDrive” through my public library to borrow books. It has its shortcomings (you can’t dictate sort order, and you can’t just jump to any random place in the list to start browsing) but it works in its somewhat clunky way.
So when I saw today that they were going to shut down that portal in November and I would have to use something called the Libby app instead, I was not happy. I had a vision of being forced to use my phone to choose library books to borrow.
But not so! They have a portal (libbyapp dot com) for my PC, and it works similarly to the old portal but a little better. I go to it directly rather than through the library. You can dictate sort order, and you don’t have to go page by page, you can just keep scrolling (I think). And it works the same way with Amazon for borrowing books, i.e. you “check out” a book and then they link to an Amazon page where you can get the book.
I haven’t checked out the app site thoroughly, so there may be other pluses or minuses that I haven’t see yet. At least it gets me where I want to go, and that’s something.
I was annoyed when my library shut down Overdrive last year, but Libby turns out to be better. For me one of the big benefits is, I’m linked to two library systems through either app, but LIbby not only remembers my searches from one system to the other, but recently began showing me availability in both systems from a single search. None of that happened in Overdrive.
I use the Libby android app for audiobooks. It works great for me, I like having access to all three of my libraries without having to sign out/sign in to the different accounts.
The only thing I didn’t like about Libby is that it doesn’t support reading ebooks in landscape mode on my cell phone, only portrait mode (landscape is more comfortable when I’m lying down reading, and was supported by the older Overdrive app). But if I have Libby open the ebook in the Kindle app, I can switch to landscape mode again.
I use Libby on my tablet, which I bought specifically to be a reader. It’s great. I especially love being able to highlight and look up things as I read. Going back to dead tree books was a struggle. I kept swiping to turn the page!
You can do that on a Kindle, too, which is what I use. If you’re in Airplane mode, which I usually am to save the battery a little, you only get word definitions; but if you’re not in Airplane mode, it will try to find things in Wikipedia.
That’s the part I like best - not only do I not have to sign in and out of three different accounts, if I search for a book in Library A, it will often tell me to “join a shorter list at Library B”.
I’ve been using the Libby app for several years now and it works fairly well. I’m curious how you all are getting access to multiple libraries? I long ago learned to max out my hold list so I almost always have a book waiting when I finish another, but it would be nice to up that with another library.
Unlike some of you, I still prefer printed books. But I nearly always have my phone with me so that means I always have a book with me.
I have access to one library system, the one my taxes support. But I can browse all the libraries in the system/consortium for paper books. And online access is through Libby and Hoopla. Freegal is a music / video library.
Libby also carries magazines.
I recently recommended a book to my library and I just received notice they added it to Libby! Now I’m reading it ( our lady of perpetual hunger)
In my case, I live in NYC which has three separate library systems and anyone who lives, works, attends school or pays property taxes in NYS is entitled to a free card at any or all of them. People without those connections to NYS can get a card from the Queens library for $50 a year.
Any resident of Massachusetts (or anyone who works here, or attends school here) can acquire a Boston Public Library card. My local library network also has access to two other local networks, but admittedly I’ve been too lazy to switch over since Overdrive went away, since I can usually find what I want.
Libby is fantastic. My local library (Ottawa, ON) has agreements with six other cities in Ontario. If I place a hold, it que sorts through all of them and when a copy becomes available at any one, it alerts me. The only drawback is that each individual library can limit the number of items checked out at a time, so I’ll occasionally have to return something to get a new book.
My library offers both Libby and Hoopla. Hoopla is far superior – it has videos (like Foyle’s War and Agatha Raisin), comic books (including Saga, and the app is extremely good, allowing you to go panel by panel instead of seeing the entire page at once), and things like The Great Courses.
For more serious stuff, the New York Public Library lets anyone in New York state borrow ebooks.
