The Free Library in Your Pocket (Libby)

What Libby Is

Libby is a free app that lets you borrow ebooks and audiobooks from your own public library — the same library down the road — using just your phone and your library card.

Libby is made by a company called OverDrive that works with thousands of libraries. Your local library pays for the books; you borrow them for free, exactly as you would borrow a paper book from the shelf.

• Ebooks: read books right on your phone screen, with the text as large as you like.
• Audiobooks: have a book read aloud to you, wonderful for driving, walking, or resting your eyes.
• It is the real library collection — bestsellers, mysteries, biographies, large-print favorites, and more.

What You Need Before You Start

Only two things, and you very likely have both already. Let's make sure before we begin so the setup goes smoothly.

No trouble at all. Call your local library and they will read you your card number and reset your PIN over the phone, usually in a couple of minutes. Many libraries can even sign you up for a brand-new card on the spot.

• A library card: the card from your local public library. The long number on it is what Libby uses.
• Your PIN or password: a short number or word tied to your card. Some libraries ask for it; some do not.
• An internet connection: your home Wi-Fi is perfect for downloading books.

Installing Libby From The App Store

Getting the app onto your phone takes about a minute. Here is exactly how, step by step.

• Find and tap the App Store icon on your phone — a white letter A on a blue background.
• Tap Search at the bottom, then tap the search box at the top.
• Type the word Libby and tap Search on the keyboard.
• Look for Libby, by OverDrive, with a round icon showing a cartoon face.
• Tap Get, then confirm with your passcode, Face ID, or Touch ID.
• When it finishes, tap Open — or find the new Libby icon on your home screen.

Finding And Adding Your Library

The first time you open Libby, it gently walks you through setup. The main step is telling it which library is yours.

In our area you may see a shared library system that several towns belong to. If you are unsure which to pick, choose the one that matches the name on your card, or call your library and ask which to select.

• Open Libby. When it asks if you have a library card, tap Yes.
• Let Libby search by your location, or tap to search for a library by name.
• Type the name of your library or your town, then tap your library when it appears in the list.
• Tap it to confirm this is your library.

Signing In With Your Card

Now we tell Libby your card number so it knows you are a member. You do this just once — Libby remembers you after that.

That is the hardest part done, and it is behind you. From now on, Libby knows your card, and borrowing a book is just a tap or two. You will not have to type that number again.

• After choosing your library, tap Sign In With My Card.
• Type your library card number — the long number printed on your card. Type it carefully, with no spaces.
• If asked, type your PIN or password.
• Tap Sign In.

Finding Your Way Around Libby

Libby has only a few main areas, and they live along the bottom of the screen. Once you know them, nothing feels confusing.

Wherever you wander, tapping one of those bottom buttons brings you right back. Explore freely — you cannot break anything or accidentally buy anything by tapping around.

• Library: the building icon — browse the shelves and collections your library offers.
• Search: the magnifying glass — hunt for a specific book, author, or subject.
• Shelf: your own shelf — the books you have borrowed and the holds you are waiting on.
• The Libby menu (the round face icon) holds settings and help.

Searching For A Book

If you know what you want, Search is the fastest way to find it. You need only a title, an author, or even just a topic.

Tapping a cover shows the description, the author, how long it is, and whether it is available now or has a waitlist. It is just like reading the back cover before you check a book out.

• Tap Search (the magnifying glass) at the bottom.
• Tap the search box and type a book title, an author's name, or a subject like 'gardening' or 'World War Two.'
• Tap Search on the keyboard.
• Scroll through the results and tap any book cover to learn more about it.

Finding What You Can Borrow Right Now

Some popular books have a short waitlist, just like the paper copies do. But plenty of wonderful books are ready this very minute — and Libby can show you only those.

• After a search, look for a Refine or filter option near the top of the results.
• Choose Available Now to hide anything with a waitlist.
• You can also filter by Audiobooks or Ebooks if you want one kind only.

Borrowing A Book

This is the satisfying part. Borrowing takes one tap, and the book is yours to enjoy for a couple of weeks.

Most libraries let you borrow several books at a time — often around ten. Anything you borrow lands on your Shelf, waiting for you whenever you are ready.

• Tap a book that says Available.
• Tap the Borrow button.
• You may be offered a loan length — often 7, 14, or 21 days. Pick one and tap Borrow again to confirm.
• Tap Open Book to start right away, or Keep Browsing to find more.

Reading An Ebook

Reading in Libby is just like turning the pages of a real book, only lighter in your hands and easy to read in any light.

You never lose your page. Close the book, put the phone down, come back tomorrow — Libby opens right where you stopped, like a bookmark that can never fall out.

• Turn the page: tap the right edge of the screen, or swipe your finger from right to left.
• Go back a page: tap the left edge, or swipe left to right.
• Show the menus: tap once in the middle of the page.
• Leave the book: tap the middle, then the Back arrow. Libby remembers your exact spot.

Making The Text Bigger And Easier

There is no such thing as large-print running out here — you set the text to whatever size is comfortable, and you can change it any time.

• While reading, tap once in the middle of the page to show the menus.
• Tap the Aa button (or the reading settings icon).
• Drag the text size slider until the words are as large as you like.
• Try a different background — a cream or dark page is gentler on some eyes.

Listening To Audiobooks

An audiobook is a book read aloud by a narrator. It is a joy for long drives, gardening, or resting your eyes while still enjoying a good story.

• Borrow an audiobook and tap Open — audiobooks show a little headphones symbol.
• Tap the big play button to start, and the same button to pause.
• Use the small arrows to skip back or ahead by fifteen seconds if you miss a line.

Placing A Hold When There Is A Waitlist

The most popular books have only so many digital copies, so sometimes there is a line — just like waiting for a paper copy. Placing a hold saves your spot.

Go to your Shelf and tap Holds to see everything you are waiting on and about how long each will take. There is nothing more to do — Libby holds your spot for you.

• Open a book that shows Wait list instead of Available.
• Tap Place Hold.
• Confirm, and Libby adds it to your holds — you will see roughly how long the wait is.

When Your Hold Is Ready

When your turn comes around, Libby lets you know and sets the book aside for you. Here is what to expect and what to do.

When a hold is ready, you usually have a few days to tap Borrow and start it. If you are away or not ready, you can often choose Deliver Later to keep your place without losing it.

• Libby can send a notification to your phone when a hold is ready — a little message on your screen.
• You can also just open the app now and then and check your Shelf for the words 'ready to borrow.'

Your Shelf, And Renewing A Book

Your Shelf is where everything you have borrowed lives. It is also where you can keep a book longer if you need more time.

If you need longer, tap Manage Loan and look for Renew Loan. If no one else is waiting, Libby extends your time. If there is a waitlist, it may instead place a new hold so you get it again when your turn returns.

• Tap Shelf at the bottom to see your current Loans and Holds.
• Each loan shows how many days you have left with it.
• Tap a book to open it, or tap Manage Loan for more choices.

How Returns Happen Automatically

Here is the best part, and the reason so many folks fall in love with Libby: you can never, ever owe a late fee.

Finished ahead of time, or decided a book is not for you? Go to your Shelf, tap Manage Loan, and choose Return. That frees a spot on your card and passes the book to the next reader a little sooner.

• When your loan time is up, the book simply returns itself — nothing for you to do.
• There are no late fees, ever. A returned book just disappears from your Shelf.
• The book is not deleted from the world — you can borrow it again any time it is available.

Sending Library Ebooks To A Kindle

If you already love reading on a Kindle, you do not have to give that up. In the United States, Libby can send many library ebooks straight to your Kindle instead.

The book still returns itself when the loan is up, and there is still no charge — you are only choosing where to read it. Not every book offers the Kindle option, but a great many do.

• Borrow an ebook as usual in Libby.
• Instead of Open Book, look for Read With... and choose Kindle.
• Libby hands you over to the Amazon website to finish — sign in to your Amazon account when asked.
• Tap Get Library Book, and it appears on your Kindle the next time it connects to Wi-Fi.

Using Libby On Your iPad Too

Many folks like reading on the larger screen of an iPad. The good news is Libby works there exactly the same — and your books follow you between your devices.

Because it is the same library card, your Shelf, your loans, and even your place in a book appear on both the phone and the iPad. Start a chapter on the phone at the doctor's office and finish it on the iPad in your chair at home.

• On the iPad, open the App Store and search for Libby, just as you did on the phone.
• Install it and open it.
• Sign in with the same library and the same card number.

What's in the 27-page PDF

• Pages 3-7: What Libby is, what you need, installing it, and connecting your library card
• Pages 8-11: Finding your way around, searching, browsing what you can borrow right now, and borrowing a book
• Pages 12-14: Reading, making the text bigger, and listening to audiobooks
• Pages 15-18: Holds and waitlists, renewing, and how books return themselves
• Pages 19-22: Sending books to a Kindle, using it on your iPad, a cheat sheet, and a word list

Why I wrote this

I write these as printable handouts because a guide you can keep in a drawer beats a web page you have to find again. No jargon, no judgment, no rushing. If you'd rather have someone sit beside you and go through it together, that's a flat $99 first visit with the 30-day follow-up included — serving Portage County from Atwater, Ohio. — Bill