Class Handout · Savings 101Cheap101 · Professor Ima B. Cheap

Libby App: Free Ebooks, Audiobooks and Magazines With Your Library Card

Libby is the free library app from OverDrive. Borrow ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines from your public library on your phone, tablet, computer, or Kindle, with no fees and no late charges.

Professor Ima B. Cheap

“Library fines are the only detention I ever approved of. Libby took even those away, because the books return themselves. Frankly, I am a little disappointed in how easy it is to be good.”

Click to Save at Libby →Free with a library card. Opens Libby in a new tab.

What is Libby?

Libby is a free app made by OverDrive, the company that supplies digital books to thousands of public libraries. You sign in with your library card, and the app shows you your library’s digital collection: ebooks, audiobooks, and digital magazines. You borrow, read or listen, and when the loan period ends, the title quietly goes back on its own. No overdue notices, no late fees, no sheepish walk to the return slot.

Libby works on iPhones and iPads, Android phones and tablets, and newer Amazon Fire tablets. On a Windows computer, Mac, or Chromebook, you can use it right in your web browser at libbyapp.com.

Why I assign it to my students

  • It costs nothing. Your tax dollars already paid for the library. Libby just lets you collect.
  • Audiobooks without a subscription. Instead of paying a monthly fee to an audiobook service, you borrow the same kinds of titles free.
  • Magazines with no waiting. Many libraries offer digital magazines in Libby that you can read right away.
  • Big print on demand. You can enlarge the text and change the lighting, which tired eyes of every age appreciate.

How to use Libby, step by step

  1. Get a library card. See the section below if you do not have one yet.
  2. Install the app or open the website. Download Libby from your app store, or visit libbyapp.com in a browser.
  3. Find your library. Libby can search by name or location. Then sign in with your card number and PIN.
  4. Browse and borrow. Tap Borrow when a title is available. Popular books often have a waitlist, so tap Place Hold and Libby will tell you when it is your turn.
  5. Read or listen. Your loans live on your Shelf. You can download them for offline use, which is handy on a plane or in a waiting room.
  6. Prefer a Kindle? If you use a US library, you can send many borrowed ebooks to your Kindle. Open the loan, choose Read With, then Kindle, and finish on Amazon’s site.

Professor Ima’s quick tips

  • Add more than one library card. Libby lets you link cards from different libraries, which means more books and often shorter waits.
  • Use tags to build reading lists, such as “Book club” or “For the grandkids.”
  • Look for the Lucky Day clover. Some libraries set aside copies of popular titles that you can borrow right now, no line.
  • Not ready for a hold? Suspend it. You keep your place in line and pick it up when life calms down.
  • Tap Notify Me on a book your library does not own, and Libby can let you know if it gets added.

How to get a library card

Start with your local public library. Many offer a free eCard you can apply for online, which gets you into Libby within minutes. Others ask you to stop by with ID and proof of address. Some libraries also allow people who live or work nearby to join. In California, the San Francisco Public Library offers free cards to state residents, though you finish registration in person at a branch with photo ID. When in doubt, call your library and ask. Librarians love that question.

Who it’s great for

  • College students: Leisure reading and audiobooks for the commute without adding another bill to the pile.
  • Young families: Picture books, read-alongs, and chapter books, all returned automatically before anyone loses them under the couch.
  • Working adults: Audiobooks for the drive, the gym, or folding laundry.
  • Retirees: Adjustable text size, free magazines, and an endless book club that never charges dues.

Things to watch for

  • The collection, loan lengths, and how many items you can borrow or hold at once all depend on your library.
  • Bestsellers can have long waitlists. Place holds early and link extra cards.
  • Reading progress and highlights do not carry over between Libby and the Kindle.
  • Sending books to a Kindle is only available through US libraries, and not every title qualifies.

Frequently asked questions

Is Libby really free?

Yes. The app is free and your library pays for the books. You never pay to borrow.

What if my library has a long wait?

Try your library’s other free apps. Many also offer Hoopla, where many titles can be borrowed instantly with no waitlist, though your library sets a monthly borrowing limit.

Can I watch movies on Libby?

Libby focuses on reading and listening. For films, check whether your library offers Kanopy.

Homework assignment: Install Libby, sign in, and place one hold on a book you have been meaning to read since roughly the Clinton administration. Extra credit for adding a second library card.
Click to Save at Libby →Class dismissed. Please read quietly.

Professor Ima B. Cheap

Libby features, library collections, and borrowing rules change often and vary by library. Cheap101 is not affiliated with Libby or OverDrive. More handouts: Cheap101 Class Handouts · Free samples, freebies and rebates

Views: 0

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.