Libby

Connecting directly to public library systems, Libby allows members to borrow and consume digital media using an active library card. The app provides access to participating libraries’ collections of ebooks, audiobooks, and digital magazines across genres ranging from current bestsellers to classics and children’s titles. A key capability is its integration with dedicated hardware and automotive systems, letting readers stream or download titles for offline use, send eligible ebooks directly to Kindle devices in the United States, or control audiobook playback through Android Auto.

Digital Catalog and Borrowing Workflow

Access begins by linking a valid library card to search and check out materials from a local branch’s catalog. Users can manage their loans within the interface, monitoring active due dates and checking their borrowing history. To organize future reading, the platform includes custom tagging tools, such as a dedicated Want to Read list, alongside automated interest-based recommendations. Content can be streamed immediately to save device storage or downloaded locally to continue reading and listening without an internet connection.

Reading Interface and Format Support

The built-in reader accommodates standard ebooks, graphic-heavy media like comic books and magazines, and cookbooks or children’s books. Visual preferences can be adjusted by changing the layout style, scaling the font size, or altering the background color. Readers can highlight passages, save bookmarks, leave personal notes, and define unfamiliar terminology using an integrated dictionary lookup tool. Reading progress automatically syncs across all linked devices.

Audiobook Playback Tools

The dedicated audio player includes specialized controls for spoken media, such as custom bookmarks with attached notes and standard skip-forward or skip-backward navigation. Listeners can set a sleep timer to pause playback automatically or fine-tune narrative pacing with variable playback speeds ranging from 0.6x up to 3.0x. For listening while driving, the interface integrates directly with Android Auto.