Getting started with the Libby App

Use the Libby App on your tablet or smartphone to enjoy digital books (& magazines) from the ORL’s OverDrive collection.

Watch a tutorial or read the instructions below... 

Video tutorials for your type of smartphone or tablet

Watch the tutorial for Android Smartphones and Tablets

Watch the tutorial for iPhone and iPads

 

Download the Libby App

Get the Libby App for free from your app store, available for:

Note: The Libby app is not available to download for Windows devices. You can use Libby in your web browser at libbyapp.com and enjoy books and magazines online.

 

Add your library card to the Libby App

When you first open the Libby App, follow the on-screen prompts to add your library name, Okanagan Regional Library, and to add your library card number (no spaces), and your PIN.(Unsure of your PIN? Reset your PIN code online if your email address is associated with your library account).

After your information is entered, the ORL’s OverDrive digital book collection will open in the Libby App.

 

Find eBooks, eAudiobooks

To search for a book, tap the Search icon (Magnifying Glass) at the bottom of the screen and enter the title, author, or topic.   

To browse through collection, tap the Library icon (Library Building), then tap on a featured guide or list.

Tap on the cover image of the book if you want to see its info page, which has book summaries, samples series info, and lending options.  

 

Borrow or Place Holds on Books

You can see if a book is available or not on search results pages or the book’s info page

Placing Holds

A Place Hold link means the book is out on loan to another patron. Tap on Place Hold to be put on a waiting list for digital books out on loan.

When your hold becomes available, you will be notified, and you will have a 3-day window go to your Shelf and borrow your book.

Borrowing

A Borrow link means the book is available.

Tap Borrow check-out the book.

On the next screen, confirm or change your loan period. Tap the underlined loan period link and select the new loan period (7, 14, or 21 days - The loan period you choose will also be used for the next book you borrow).

Tap Borrow! to confirm.

On the You have borrowed screen, you have three option you can choose

  • Open Book or Open Audiobook – Start reading or listening right away! If you are on a Wi-Fi connection, the book will immediately download. Download completion is indicated by the checkmark icon found next to the cover image of the book.
  • Keep Browsing – To find more digital books to borrow.
  • Go To Shelf – To view all of your current Loans and Holds. 

 

Download your Book

If you are on a Wi-Fi connection, your book gets downloaded to your Shelf immediately. Tap Open Book to start enjoying it right away. 

If your book has not already downloaded, you can do so from the Shelf screen:

Tap the Download icon (cloud and arrow) next to the cover image of the book

In the box that appears, tap Download to confirm.   

Once the download is complete, tap Open in Libby and enjoy!

 

Read or Listen Online 

If your book Download icon (cloud and arrow) next to it, that means it is not yet downloaded and you can read or listen to it over an internet connection (Wi-Fi recommended). 

This option is useful if you want to save space on your mobile device. Just tap the cover image to start reading!

 

Managing your Download Settings

The default download setting for the Libby App is that loans will download automatically over a Wi-Fi connection.

You can change these settings in the app.

  • Tap the Shelf icon (Bookstack)
  • Tap Loans.
  • Tap Actions.
  • Tap Change Download Rules.

Follow the on-screen directions to select the options you want.

 

Renewals

You can renew a book within 3 days of the end of its lending period.  

  • Open the Libby App.
  • Tap Shelf icon.
  • Tap Loans.
  • Tap Manage Loan.
  • Tap Renew Loan, then Renew to confirm. 

The item’s new loan period begins the day of the renewal.

If there are holds on the book, you will see a Place a Hold link instead. Tap on this link to request the book again, you will be added to the waiting list for the book. 

 

Early Returns

Books are automatically removed from your library account on its due date. You can return them early, too:

  • Open the Libby App.
  • Tap Shelf icon.
  • Tap Loans.
  • Tap Manage Loan.
  • Tap Return Early, then Return to confirm. 

 

Manage Notifications

The Libby App offers push notifications, these are messages that appear on the screen of the smartphone or tablet you are using Libby on. They tell you when holds are ready, when loans are expiring, and more.

You can manage which notifications to receive, or you set up the app so that you receive emailed notifications.

Managing push notifications

You can choose which notifications you would like to receive from the Libby App, here is how to do it: 

From the Libby App.

  • Tap the Menu icon (≡) at the bottom of the screen.
  • Tap Manage Notifications (you may need to swipe to clear any notifications that are currently there).
  • Tap the options on-screen to choose how you would like to be notified about what is happening with your book: Ignore means no notification, Menu badge displays an in-app menu notification, and Notification means you get a push notification.

These notifications are device-specific - if you have Libby App on your smartphone and on your tablet, you can set up Manage Notifications for each one so that notifications do not display on your smartphone and that they are displayed on your tablet.

Set up Email Notifications

If you have a smartphone or tablet that doesn’t support push notifications (or if you have push notifications turned off for your apps through your device's settings), you can receive notifications by email. The Libby App will display notifications in its menu, by default, so here is how to set up email notifications.

From the Libby App.

  • Tap the Menu icon (≡).
  • Tap Settings, then Manage Notifications.
  • A Receive Email Notifications option may appear in the Manage Notifications menu, if you need set your email address.
  • Next, you can select Email Notice when you want to be emailed about your digital book.
  • To change your email address, scroll down to the bottom of the Manage Notifications screen and select the Change this? link.

 

More Libby App Features

See your Timeline (clock icon)

Your timeline displays all titles you’ve borrowed, placed on hold, renewed, and returned. Tap Actions to manage your timeline.

Using Tags

Tags help you organize books you’ve read or want to read. They’re for your personal use (and are not shared with your library or OverDrive).

  • Tag items: Tap Tag on a book or magazine’s info page, choose a tag from the list, slide the panel down to close it.
  • Find Tagged items: Go to your Shelf (Bookstack icon), tap Tags at the top of the screen.
  • Create new Tags: From your Shelf, tap Tags, Actions, then New Tag. Name your tag, tap Create.
  • Export Tags: Save your tags if you ever need to remove the Libby app. From your Shelf, tap Tags, tap the Tag to save, tap Actions, then Export Tag.

Please note: While tags now sync across devices, you may wish to export and save your tags as a precaution if you ever need to deleted and re-install the Libby App.

Customize your search results

Keep filter or sorting options for future searches so you’ll only see content your want in your search results.

From your search results screen, tap the filter or sort option you want to keep, tap Pin Filter or Pin Sort. Note: Not all filters or sort options can be pinned.


 

Need Further Help?

Did you get a new library card? Update your card on the Libby App

Tap the Menu icon (≡), then Manage Cards.

Tap Actions on the old library card.

Tap Remove Card, then Yes, Remove Card.

Next, tap Add a Card, and follow the prompts to enter your new library card number and PIN code. Your loans and holds associated with your old card will now appear for your new card.  

For complete instructions, visit the Libby Help site.

 

View OverDrive's Libby App help site

https://help.libbyapp.com

 

Or, get in touch with the ORL

Call us at 1-844-649-8127.

Email help@orl.bc.ca, in your email, please include:

  • any error message you’ve received
  • your ORL library card number
  • the title(s) of the book(s) you are attempting to download
  • the type of media player or eReading device you are using
  • your computer’s operating system
  • indicate you are using the ORL eBooks collection 

Note: If your ORL card has expired. you'll be unable to borrow from this collection. Call your library branch to renew an expired card. 

eLibrary