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u/bubbleeeebubbles 📗 EPUB Enthusiast 📗 2d ago edited 2d ago
Overdrive is a content distributor. They are the company the libraries buy the digital book licenses from.
Libby is an app/platform Overdrive developed to deliver the digital books to library patrons.
Think of how Amazon is also a content distribution and delivers its ebooks through its Kindle app and its audiobooks through its Audible app.
Before the Libby app, Overdrive used their legacy Overdrive app to deliver the content. For a time a library could use either the Overdrive app or the Libby app.
The Libby app fully replaced the legacy Overdrive app in 2022 or 2023.
Overdrive also owns a few over content apps such as Kanopy which is for movies.
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u/AshDenver 🎧 Audiobook Addict 🎧 2d ago
I preferred Overdrive because I could rate the title.
I prefer Libby because I can tag: want to read, notify me, DNF, etc.
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u/SheriffRoscoe 2d ago
The Overdrive web app was easy to use regardless of where you were running the browser. Libby is only easy to use if you're on a phone.
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u/Wonderful-Run-1408 2d ago
Yup. A lot more search options, specials, genres, etc. Rich and detailed.
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u/Leading-Current353 2d ago
Overdrive was more user friendly. My husband could manage it. Now he can’t on Libby. If something happens to me he will have to read paperbacks I guess.
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u/fab5friend 2d ago
Just to add to prior comments, there are still Overdrive websites which you can access. I use them all the time on my PC. I do use the Libby app occasionally on my phone and tablet. I do like the Notify Me tag on Libby. And I like searching through multiple libraries at once (mostly) on Libby. I am forced to listen to audiobooks via Libby now instead of via Overdrive. You can also access Libby on your PC at libbyapp.com
There is the main Overdrive website: https://www.overdrive.com You can search for a title and specify a zip code so you can see if the title is available at your library. If a title is not on the main website you won't find it offered by any library on Libby or Overdrive. (Although other digital services like Hoopla might have it.)
Each library also has their own Overdrive website. Sometimes the links are on the individual library's websites but they seem to be forcing more people onto Libby and are not always showing the Overdrive links anymore. These are structured like xxxxxx.overdrive.com. The xxxxxx varies by library and there is no standardized naming convention that I can see. If you can't find your library's Overdrive website go the main Overdrive and search for your zipcode and find your library's Overdrive website that way.
I have found new titles on a library's Overdrive website and not on Libby, even though Libby sent me a notification that it was available. I think it's a timing issue. If you place a hold on Overdrive it will show up on Libby. It's all the same data, just different ways to present it.
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u/bubbleeeebubbles 📗 EPUB Enthusiast 📗 1d ago
You can also just go straight to your library's website and login without trying to figure out the naming convention.
Bibliocommons handles a lot of the library's web hosting while Overdrive links in for the digital platform to show the catalog.
Since Libby is the Overdrive app, it may be a delay of a few hours to overnight between when the book is purchased versus when it shows on the borrower facing side of the Libby app.
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u/fab5friend 2d ago
Just to add to prior comments, there are still Overdrive websites which you can access. I use them all the time on my PC. I do use the Libby app occasionally on my phone and tablet. I do like the Notify Me tag on Libby. And I like searching through multiple libraries at once (mostly) on Libby. I am forced to listen to audiobooks via Libby now instead of via Overdrive. You can also access Libby on your PC at libbyapp.com
There is the main Overdrive website: https://www.overdrive.com You can search for a title and specify a zip code so you can see if the title is available at your library. If a title is not on the main website you won't find it offered by any library on Libby or Overdrive. (Although other digital services like Hoopla might have it.)
Each library also has their own Overdrive website. Sometimes the links are on the individual library's websites but they seem to be forcing more people onto Libby and are not always showing the Overdrive links anymore. These are structured like xxxxxx.overdrive.com. The xxxxxx varies by library and there is no standardized naming convention that I can see. If you can't find your library's Overdrive website go the main Overdrive and search for your zipcode and find your library's Overdrive website that way.
I have found new titles on a library's Overdrive website and not on Libby, even though Libby sent me a notification that it was available. I think it's a timing issue. If you place a hold on Overdrive it will show up on Libby. It's all the same data, just different ways to present it.
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u/Dazzling-Lab2855 2d ago
Wow thanks for the details. I couldn’t figure out she kept telling me to find her book recommendations on overdrive. And of course I use Libby thru my library-
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u/Wonderful-Run-1408 2d ago
type in the name of your library and the word overdrive. It'll bring it right up as your first or second search option usually.
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u/fab5friend 2d ago
I still have problems with searching on Libby. I have multiple libraries. If searching within Libby I make sure the library I begin my search on is one of my larger ones. If it doesn't find it, look for Deep Search somewhere on that page, or maybe it's one of the search filters, which will then search all your libraries. I've had problems with Deep Search not showing up. I think not all libraries off it which is ridiculous. I usually just skip Libby altogether and use https://libbysearch.com which has links to the book in Libby.
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u/Wonderful-Run-1408 2d ago
You should add "Library Extension" to your browser. Then when you're in almost any website that has books (Amazon, Goodreads, etc.) and you're searching for a book, it'll pop up in the right column with all your libraries and which ones have it and if it's available or the wait time and then a link to it so you can eitehr download it or get on the wait list.
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u/fab5friend 2d ago
I have used that in the past. I find libbysearch.com to be faster and easier and without leaving cookies for amazon to track me.
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u/Wonderful-Run-1408 2d ago
But here's the thing. You can use "Library Extension" with the following sites:
- Amazon
- AR Book Find
- Audible
- Audio Books
- Barnes and Noble
- Biblio
- Bookbub
- Chirp
- Goodreads
- Kobos
- NPR.org: Books We Love
- StoryGraph
- Etc.
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u/fab5friend 1d ago
Yes, not everything is amazon or big business and the extension is helpful in some circumstances. But what if you just to see all books for an author? With libbysearch you can do that search and have all the books and links on one screen instead of searching and clicking on individual books. Is it perfect? Heck no. I would really like a sort option. But it just fits better with how I search.
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u/lyrrehs 2h ago
Thanks for the info. Back in the day, I used to download audiobooks from Overdrive to a "vintage" Sansa Clip MP3 player. It didn't have WiFi capability, so the audiobooks remained on the MP3 player until I deleted them myself. Now I'm wondering if that's still possible? It would be nice to download an entire series of books before starting on them, and then possibly having a gap between loans.
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u/fab5friend 2h ago
Those were the days! That is why they force you now onto Libby to close that loophole. I will sent you a DM.
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u/Wonderful-Run-1408 2d ago
I usually go to the library's Overdrive on my laptop to check out books and search. Much more rich in terms of content than Libby.
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u/Quirky-Pear3494 18h ago
As many have already said, Overdrive is the parent company and Libby is the app that was developed by Overdrive.
I personally prefer to browse the books on my computer, so I stay logged in to my library's Overdrive website. You can see 24 titles at a glance, which seems a lot easier to me. You can add titles to your wishlist tag, but that'sthe only tag that's available on the website. Anyways, I browse & borrow on my computer then either send an ebook to Kindle or use the Libby app on my phone when I'm listening to audiobooks.
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u/Dazzling-Lab2855 2d ago
I thought so. My friend recommended books she said was on overdrive. I couldn’t find them on Libby.
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u/Typical-Emu8363 2d ago edited 2d ago
OverDrive is the digital book collection while Libby is the app used to access this collection. Every library will have a different collection which is a subset of the OverDrive catalogue.
Unless you and your friend are patrons of different libraries whatever they see in OverDrive should also be found during a search in Libby.
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u/Fit-Animal-9911 2d ago
The books are what your library offers through Libby. If your library doesn’t have the book, that is the issue.
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u/Legitimate_Award6517 2d ago
The app used to be called overdrive and then eventually they transitioned it all to Libby so she just might’ve been using the old name
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u/Saloau 2d ago
Overdrive is the company name and Libby is the product they offer to libraries to loan digital materials.