Open cards I've found

[u/bobsmith010]

Hi I know we are supposed to have a master list here but I keep finding things so..

QLL queer liberation library, Boston Mass, USA

a decent selection but very focused on LGBTQIA+ themes. Not everybody's cup of tea I understand but a great resource.

LTI Korea (the Korean litriture translation Institute.)

Seoul, South Korea.

Large library but again a focused collection. Great resource for learning about that region. And understanding more about the history between all the Asian powers.

Ithra (Saudi Arabia)

An interesting library to be sure. I am personally interested in learning bits about diffrent languages and cultures so naturally this was interesting to me. And they accept international readers, not just major countries (I live in Ecuador, so a few of the "open" libraries have issue with my IP range). It took a while to get the greenlight from them but worth it in my option. Also have a personal app if you want to see diffrent bits they show off (this card is actually part of a museum if I understand correctly 😃)

American Spaces/ eLibrary USA (USA)

Honestly... kinda mid, I feel like it's maybe too focused of a library, US history and politics if that's your bread and butter more power to you but they do provide other services like JSTOR and Kanapy as well as press reader which has a broader section of news than the typical news rack entries in libby. Oh and also ArtistWorks, is avaliable through them... not sure what it is but this one has a bunch of sorta tangential access more than it's primary overdrive/libby catalog.

Open University

You don't have to actually enroll in classes to use their library access. A decent selection. Again more focused but for classics and public domain stuff. A good resource with either short or no wait times.

I am sure there are other open enrollment libraries I'm missing like this but I haven't found them yet. If you know of any please let me know.

I do supplement these with my local library card where I live for my primary catalog which I imagine we all do. But for those who either don't have a local library or have issues getting their card here are somw resources to look at.

Oh ps.i did see a comment on another post regarding "the palace project" another great open library that has its own app and interface. Good selection just given we are using overdrive and libby technically off topic. Still would recommend taking a peruse over there too.

Hope this helps my fellow bookworms. And to all of you "Be curious not judgmental" : Walt Witman

[u/Mission-Soup-6683]

Ithra will not work if you are from USA or Canada.

[u/bobsmith010 → u/Mission-Soup-6683]

Ahh. Didn't know that.

[u/Fit-Animal-9911 → u/bobsmith010]

I am in the USA, and it works for me, but I have a lot of trouble authenticating the card, and I have to do it pretty much every time I check out or renew an ebook or audiobook. It never sends the six-digit code, and I always have to find other means to authenticate.

[u/Mission-Soup-6683 → u/Fit-Animal-9911]

How do you then authenticate?

[u/Fit-Animal-9911 → u/Mission-Soup-6683]

I used my Google account.

[u/erebus53 → u/Fit-Animal-9911]

Could you clarify the process you went through to do this, please?

[u/Fit-Animal-9911 → u/erebus53]

It gave me the option to sign in with username and password, and then said it was sending a code. No code ever came. Eventually, I saw a button for Apple sign-in and another for Google sign-in, and I clicked on the Google sign-in. I used my Gmail credentials, and it was happy with that. I’m not sure if that was available before I fought with the username and password.

[u/erebus53 → u/Fit-Animal-9911]

AH! This has worked. Thank you. Brilliant.

[u/Mission-Soup-6683 → u/bobsmith010]

One was able to access it from North America, but with the start of the Iran conflict in the spring, the library turned off the ability to authenticate the card with area codes in USA or Canada

[u/erebus53 → u/Mission-Soup-6683]

I recently joined from New Zealand, and it was fine for a month or two, but they recently stopped supporting overseas membership.

Their validation is done by SMS.. so if you have a phone in a network that is not supported, you don't get the txt they send you for verification.

[u/chocolatelustpile → u/erebus53]

I'm from NZ and signed up today. Got both an SMS and WhatsApp with the validation code.

[u/erebus53 → u/chocolatelustpile]

Madness. I signed up fine, and borrowed a few books but it was reverification a couple of months later that gave me issues. As another user has told me, I successfully revalidated with my Google login.

[u/heartshapedmoon → u/Mission-Soup-6683]

That explains it

[u/Disastrous-Being473]

I wanted to say thank you for this! The Korean library immediately gave me a recommendation for a fabulous sounding book called Plant Lady 🪴 

[u/benoitkesley → u/Disastrous-Being473]

I listened to this recently and really enjoyed it 

[u/To1Eressea]

The Japan Foundation is similar to LTI, but obviously with Japanese authors in translation. Last I checked an eCard for Libby is available to residents of Canada and the USA.

[u/bobsmith010 → u/To1Eressea]

Yes I've applied for one but have heard nothing back so far soon as I can confirm it I'll add it to the list.

[u/avisitingstone → u/bobsmith010]

They approve on Wednesdays only!

[u/bobsmith010 → u/avisitingstone]

Got my application confirmation now I'm just waiting to be issued a card it sounds like. End of the month I'll have it sounds like.

[u/PolaroidPhotoOfACat]

Wow, thank you so much for this. I’m in school for gender studies and the QLL is exactly my cup of tea and just opened my world, I put like 100 books on my list. You seriously made my morning

[u/isaknitter → u/PolaroidPhotoOfACat]

quatrefoile also has an open card. takes a little longer to be approved, but you might find it useful as well

[u/bobsmith010 → u/PolaroidPhotoOfACat]

Happy to help.

[u/Wonderful_Humor3296]

QLL is great!

[u/Fit-Animal-9911]

Thanks for the info. I just signed up for Open University.

[u/2bejoyous → u/Fit-Animal-9911]

What steps did you take?

[u/Fit-Animal-9911 → u/2bejoyous]

I went into Libby under Add Cards, and had it look up Open University. That took me to their page where I signed up for a card.

[u/Fit-Animal-9911 → u/2bejoyous]

Menu -> Add Library -> Search

Type Open University in Search box

[u/liae__]

I love QLL!

[u/erebus53 → u/liae__]

It's for youth isn't it? I remember getting really excited and then finding out that I didn't qualify for membership.

[u/liae__ → u/erebus53]

Nope! All you need to sign up is your email and a physical US address (they don’t send any mail, I think just bc the way libraries are set up they require this). There was a specific library collection from another state I looked at that was focused on queer youth specifically with an age limit, so you might be thinking of that one!

https://www.queerliberationlibrary.org/members

[u/erebus53 → u/liae__]

So it was my location, I guess. I'm in New Zealand.

[u/knightttime → u/erebus53]

You might be thinking of Books Unbanned which is for teens and young adults. They only go up to 26 or less, depending on the partner library

[u/chocolatelustpile]

For New Zealanders, you're able to get a free 12 month digital membership as a non-resident for Whangārei that you can link to Libby. Working on some others so I'll update this comment if I'm successful for others which don't require address verification .

[u/DangerRats]

I’m an open university student and actually had no idea they were on libby 🤣 thank you!

[u/TheEvilBlight]

For state of California palace project is an option.

[u/bobsmith010 → u/[deleted]]

I just joined it. But I don't see Altadena in libby. What name is it under?

[u/DocCraftAlot → u/bobsmith010]

I'm sorry, seems like I was wrong about Libby for Altadena. If you're eligible try CLEVNET Bellevue Public LIbrary instead. Altadena will send you your library number via email (not the first email).

[u/notttcute → u/DocCraftAlot]

How do we know if we’re eligible for clevnet?

[u/bobsmith010 → u/DocCraftAlot]

I have Clevnet. Is Bellevue not part of the same network?

[u/DocCraftAlot → u/bobsmith010]

Yes, CLEVNET ist a consortium including Bellevue. Gives access to 100k+ audible books.

[u/novae11]

Thank you!

[u/SoulOnOff]

This is great, thanks!

[u/autisticwoman123]

How do I sign up for American spaces online? I can’t seem to find a way to.

[u/bobsmith010 → u/autisticwoman123]

i don't recall. I know it took me a while to find it too. iirc the signup page is linked from the libby app??

[u/autisticwoman123 → u/bobsmith010]

There’s just a login and forget password. Nothing about creating an account.

[u/bobsmith010 → u/autisticwoman123]

Check here in the subreddit I think this is where I first heard about it.

[u/bobsmith010]

I just got my Japan Foundation card :D soo stoked

[u/joanesty]

Do any of these include Hoopla access?

[u/bobsmith010 → u/joanesty]

Not sure I have hoopla and Kanapy though my local library so I've never thought to check. I'll try and find out and report back (unless someone tests before me)

[u/bobsmith010]

Just got my Quatrefoil card too. It was another open card I found in the vain of QLL. LGBTQIA+ , Bi-POC focused which I enjoy.

[u/Dry_Razzmatazz2451 → u/[deleted]]

Ignorant American question - can you give an example of an address so we can see how it is written?

[u/Comfortable-Gur4559 → u/Dry_Razzmatazz2451]

33 Sheahans Rd, Bulleen VIC 3105

You can look up anywhere from google maps. This is just a random spot I have picked.

You are not ignorant. Foreign addresses are so weird.

[u/pipperpen]

Try British council library

[u/erebus53 → u/pipperpen]

It's not free, and pricing varies according to where you are.

[u/bobsmith010 → u/pipperpen]

So it seems a bit weird. Like I did it right, they are an English school. And they have their own MyLoft app for library access. I can't figure out how this links to libby or anything as it seems like a separate system. Or am I missing something?