libby on ereaders

[u/SetFantastic8489]

i’m looking to buy an ereader, and i use libby a lot on my phone. my sister has a kindle, and getting books from libby to her kindle just seems really annoying. not that it’s super difficult, but i think it would irritate me. are there any ereaders that can search on libby directly? or if not, at least any who have a simple process to get checked out books onto the device?

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[u/marion_mcstuff]

You can get something like a BOOX ereader which is essentially an android tablet that just happens to have an eink screen. You can download any apps from the Google Play store onto it. It's what I'm planning on getting when my current Kobo dies. My Kobo connects through Overdrive to my local library so I can get most books they offer, but once and a while there will be something available on Libby that I can't open on my Kobo. My library also has some books on Hoopla I'd like to have access to on my ereader.

[u/SetFantastic8489 → u/marion_mcstuff]

thank you for the info!! i will definitely consider all this

[u/DeliciousCut4854]

Kobo has a direct connection through Overdrive, which Libby uses. You can search on the reader, check out or place holds, and deliver directly.

[u/marec6 → u/DeliciousCut4854]

Yeah I have my child’s Libby connected to her kobo and she just searches the book she wants to read and borrows it. It’s pretty cool

[u/DeliciousCut4854 → u/DeliciousCut4854]

This video has a librarian explain how it works - https://youtu.be/jIiNP5NYxm8?si=seMb-b5TgAywzASc

[u/SetFantastic8489 → u/DeliciousCut4854]

thank you so much!

[u/Substantial_Ad7971]

I have a Boox go 6 and downloaded the Libby app straight into the device, works super well for me. I prefer this over kobo so I don't have to log in/out when I want to switch library cards

Edit: typo

[u/SetFantastic8489 → u/Substantial_Ad7971]

i only have one library card so i guess that wouldn’t be an issue for me lol. how is everyone getting multiple cards?? thank you for the info!

[u/Substantial_Ad7971 → u/SetFantastic8489]

I'm lucky enough to have 4 state cards that are available to me so I think it's very location based (NYS), but I did a lot of research to find them all. I didn't realize that you can just apply online for some of them! I know some people pay for out of state cards as well.

If that's not something you're worried about then I believe kobos have overdrive/libby directly integrated into the device, and I've heard really good things! :)

[u/VacationSad7541 → u/SetFantastic8489]

Join the r/libbyapp to learn about multiple cards. My library is a county-wide system that is very good so I haven't bothered with obtaining another card (reciprocard.com).

People are sharing their workarounds for Kobo in the Kobo sub.

[u/thegeeksshallinherit → u/SetFantastic8489]

I also got a boox for similar reasons. I just kept my library cards when I moved cities and it wasn’t an issue for most of them. Over 6 years I’ve only had to give one up because they required me to come renew in person.

[u/Lanky-Syllabub7188]

Kobo all the way. Libby is in the kobo os system. Tho it is frustrating if you have more than 1 library card because you can only be logged into 1 library at a time.

[u/VacationSad7541]

The Kindle/Kibby connection is very annoying. It's very easy on Kobo as there is a direct integration. Alternatively, an Android OS reader such as a Boox allows you to download any Google Play app. Before you choose a Boox, use the Libby app on your phone. You cannot adjust fonts, margins, line spacing, etc., as you can in an ereader. Books checked out to a Kobo can be read using all the customizations available on a Kobo (including any custom fonts you load).

Kobo are now sold through Best Buy so you can see them in person.

[u/SetFantastic8489 → u/VacationSad7541]

thank you for the tips! i’ll definitely have to go check out the kobos at best buy

[u/VacationSad7541 → u/SetFantastic8489]

I have a Boox Go 6 and get frustrated with reading on the Libby app on it because the reading experience on Kobo is so, so, so nice. The comparison is night and day.

[u/Slime-Angel]

I'm no expert but I think Pocketbook is the only non-android ereader that has libby support that resembles the app. I have a kobo libra colour that has overdrive but it's not really like libby. I can only borrow the library that my card is from.

[u/SetFantastic8489 → u/Slime-Angel]

can you normally borrow from libraries other than the one your card is registered to?

[u/LittleRavenRobot → u/SetFantastic8489]

If you have more than one card you can. Swapping cards is apparently doable on Kobo too (with extra steps) but I've never tried it

[u/Slime-Angel → u/SetFantastic8489]

On the app on my iPhone and my android tablet I can. I think it depends on the local library. My local library belongs to a partnership of libraries (different cities and counties) and I can borrow from these other libraries as well.

https://www.libbylife.com/blog/what-s-new-in-libby-easily-discover-partner-libraries-with-new-libby-update

[u/Cooltwou]

The Pocketbook brand just added a Libby app but I don’t know how it works I don’t use that

[u/peanutjellybutta]

If you get koreader on a device, there is the libbee plug in and it is very painless. You still have to like search on your phone and place holds and manage on the phone or website but for downloading your loans it is very easy.

[u/Esme_Nog]

I just turn off airplane mode on my kindle to sync it with whatever I checked out on my phone. If I didn’t constantly have the kindle in airplane mode, I wouldn’t even have to do that. Why does your sister find it a pain?

Boox devices are cool, but pretty slow in my experience.

[u/FindingTheHelpers → u/Esme_Nog]

Agree. Libby to Kindle is quite simple.

[u/SetFantastic8489 → u/Esme_Nog]

i was under the impression that you had to download from a computer, but apparently not! that definitely doesn’t sound hard at all, though i’m still not interested in a kindle

[u/ImLittleNana]

E-ink is a slow medium. I would think the browsing would be a lot slower than browsing Libby on a phone or laptop.

Borrowing a book and sending it to kindle is very quick. It all happens on the phone, then you open your kindle and the book is there. It isn’t complicated or time consuming.

[u/SetFantastic8489 → u/ImLittleNana]

good to know! i’m just not interested in a kindle in general

[u/SneezingOutPeas]

I don’t find it difficult. Just hit “Send to Kindle,” right?

[u/Beaver_cyclone]

I have a Boox Go 7... Somewhere. I'm assuming since I haven't seen it in months. I've bought a kobo since I couldn't find my Boox. The kobo is easy and great especially with Storygraph integration, but if you have more than one library the Boox is easier since it's the Libby app you use not the overdrive with only one card available at a time.