{"slug": "libby", "name": "Libby", "category": "dev-libs", "category_name": "Libraries and frameworks", "description": "", "recommenders": 3, "commenters": 6, "warners": 0, "score": 3.645, "rising": -0.98, "first": "2026-06-06", "latest": "2026-10-12", "why": "you can connect to your local library with an app named \"libby\". I used this frequently on my Android phone to download books and magazines", "why_is_quote": true, "has_verdict": false, "sentiment": {"recommend": 3, "neutral": 3, "compare": 0, "warn": 0}, "spark": [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 2, 0, 0, 0], "listed": true, "loved": [], "caveat": "", "short_quote": "you can connect to your local library with an app named \"libby\". I used this frequently on my Android phone to download books and magazines", "icon": true, "domain": null, "github_repo": null, "official_url": "https://libbyapp.com", "pricing": "", "aliases": ["Libby"], "verdict": null, "praise": [{"label": "", "summary": "", "quotes": [{"id": 784226880, "item_id": 49014180, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49014180", "by": "TMWNN", "date": "2026-07-22", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I love how, with ebooks (first Overdrive, now Libby), when I hear about an interesting book, I can within 30 seconds search for it across multiple libraries, borrow it", "excerpt": "I read at night in bed. I love how, with ebooks (first Overdrive, now Libby), when I hear about an interesting book, I can within 30 seconds search for it across multiple libraries, borrow it, and send it to my Kindle.", "context": "reads in bed at night", "use_case": "borrowing library ebooks", "switched_from": "Overdrive", "story": "Quality non-fiction books are the antithesis of AI slop"}, {"id": 782296384, "item_id": 48893524, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48893524", "by": "picklesman", "date": "2026-07-13", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I use Libby and I have a few library cards and an audible subscription.", "excerpt": "I use Libby and I have a few library cards and an audible subscription. There are also other less ethical ways that I use, though to compensate I buy the books I really like in physical form.", "context": "", "use_case": "borrowing audiobooks", "switched_from": "", "story": "How to Read More Books"}, {"id": 774908736, "item_id": 48431796, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48431796", "by": "wpollock", "date": "2026-06-06", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "you can connect to your local library with an app named \"libby\". I used this frequently on my Android phone to download books and magazines", "excerpt": "For what it's worth, in the U.S. at least you can connect to your local library with an app named \"libby\". I used this frequently on my Android phone to download books and magazines, and you can connect with the InterLibrary Loan system too. My use of the public library is much, much higher than before, when I had to travel to the physical library branch to check out books or read magazines.", "context": "Android user in the U.S.", "use_case": "borrowing library books and magazines", "switched_from": "", "story": "The New Bibliomaniacs"}]}], "caveats": [], "who": [{"by": "dleslie", "context": "Canadian", "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49789023", "date": "2026-09-21"}, {"by": "TMWNN", "context": "reads in bed at night", "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49014180", "date": "2026-07-22"}, {"by": "wpollock", "context": "Android user in the U.S.", "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48431796", "date": "2026-06-06"}], "tags": [], "use_cases": ["borrowing audiobooks", "library access", "borrowing library ebooks", "borrowing library books and magazines"], "compared": [], "makers": [], "threads": [{"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50060674", "title": "Publishers Killed the Paperback, Then Blamed Readers", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49784336", "title": "Disney+: New user agreement allows ads before movies in all subscriptions", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49007247", "title": "Quality non-fiction books are the antithesis of AI slop", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48882056", "title": "How to Read More Books", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48455779", "title": "Ask HN: Where do you like to consume content anymore?", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48424125", "title": "The New Bibliomaniacs", "mentions": 1}], "sentiment_by_month": {"2025-11": {}, "2025-12": {}, "2026-01": {}, "2026-02": {}, "2026-03": {}, "2026-04": {}, "2026-05": {}, "2026-06": {"recommend": 1, "neutral": 1}, "2026-07": {"recommend": 2}, "2026-08": {}, "2026-09": {"neutral": 1}, "2026-10": {"neutral": 1}}, "quotes": [{"id": 801010304, "item_id": 50063144, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50063144", "by": "stvltvs", "date": "2026-10-12", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "Once I'm done borrowing an audiobook from the library through Libby or Hoopla", "excerpt": "Agreed that they're overpriced. For some reason, I rarely want to own a DRM-ridden audiobook, especially at those prices. (The Lord of the Rings as read by Andy Serkis and The Buffalo Hunter Hunter are two recent exceptions that you should check out.) Once I'm done borrowing an audiobook from the library through Libby or Hoopla, I might buy a physical book if I liked it enough. I usually don't foresee myself listenin", "context": "", "use_case": "borrowing audiobooks", "switched_from": "", "story": "Publishers Killed the Paperback, Then Blamed Readers"}, {"id": 796624369, "item_id": 49789023, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49789023", "by": "dleslie", "date": "2026-09-21", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "My local library has access to Kanopy, Libby, and Blackstone.", "excerpt": "I highly recommend asking if your library has access to Kanopy. It's a video streaming service for libraries, and works on a monthly token system. My local library has access to Kanopy, Libby, and Blackstone. And as a Canadian, I've got CBC gem as well. The available library of films, documentaries, books, and so forth is enormous. All bereft of ads, and mostly bereft of slop.", "context": "Canadian", "use_case": "library access", "switched_from": "", "story": "Disney+: New user agreement allows ads before movies in all subscriptions"}, {"id": 784226880, "item_id": 49014180, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49014180", "by": "TMWNN", "date": "2026-07-22", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I love how, with ebooks (first Overdrive, now Libby), when I hear about an interesting book, I can within 30 seconds search for it across multiple libraries, borrow it", "excerpt": "I read at night in bed. I love how, with ebooks (first Overdrive, now Libby), when I hear about an interesting book, I can within 30 seconds search for it across multiple libraries, borrow it, and send it to my Kindle.", "context": "reads in bed at night", "use_case": "borrowing library ebooks", "switched_from": "Overdrive", "story": "Quality non-fiction books are the antithesis of AI slop"}, {"id": 782296384, "item_id": 48893524, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48893524", "by": "picklesman", "date": "2026-07-13", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I use Libby and I have a few library cards and an audible subscription.", "excerpt": "I use Libby and I have a few library cards and an audible subscription. There are also other less ethical ways that I use, though to compensate I buy the books I really like in physical form.", "context": "", "use_case": "borrowing audiobooks", "switched_from": "", "story": "How to Read More Books"}, {"id": 775323011, "item_id": 48457688, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48457688", "by": "dlcarrier", "date": "2026-06-09", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "I also borrow audiobooks from Libby", "excerpt": "I watch YouTube videos on FreeTube, SmartTube, and PipePipe, from my computer, TV, and phone, respectively. Really, I use PipePipe on my phone for podcasts, and the computer and phone for video. I subscribe to over 400 channels (locally, not through a Google account) and use a chronological feed, so I just see what I'm interested in. Both video and podcasts are a mix of educational, edutainment, entertainment, and ne", "context": "", "use_case": "borrowing audiobooks", "switched_from": "", "story": "Ask HN: Where do you like to consume content anymore?"}, {"id": 774908736, "item_id": 48431796, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48431796", "by": "wpollock", "date": "2026-06-06", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "you can connect to your local library with an app named \"libby\". I used this frequently on my Android phone to download books and magazines", "excerpt": "For what it's worth, in the U.S. at least you can connect to your local library with an app named \"libby\". I used this frequently on my Android phone to download books and magazines, and you can connect with the InterLibrary Loan system too. My use of the public library is much, much higher than before, when I had to travel to the physical library branch to check out books or read magazines.", "context": "Android user in the U.S.", "use_case": "borrowing library books and magazines", "switched_from": "", "story": "The New Bibliomaniacs"}]}