# R U a fan of books?



## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

I recently made a discovery, thanks to my son’s advice. I’m pretty immobile, and even going to the library is difficult. But there’s a free smartphone app named Libby that lets you sign in with your library if you have a library card. Libby is in the Google Play store and I assume wherever Apple places its apps.

I installed it and am just getting started. You can search all the books and other media that your library carries, and “check out” whatever you like.

You can download (for instance) audiobooks and listen to them on your phone. When your 21 days are up, unless you extend, the audiobook will disappear from your phone.

You can also download regular books. You can read them using Libby’s viewer or, if you want a bigger screen, you can have them sent to your Kindle. (I just did this and it works great.) Again, your access period is based on the library’s normal policy.

As in real life, only a limited number of copies are available, so you may be put on a waiting list for popular items. I assume that you’ll be notified when your number comes up (haven’t experienced this yet).

Anyway, I thought this was very kewl! Others interested in books may want to check it out.


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## Larkenfield (Jun 5, 2017)

Glad to know about Libbie. Libraries can still be a great convenience and treasure trove of resources. I built a personal library of audiobooks and classical recordings for my own personal use without cost from a convenient network that literally connects 39 community libraries, and when the item comes it I can pick it up locally. I collected over 50 unique recordings of the Mahler symphonies as part of my permanent collection and saved a fortune by uploading them when on loan. But then, I've loved libraries since the beginning because I could follow my own interests and patrons would make donations to benefit the community.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

I have to get hard copy books. I don't like reading on a device or computer.


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## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

Fritz Kobus said:


> I have to get hard copy books. I don't like reading on a device or computer.


I'm with you on that! Admittedly I'm ok with certain types of reference books on a device, but I have never succeeded in reading a novel on a screen.

I haven't tried Libby properly, but it found our local library here in Oxfordshire, so it should be ok here across the UK too.


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## DaveM (Jun 29, 2015)

A few years ago, I signed up to 3 librairies in the Los Angeles area so as to have a good choice using Libby. It’s a great service. My only (limited) gripe is that more recent best-seller books are often not available. You can get in a queue for them, but I often get impatient and head to Amazon.

I’m a big Kindle user. Can’t remember the last time I read a regular hardcover book.


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## bharbeke (Mar 4, 2013)

How is using Libby better than going to your library's website (unless the library does not have enough functionality on their website)? I can choose between hard copy, e-audio, and ebooks there, too.


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

Fritz Kobus said:


> I have to get hard copy books. I don't like reading on a device or computer.


I often have insomnia, and my wife really objects when I turn the light on to read - so Kindle it is!

E-books have some other significant advantages. I tend to read a lot of nonfiction in hardcover, and since I like to read while lying on the couch, that can be a challenge - if I doze off, I might drop the book on my nose and do serious damage.

It's also an advantage when taking a long trip - instead of weighing down my suitcase with 4-5 books, I just carry my iPad and/or my Kindle.

With my Kindle or other e-device, I also don't need to worry about lighting. I usually arrive at concerts early, and the light in the hall is almost never sufficient to read a print book.


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

Hoopla is a similar app, with a somewhat different catalogue. I've used both. Hoopla also offers music.


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## jegreenwood (Dec 25, 2015)

bharbeke said:


> How is using Libby better than going to your library's website (unless the library does not have enough functionality on their website)? I can choose between hard copy, e-audio, and ebooks there, too.


That's what I do with the New York Public Library. Maybe they have an app, but unless I know what I want in advance (rare) I need more screen space than an iPhone.

I also love the fact that the NYPL will transfer a book to my local branch, and I can return it to any branch.


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## ECraigR (Jun 25, 2019)

I’ve tried using various apps, but I’m a hardcore book lover. I’ve a small library of over a thousand volumes and am currently studying library science in graduate school. But I’m glad to hear that apps and devices work for some people!


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## Guest (Jul 12, 2019)

My library system uses Hoopla, which I mostly use for the music.

I don't like checking out books from the library anymore. Something about if I know I have a limited time to read it, I'll never finish. If I own the book, I'll finish it in a week. If I check it out from the library, I'll never finish it.

I read almost everything on my Kindle. I thought I would hate it. I thought I would need a physical book in my hand. But I have a vast library on my Kindle that I can access in seconds, regardless of where I am. Now, some books don't work as well - large books with illustrations don't work as well on the black-and-white Kindle (although that is when I switch to the Kindle app on my iPad).

But beyond these apps, I'll just put a big plug in for library systems. Most larger American cities have wonderful library systems, giving members access to all the libraries in the system, with free library-to-library transfers. When I lived for a time in Columbus, Ohio, I loved their library system. One library, all the way on the other side of town (45 minute drive, one way from me) had an amazing classical music collection, and I kept their van drivers busy, delivering those CDs constantly to my smaller library. I credit that system with my exponential growth in my love/knowledge of classical music. I generally am a small government, cut taxes guy, but I voted for every new levy to raise revenues for the library system, because I actually felt I got my money's worth from it.


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## jegreenwood (Dec 25, 2015)

ECraigR said:


> I've tried using various apps, but I'm a hardcore book lover. I've a small library of over a thousand volumes and am currently studying library science in graduate school. But I'm glad to hear that apps and devices work for some people!


I too have a book collection (pretty much as big as my apartment will allow). Most of what I borrow from the library consists of "entertainments" (a term I stole from Graham Greene to describe his lighter works). I'll either be taking a break from more serious reading or loading up my iPad for a trip. And if I run out while I am overseas, I just log in and find something else.

I am also fortunate that the main NYPL research library (the one with the lions) is a ten minute walk away.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

Antiquarian books have gone dramatically down in price here in the Danish capital, and we've got special markets where they drop almost every day, down to about 1 Euro or so. Being old-school myself as regards most of my media usage, I've collected quite a fair amount of books through the years, both fiction and the human sciences in particular. I've more or less dropped libraries and recently began buying from UK Amazon as regards certain titles too, since prices including postage can be extremely low & one can't be sure about future customs charges being introduced because of Brexit. Have assembled a nice little shelf of substantial books about JMW Turner in recent months, for example.


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

I need to look into this. There is one book I'm always looking for anytime I have time to read, and it's always checked out. 

I like my Kindle, the original paper-white version. It doesn't hurt my eyes. But personally, I prefer hard-cover books, mostly because they let me see how far I've gone. My Kindle just says I'm 50% through. I'm reading a 400-page book now, and I'm finally at 40%, which is discouraging without an actual page count.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

I buy a lot of used stuff from Abebooks. They have tons of great books for under five dollars with free shipping.


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## jegreenwood (Dec 25, 2015)

Manxfeeder said:


> I need to look into this. There is one book I'm always looking for anytime I have time to read, and it's always checked out.
> 
> I like my Kindle, the original paper-white version. It doesn't hurt my eyes. But personally, I prefer hard-cover books, mostly because they let me see how far I've gone. My Kindle just says I'm 50% through. I'm reading a 400-page book now, and I'm finally at 40%, which is discouraging without an actual page count.


On my iPad (using Kindle - the NYPL supports a number of eBook formats) I can get pages numbers for most new titles (or newly added titles). I can also place a hold on a book in my preferred format. However, sometimes the e-mail stating my book is available comes when I'm in the middle of another book. Ah, well, nothing's perfect.


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