What is Libby used for?

Libby is OverDrive's library app that lets people with a library card borrow e-books and audiobooks from their local public library for free. It is a good fit for reading free e-books through a public library and listening to audiobooks without buying them.

Is Libby open source?

No. Libby is proprietary (closed-source) software and can't be self-hosted. Open-source alternatives to Libby include Open Library.

What are some alternatives to Libby?

Libby competes with hoopla, Kanopy and Everand. For open-source options, see Enlisted's ranked list of open-source Libby alternatives.

Libby: features, pricing and alternatives

About Libby

Libby is a mobile and web app from OverDrive that connects readers to the digital collections of public libraries. Instead of buying titles, users sign in with a library card and borrow e-books and audiobooks the way they would borrow physical books, with the loan returning automatically when it expires.

The app asks the user to find their library first and then shows that library's digital catalog. Thousands of public libraries around the world use the OverDrive service, so the available titles depend on which library the reader belongs to. The homepage describes borrowing as free and instant for cardholders.

Libby itself is a free consumer app that is hosted by OverDrive, with the cost of the collections paid for by the libraries. It is not business software, and it is not something a reader can run on their own servers.

Key features

Borrow e-books with a library card
Borrow audiobooks from local libraries
Find and connect to your own library
Automatic returns when a loan ends
Apps and web access for readers

Good fit for

→Reading free e-books through a public library
→Listening to audiobooks without buying them

Tags: ebooks; audiobooks; libraries; overdrive; reading; mobile-app; free

Libby: questions and answers

What is Libby used for?: Libby is OverDrive's library app that lets people with a library card borrow e-books and audiobooks from their local public library for free. It is a good fit for reading free e-books through a public library and listening to audiobooks without buying them.
Is Libby free?: Yes. Libby is free to use.
Is Libby open source?: No. Libby is proprietary (closed-source) software and can't be self-hosted. Open-source alternatives to Libby include Open Library.
What are some alternatives to Libby?: Libby competes with hoopla, Kanopy and Everand. For open-source options, see Enlisted's ranked list of open-source Libby alternatives.