Libby, the library app

• Free

Last verified 30 Aug 2026

• Free to download

Last verified 1 Aug 2026

4.9 4470987 ratings · App Store

1. 5/5Started Reading Again

   A huge thank you to my local Idaho library for coming to the Pride event I was working at. My issue with loans is that my ADHD makes it difficult for me to return books on time. Also, I’m usually too exhausted during my time off to read anymore, so even if I do have a book in front of me I inevitably fall asleep. The library staff I met with told me I could get ebooks and audiobooks instead, since they are timed to automatically return themselves without me having to drive anywhere. I signed up for Libby that night and it’s made a huge difference! I had never tried audiobooks before, because I’m picky about the narration and couldn’t afford to pay for one only to dislike the voice. Now if I dislike the narration, it’s so easy to find the ebook version instead and pick a different audiobook from my reading list. Audiobooks have especially changed the game for me because I often live in remote areas with lots of driving—it’s nice that I can get my reading in when I would otherwise be bored on a 1- to 10-hour drive through the desert. I also love that I can read an ebook on my phone during my lunch break instead of carrying extra books or a kindle to and from work. Plus, I can put multiple library cards from different cities on my account so I can usually find what I’m looking for. I just can’t praise Libby enough and I recommend it to anyone who will listen. I’m so glad to be reading regularly again and that this app makes libraries so accessible.

   hanakofrank · 30 Aug 2026

2. 5/5Benjamin Franklin would be so proud!

   Those that might not know, Benjamin Franklin and friends found the Library Company of Philadelphia, which was the first lending library in America. Therefore, I can say, and genuinely believe, that he would have been very proud of this development if he could possibly have foreseen it. To be able, when dis-abled, to have a full library at my disposal, has been soul-saving. Libraries have been part of my life, all of my life. So, to be without (new) books, without the choice of books, without access easily to books is painful. Now on my pension, buying books and magazines are a luxury. Being visually impaired, having access to audiobooks is another life-changing aspect. I have tried various approaches to being part of a library system, but it was just this year that I was introduced to Libby through my local library. I can not fully express my respect and appreciation for the development of a software program that makes books and magazines in various formats available to the entire community without the need to physically attend the library itself.* To make choices, to sample (read or listen), to either borrow or be on a wait list, to open the book within the downloaded software, is deeply satisfying. I’m wallowing in the luxury. *I do miss all the other wonderful aspects and services of a physical library. Ask your librarian all about it. Download the app, its all free. You won’t be sorry. Thank you to the developers.

   Axamermaid · 30 Aug 2026

3. 5/5The perfect app for both the Book Lovers AND those who don’t like to read

   This app has been incredible and I’m really grateful that someone had recommended it to me. I absolutely love to read and I can typically devour at least 60 books a year in the genres that I like. However, I sometimes struggle to pick up books that are self help and/or nonfiction. I find that it’s much easier for me to listen to those genres as audiobooks. That way, I can still digest the information but don’t have to worry about reading the same sentence a few times. So I like to color or paint while listening to them, but it’s also great for those long car rides, while doing dishes or other chores, and while doing self care practices like my skin care routine & showering. This app has such a large array of genres, and has plenty of regular books, audiobooks and magazines alike. Whether you are looking for reading materials of general topics OR a specific title, the app makes it easy to locate with the search bar. If they don’t have a specific book that you are looking for, then you have the ability to use the ‘smart tag’, and the app will let you know if/when the library ends up receiving it, while also giving you similar titles to choose from in the meantime. Let’s say you end up placing a bunch of holds and too many come in at once, then you can ask to have some of them delivered at a later time. I hope that you enjoy this app as much as I do! Happy Reading, m’friends!

   KThugs3 · 30 Aug 2026

4. 5/5In Love With This App

   I’ve been in a spiral about everything happening in the world and drowning in the constant barrage of it all. Social media and thinking about the future used to be fun pass-times and now it feels like a painful but necessary part of survival. Bleak and disingenuous. Libby and the books in my library have been my one and only candle in the darkness. Not only some reprieve from the podcasts and news, but some stories of hope. I am realizing that awareness is fruitless without hope. Awareness is unadulterated misery without ideas or some semblance of self efficacy. I thought these stories would just be a source of occasional ignorance. Running away. But I’m finding myself hearing the voices of the long dead and the unabashedly confident living, say to me that it is in the regular people that inspire change. I am starting to wonder if hope is the last missing puzzle piece to get us out into not just the streets but the meeting rooms and the communal spaces to re-learn how to love each-other and plot together for a better world. It’s a constant fight. Always and forever. But these books seem to state again and again that it is always a fight worth having. No one makes it out of this world alive, but hopefully we can make it out with our souls, if there is one to have. Hopefully with rekindled community we can find that courage again to stay true to moral clarity when it finds us. I know deep down that is what so many of us are aching for.

   Abliglox · 30 Aug 2026

5. 5/5Would be 5 stars if I could like or dislike the titles listened to!

   I can honestly admit I never liked reading books or magazines comics and especially instruction manuals ( i.e. assembly manuals lol)! One of the most incredible incentives we have been blessed with is growing up and learning! Some times I have to make myself be still and read,while other times I might have to make myself stop lol, mind you, I’m 46 years old now. Then I discovered the most amazing thing while I was taking my daughter to the library to get a book for caring for her puppy. No one was ever able to accuse me of being an animal lover either so I wanted to make sure she understood what having a puppy would involve. I had to get my very first library card in my early thirties. After we returned her books, I still had no interest whatsoever in reading anything other than what I Had to. Then about three years ago I discovered this amazing thing called AUDIOBOOKS while I was searching for resources to learn the Russian language and my life has been forever enriched with joy and excitement for the next favorite book. So incredible that our public libraries offer these books for free and yes I also wish to share these same thoughts and feelings with the developers of Libby! I would aggressively squash that fifth star if they would only insert the option to thumbs up or Down for the reader to provide some feedback on their thoughts on their experiences with the books.

   OldMM · 30 Aug 2026

2.4 21 ratings · Google Play

1. 1/5

   Loses connection at any time, and no amount of rebooting or reconnection fixes it until it randomly decides to stop working again.

   Erik Jacobs · 1 Aug 2026

2. 1/5

   Unfortunately the android automotive version of this app regularly crashes in my Polestar 2. When it crashes it keeps playing with no way to stop/pause it. Re opening the app will simply cause it to play another copy of the audio book at the same time it is playing the first copy resulting in an unintelligible mess.

   Matt Davis · 1 Aug 2026

3. 2/5

   Libby itself is great on a phone, but a nightmare on Android Automotive (Google Built-in). Audio doesn't resume when hitting the audio on button in the car (it does for every other media app). The resume button in the UI often doesn't work and you have to close and reopen the app (shows a play icon crossed out) The seek forward/backward physical controls in the car sometimes will work but eventually stop working, so you have to tap it in the UI. The seek bar is pretty useless (whole book)

   Roman Tymchyk · 1 Aug 2026

4. 2/5

   This review is for the Libby 1.3.1 app on Android Automotive. While the iOS version is excellent in almost all regards (UX is a bit disjointed but great in all other regards), the Android Automotive version, available currently in the Polestar Google Play App Store is near unusable. Most recently read marks don’t properly sync to iOS device. Playback speed is not sticky (either between uses or even sometimes chapters). Playback speed UI sometimes overlays on top of main UI. Sometimes playback continues even once exited app and listening to other sources like Spotify (eg two different audio streams playing simultaneously). Essentially this is early beta software. If you are serious about listening to Libby, until a significant update, you are best to use on your iOS or Android phone and stream to car using Bluetooth.

   Peter Carrescia · 1 Aug 2026

Privacy

• Data Linked to You — App Functionality — Diagnostics — Crash Data Developer declared
• Data Linked to You — Diagnostics Developer declared
• Data Not Linked to You — App Functionality — Diagnostics — Performance Data Developer declared
• Data Not Linked to You — App Functionality — Usage Data — Product Interaction Developer declared
• Data Not Linked to You — Diagnostics Developer declared
• Data Not Linked to You — Usage Data Developer declared

Accessibility

• Dark Interface — SUPPORTED Store published
• Larger Text — SUPPORTED Store published
• Reduced Motion — SUPPORTED Store published
• Sufficient Contrast — SUPPORTED Store published
• Voice Control — SUPPORTED Store published
• VoiceOver — SUPPORTED Store published

Privacy

• Data collected — Analytics — App activity — App interactions Developer declared
• Data collected — Analytics — App info and performance — Crash logs Developer declared
• Data collected — Analytics — App info and performance — Diagnostics Developer declared
• Data collected — Analytics — Device or other IDs Developer declared
• Security practices — Your data is transferred over a secure connection — Data is encrypted in transit Developer declared
• Security practices — The developer provides a way for you to request that your data be deleted — You can request that data be deleted Developer declared

Accessibility

No accessibility labels collected yet.

• 2.7.0 · 29 Sep 2025