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. 5/5Great App, Great Service

   Libby is an essential app for book lovers, particularly during this time when many libraries are closed to visitors. I have been using the app for several years and always been happy with it. Recently, updates to the app have made it even better—particularly the option to have a hold delivered later (useful when multiple holds come available at the same time). The app is easy to use for reading and listening on the go, but I also love the ease of sending ebooks to my Kindle when I want a larger screen. (One downside is not being able to send audiobooks to Audible, which would enable whispersync between ebook and audiobook for readers who are doing both, but I suspect that’s an issue with Amazon’s audiobook model rather than the library.) I like being able to track how long I will need to wait for a book (Libby often overestimates the wait time, which I appreciate because then I’m pleasantly surprised when the book becomes available early). I appreciate being able to link multiple library cards in one app and switch between them easily. When it comes to potential negatives for some readers (such as long wait times for popular books), it’s important to remember that those issues are just part of being a library reader rather than buying all your books—not an issue with the app itself. Go ahead and place the hold; high demand for a book often encourages public libraries to purchase additional copies (or digital licenses) for the book.

   AmeliaBedelia22 · 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. 5/5Needs improvement, but has potential to be great

   Difficult to manage. It seems like I wait forever for my turn to come up & when it does everything seems to become available at once. They claim that when this happens & you have too much to read at once that you can let someone ahead of you in line without losing your space. I’ve tried this a couple times & it hasn’t worked. Instead they took away my hold completely! Then I have to start back at the beginning of the line! There’s no help number that you can call. I e-mailed in a couple of technical questions in the past but got an answer back that wasn’t helpful & seemed more like a form letter. Libby could potentially be a great app if they could improve the technical issues, plus not have such a huge wait times for books. It would also be helpful that if I need more time to read my book that I was allowed to renew it just like they do at a brick & mortar library. Whenever I have tried this, Libby puts me back at the beginning of the line which often times can be a 3 month wait. By the time you wait 3 mnths you forget names of characters, where you were etc. & have to reread the book anyway. The exception to this rule is that if there’s not a wait list, which rarely happens to me, Libby will then allow you to renew your book.🧐 Today, I tried opening a new book &I think just stays stuck on the first page like it’s trying to open it but can’t. I shut this device thinking maybe it was my computer, but it’d doing this on all 3of my devices. So disappointing😣

   AppleGWD · 30 Aug 2026

5. 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

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