E-Books - Tech Tips

Libby Gets an Update and the OverDrive App Says Farewell

There are some changes coming to the Libby app! The folks over at OverDrive, the makers of the Libby app, have rolled out some improvements to the Libby app for easier navigation and an overall improved experience.

If you aren’t familiar with Libby, it is a free app that can be downloaded to your Android (non-Kindle), iOS (iPhone/iPad/iPod touch), and Windows 10 devices. You can use the app to browse for e-books, e-audiobooks, and digital magazines. (OverDrive video is not available in Libby.) Once you have borrowed an item, you can also use the app to read/listen to them.

Updated Navigation Bar

The first change is an updated navigation bar on the bottom section of the app. Each icon in the navigation bar has been updated for clarity and consistency.

Search: Search the library’s catalog for e-books and e-audiobooks.
Library Home Screen: Takes you to the UHLS OverDrive home screen.
Notifications: A badge icon with a number will display if you have any notifications, which includes if there are titles ready to borrow or if a hold placed has not been borrowed in time and has expired.
Libby Menu: Displays notification messages; allows you to add a library card (if you have more than one East Greenbush or Upper Hudson library card) or library (if you belong to more than one library system); and Help & Support (including Settings).
Shelf: Displays your current loans, holds, and tags.
Timeline: Shows your recent activity on Libby: items borrowed, items returned, holds placed, and other Libby activity.

Library Home Organization

Extras and Guides are now featured prominently. The Preferences option has been moved to search results, lists, and guides to help better filter the results so you can easily find what you are looking for.

Search Enhancements

When searching for an item, you will now see an Explore with Filters section, with options to browse by format, availability, and more. Advanced search filters are available with the + more button on this screen.

New Settings Menu

There is a new Settings menu, which include existing settings such as manage notifications, change download rules, choose your language, etc. as well as new options like adding labels to the navigation icons.

If you choose to add labels to your navigation icons, this is how it will be displayed:

Timeline Improvements

The timeline has a new layout, with each title displayed once in a single collapsible entry. More title and user activity details are available in this new layout. The timeline displays your recent activity such as when you borrowed or returned a specific title.

OverDrive App Is Being Discontinued

In addition to all these new Libby improvements, the OverDrive app is being phased out. The OverDrive app (which is a separate app from Libby) will be removed from the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, and Microsoft Windows Store in February 2022.

Current OverDrive app users can continue to use the app. If you are searching for the OverDrive app, you will be directed to Libby. All users can continue to use, borrow, and open titles from the Upper Hudson OverDrive website via a browser.

More Information

OverDrive has prepared a landing page with more information about the transition to Libby. If you have any additional questions about the new Libby features or the discontinuation of the OverDrive app, please contact the library.

Libby 101: Video Demonstrations of How to Use the Libby App (Part 2)

Our previous post showed how to login with Libby for the first time, as well as how to check out an item with Libby. Today, we’ll look at how to explore the library collection, how to place a hold, and a guide to navigating through the shelf feature.

The video below demonstrates how to explore what titles the library has to offer, and how to place a hold on an item that is not currently available.

The second video demonstrates how to use the Shelf feature to see what loans you currently have checked out, as well as how to check out a hold that is ready for pickup, and how to check the status of holds that you have already placed.

If you are interested in a more complete how-to guide about Libby, please check out our full how-to post. If you have any questions or comments, please let us know in the comments section.

Libby 101: Video Demonstrations of How to Use the Libby App (Part 1)

There are many ebooks and audiobooks available for free through the library. This digital content can be accessed through an e-reader, such as a Kindle or Nook, or through an app called Libby, which is available on all Apple and Android devices. Libby is made by Overdrive, which you may have heard of if you have downloaded digital content before. Currently, there is no Libby app for Kindle Fire devices.

Below are some videos to guide you through the process of using Libby and its features.

To get started, download Libby from either the App Store on Apple devices, such as an iPhone or iPad or the Google Play Store on Android devices.

A video demonstration of opening the Libby app for the first time

Here is a video demonstration of opening the Libby app for the first time and using your library card to login. If you do not have a library card yet, you can sign up for one online.

Once you have downloaded and signed in, you’re ready to search for materials! There is a video demonstration below that shows how to check out an item. The video also shows how to change reading settings.

Stay tuned for more Libby tutorials, including exploring and browsing, how to place a hold, and a guide to the shelf feature.

If you are interested in a more complete how-to guide about Libby, please check out our full how-to post. If you have any questions or comments, please let us know in the comments section.

See What All the Hoopla Is About

NOTE: There is now a new, updated post about hoopla. Check it out here: https://techtips.eglibrary.org/hoopla/

There is a new streaming service coming December 2, 2019 to the East Greenbush Library! Hoopla Digital is a one-stop-shop for all things digital entertainment.

Hoopla Digital is a service that has access to over 700,000 titles in various formats:

-Movies
-Television
-Music
-e-books (including novels, graphic novels and non-fiction)
-Audiobooks

Hoopla Digital is free to any East Greenbush or Schodack resident. If you are a resident of East Greenbush or Schodack and your card is denied, please come to the circulation desk at the library with proof of your current residence.

Hoopla differs from OverDrive because there are no holds or waiting lists. If you are browsing and see an e-book or movie that you want to check out, you can check it out right then and there without having to wait.

You are allowed five checkouts per month. This includes all types of media. The loan period starts from the moment the title is borrowed. Titles will be automatically returned at the end of the loan period and there are no late fees. Additionally, you are able to re-borrow the same title once the lending period has ended. Here are the lending periods for various media types:

e-books/Comics/Graphic Novels – 21 days
Movies/Television – 72 hours (some content 48 hours)
Music – 7 days
Audiobooks – 21 days

This sounds great, you may be saying to yourself, how do I sign up? Well, it’s easy! Starting December 2, 2019, head over to Hoopla’s website or download the app to your device, and create a free account. All you need to sign up is an email address and your library card number.

Once your account has been created, you’re ready to start streaming and/or downloading content. You can view Hoopla content on a computer, your smartphone, and various other streaming devices such as: Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Google Chromecast, Android and Amazon Alexa (smart speaker).

Helpful Tips:

If you check out an e-book, the book must be read within the Hoopla app.

If you are unable to borrow materials and you have not reached your monthly five item limit, please contact the library.

If you have any questions, you can contact Hoopla staff directly via email through the app and they will respond within 24 hours.

Introducing OverDrive History

While browsing through the large number of titles in the library’s OverDrive digital media collection, have you ever wondered if you have already borrowed a specific title? A new feature called History can help.

The History feature automatically keeps track of titles that you have borrowed via OverDrive. While the feature is still new, you may get a popup when you login to OverDrive:

Accessing History

You can access your History by clicking on the History link in the above popup. There are also several other ways you can access your account and history. You can access your account by clicking the bookshelf iconand choosing History from the menu on the left. It can also be accessed by clicking My account and then History. Titles are automatically added when you borrow them, as of October 4, 2017. Each title on your History page is marked with the date of the loan or the date you added it (more on that below). If you borrow a title more than once, it will appear in your history multiple times.

Adding Titles Manually

You can manually add a title from search results or its details page without borrowing it. This can be done by clicking the three dots next to the title on the search results page and then clicking Add to History.

Or by clicking Add to History on the title’s details page.

If you have rated titles in the past, clicking the Add Rated Titles button will add all rated titles to your history.

Removing Titles

To remove a title, go to your History page, select , which is located next to date loaned or added, and then choose Remove from history. If you remove a title that’s listed more than once, all instances of that title are removed from your history.

Hiding History

If you don’t want to see your history, click on the bookshelf icon and then select Settings. Under the General heading, deselect History.

Once you deselect the history option, you’ll get a popup confirming your choice.

Select Hide if you wish to proceed. Titles you borrow won’t be added to your history while it’s hidden. If you turn on the feature in the future, you’ll only see titles borrowed from that day forward.

Have you checked out the new History feature? Let us know in the comments.

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