Meet Libby, an Overdrive Alternative

Libby logo with text, "Meet Libby"

Libby: An alternative to the OverDrive App

If you have downloaded eBooks, audiobooks, or other virtual content, you may have used the OverDrive app. The creators of OverDrive have released a new, more user-friendly app called Libby. It is available for new iOS (9+) and Android devices (4.4+). If your device runs an earlier operating system, you will need to continue using the OverDrive app. There isn’t a Kindle version of Libby, but the app can be used on an iOS or Android device to send to a Kindle, much like the current process of choosing the Kindle format at checkout in the current OverDrive app. It is recommend to use either Libby or the OverDrive app, because the two are not perfectly synced.

What’s Missing in Libby

Some features are still in development, and others are not planned for Libby at all. If you need any of these features, you will need to continue using the OverDrive app:

Streaming Video – not planned for Libby
Accessibility (though font face/size and page color options are available) – text to speech coming in a future edition
Multilingual support – planned for a future release
Recommend to library – planned for a future release
Wish list – this functionality has changed to “tags”, but will not bring your OverDrive wish list to Libby.

Getting Started

First, go to your app store and download Libby. The first time you login, there will be a welcome screen. Tap “Hi” to reveal the setup screen. You can either tap “find my library” to get started, or login with an existing OverDrive account. The following tutorial will be using the “find my library” option.

If allowed, the app will use your GPS to determine your local library. If permission is denied, or Libby shows you the wrong library, you can search by zip code. Select UHLS when it appears. To see other libraries, tap the menu icon in the upper right and select “switch library.” The app will remember the last library you added.

In order to download eBooks or audiobooks, you will need to add your library card to the app. Tap the three line menu icon in the upper right of the screen and select library cards, then sign in using your card number. There is also an Add Your Card option on the blue header of the screen.

Make sure you are in the UHLS catalog before you add a UHLS card number. To add a second library card from another library system (for example if you have a library card at the New York Public Library or at another location), switch to that library in the app, and then add the corresponding card number for that library. Going forward, choosing which library card to use in the menu will determine which catalog you search.

Additionally, you can add multiple library cards in the same library system. This works well if you have different people in your household that will be using the app. To add another card, tap on Library Cards and then Add Another Card. Once a person’s card has been entered, you can add a nickname to make it easier to switch between cards. The default name will be linked card. Tapping on the name linked card will bring up details as well as the ability to change the name for easy use.

To remove a card number go to Menu>Library Cards. Tap on the image labeled “linked card” (or whatever you have named it) and select “unlink card.” Confirm to remove the card and associated titles from the app.

Navigation

There are two main views: Library View and Shelf view. At the bottom of the screen, you will see the Libby icon. To the left, the word “library” is slightly larger than the word “shelf” on the right. This is because you are currently in the library view (default). Tap “shelf” to see loans, holds, and activity related to your library card. Whenever you see the Libby icon in the footer, you can toggle between the library and the shelf. Keep in mind that once you open a book in the app, you will see the book cover picture rather than the Libby icon. Library and Shelf will still be next to the icon. If you tap on the book cover picture, it will open the book.

Library View

On the opening screen, you can use the search box at the top for a targeted search, or you can scroll down to browse collections, genres, etc. Each browsing section has a link to expand the view for more titles.

The menu icon (the three lines icon on the top right) contains the following options:

Switch Library
Library Cards
Hold Notifications
Download Settings (“download only on Wi-Fi” is selected by default) – choose whether to download items to your device or stream them. You must download them to use them offline.
Device Preferences – set whether all eBooks/audiobooks on your device are handled by Libby automatically
Tips and Secrets
Feedback

Borrowing and Placing an Item on Hold

To borrow an item displayed on the main page, tap on the book cover. This will take you to a screen with more information about the item. On the same screen, you can also see if you have checked this item out previously. You can also choose Borrow directly from the search results if you have searched for an item. If the item is currently available, tap Borrow to check it out. If you have multiple cards within the library system, you can choose which account you would like to use to borrow the book.

You will get conformation that the item is borrowed with an option to keep browsing or to go to your Shelf to begin reading.

If an item is unavailable, you will see the approximate wait time until the item is available. You can tap Place Hold to place the item on hold and get an email once it becomes available. After tapping Place Hold, you will get a conformation that the item has been successfully placed on hold.

Shelf View

Loans

When you borrow a book, it is automatically downloaded to your device (unless you change this setting). Tap “open book” to begin reading. Once you start reading a book within the Libby app, the book cover will appear in place of the Libby icon at the bottom of the screen. Please note, if you started reading this title in the OverDrive app, progress will not be synced with Libby. If you are using more than one library system, all of your borrowed items will appear here.

If you tap on the book cover in Loans, you will see the following information and options about the selected title:

Open Book, which allows you to read the book in the app
The ability to renew the item. If it’s not currently able to be renewed, you will be shown the date when you can renew it
The option to return the title to the library
The ability to send the item to another device, such as a Kindle
The ability to tag the title
View more details about the title including a description, the supported formats, and publishing information

Holds

Tapping on the Holds tab will show all of the items you have joined a waiting list for. You also need to visit the Holds section to borrow an item you have requested that is ready for check out. When an item you have requested becomes available, it will look like this:

Once an item you’ve requested becomes available, you have three days to borrow it. If now isn’t a good time, you can tap Deliver Later and choose when you would like to have the item delivered:

Use the slider to choose a time frame that is more convenient for your reading schedule. Once you’ve chosen a time period, tap on update hold.

Also in the the Holds screen, for your items that aren’t available yet, if you tap on the title, you will see the following information and options about the selected title:

Read Sample
Edit the Hold (where to send the hold notice to, if the hold should be borrowed automatically when it becomes available, and if the hold is currently active)
The ability to tag the title
View more details about the title including a description, the supported formats, and publishing information
Where you are on the wait list, and approximately how long it will be before the title becomes available

Activity

See a timeline of your activity in the app, such borrowing titles and app updates.

Navigating a Book

Once you have borrowed an eBook, you can read it within the app. In Shelf view, under Loans, you will see all the items you have checked out. Tap on Open Book to begin reading. Once the book has opened, tap the center of the page to reveal navigation options in the header and footer. In the header, you can go back to the shelf view, search the book, add a bookmark, or use the menu icon to see chapters, bookmarks, and reading settings (font size, etc.). The footer shows your progress with page numbers and a slider. Tap the center of the page again to dismiss the menu. Once you have opened a book, the app will remember your progress and Resume will be listed instead of Open Book. The app will open to where you left off reading.

Navigating an Audiobook

You can open an audiobook the same way as eBook. Once the audiobook has opened, in the header, you can increase the speed of narration, set the sleep timer, create a bookmark, or use the menu to access chapters and bookmarks. The back button will bring you back to the shelf view. Use the play/pause icon and slider in the footer to control playback.

More Information

Meet Libby: A quick overview with a video.

Have you tried the new Libby app? Let us know in the comments.

Use Your Library On the Go with UHLS Mobile!

There is a new mobile app from the Upper Hudson Library System. The app has many neat features including the ability to search for and place holds on library items, access your library account, see scheduled events, contact your local library, and much more.

Getting Started

The app is available for Apple and Android devices. To download the app, open the App Store on Apple devices or the Google Play Store on Android devices and search for “UHLS Mobile.”

When you open the app for the first time, you’ll get a pop-up asking to allow notifications. You will get another pop-up asking you if you’d like to let the app use your location. Using your location makes it easy to locate a nearby library if you are out and about. Once you’ve chosen your notification and location preferences, you’ll be asked to select your preferred library. After you have selected your preferred library, you will get a conformation of your choice.

After choosing your preferred library, you will be taken to the main menu, which lists all the things you can do on the app.

Popular This Week

The first thing you’ll see is a sampling of books that are popular this week. Tapping on “see all” next to the book jacket will bring up a complete list of books that are popular this week, and from there, tapping on a title will give you more information about the book as well as the ability to request it.

Search and Request

The first option on the main menu is “search the catalog.” Tapping on this option will bring you to the search screen, where you can search for library items by title, author, subject, or keyword. You can search by tapping on the top center dialog box and entering your search term.

Once you start typing, a list will appear with items that match your search query. If you tap on a particular title, you will be taken to the Item Details screen. From here, you can see details about the item such as a summary of the item and which libraries have copies of the item available. You can also place a hold on the item by tapping Place Hold. If you choose to place a hold, you will need to login with your library card number.

You can tap back in the top left corner to see your search results or to perform another search. To get back to the main menu, you can tap back again or click the home icon on the bottom left of the screen.

My Account

By selecting My Account on the main menu, you can review your library account or your Overdrive account. To login to your library account, click on login under library account. Once you login, you will then see a summary of your account, including the number of items you currently have checked out and how many items you have requested.

You can tap on Checked Out to get a list of items you currently have checked out. On the list of checked out items, to renew a particular item, tap on the title. You’ll be taken to a conformation screen telling you if your renewal request was successful. Tapping on Requests will bring up a list of your requested items. If an item is ready to be picked up, there will be a message with “status: ready to be picked up” underneath the title, as well as the date it must be picked up by. If the item is not ready to be picked up, you will only see the library branch where you can pick up the item once it is available.

Barcode Wallet

Another neat feature of the app is the Barcode Wallet. If your library has the proper scanning technology at the checkout desk, you can use the app in place of your library card when checking out items at the library. You can enter a library card number along with a label identifying the cardholder for each family member for easy access.

Once a person has been added, tap on their name to bring up their card.

You can also bring up the bar code screen from My Account on the main menu, and choosing view barcode.

OverDrive and Online Resources

By tapping on OverDrive on the main menu, you can download e-books and e-audioBooks. Selecting Online Resources gives you easy access to Flipster (for digital magazines), Gale Virtual Reference Library (for always available non-fiction eBooks), Heritage Quest (for online genealogy research), and Mango Languages (to learn a new language).

BookLook

By tapping on BookLook on the main menu, you can scan the ISBN number bar code on the back of any book. The app uses your device’s camera to scan the ISBN number and then searches the catalog to see if it is available at the library.

Events

If you are interested in upcoming events at the library, choose Events from the main menu. You then have the option to see only East Greenbush Community Library (or whichever library you chose as your preferred library) events or you can view all shared events from area libraries.

Hours

Wondering when the library is open? Tap on Location & Hours to see library hours and directions or to quickly call or email the library.

Social Media Integration

If you want to connect with the library on social media, select Connect with Us from the main menu. You’ll be given a link to the library’s social media pages including Facebook, Twitter, Instragram, Pinterest, and YouTube. If you want to call or email the library directly, choose Contact Us from the main menu. If you would like to view the library’s website, you can quickly access it by selecting Library Website from main menu.

Your Preferred Library

If you want to change your preferred library, on the main menu screen, tap on libraries in the bottom right corner and your preferred library selection will be cleared. You’ll get a message that your preferred library was cleared and if you tap below the conformation message, you can select a new preferred library. If you have the app location set to on, it will list all of the area libraries in order of the distance from your current location.

Have you downloaded the new app? Let us know in the comments.

Online Registration

If you aren’t currently a member of a library in Albany or Rensselaer County, you will be able to register for a library card online beginning 1/2/2017 by following a link on the Encore Login Page or visiting http://sierra.uhls.org/selfreg.

In order to register, you’ll need to be a resident of Albany or Rensselaer County and have a valid email address. Once you’ve filled in the all the required fields, you will get a confirmation page with your temporary library card number. In order to get your physical library card with your permanent barcode number, you will have to visit the library with photo ID and proof of your current address (such as a recent utility bill or lease).

Once you’ve gotten your temporary barcode, you will need to set up a PIN by clicking the link on the confirmation page, which can also be accessed here: https://sierra.uhls.org/pinreset.

After you have entered your temporary barcode number on the PIN Request page, you will get an email with a link that allows you to choose a PIN. The link contained in the email will only be valid for three hours.

Choosing a PIN will allow you to request library items through the library catalog, as well as check out digital items, such as ebooks and audiobooks, through Overdrive. You will be unable to access other digital resources outside of the library until you receive your physical library card with your permanent barcode.

If you have any questions about online registration, please contact the library.

Flipster Is Here

In the past, you may have used Overdrive to check out digital versions of magazines. The library is switching over to a new service called Flipster, which is much easier to use.

You can access Flipster by following the link on our website, or by typing in https://goo.gl/NW0iAu into the web browser on your computer or your mobile device. Once you are on the main page, you will see a list of current magazine issues, as well as a sidebar that lists various categories such as Computer, Entertainment, Sports, and more. You can also search for a specific magazine or by keyword.

To view one of the magazines featured on the front page, you can click on the magazine cover and the magazine will open in a new window in your browser. If you are browsing via category or looking for a specific magazine via search, you will get a list of results. You can click on Read this Issue under the magazine you’d like to view.

Once you’ve accessed the magazine, you can read it directly in your browser.

Desktop Version

Once the magazine has opened in your browser, there are several ways you can navigate the issue.

If you want to navigate the magazine, mousing over All Issues will bring up the Table of Contents. If there is a specific article you would like to read, you can click on the title listed there.

To search the magazine, you can type your keyword or phrase into the search box above the magazine logo on the right side of the screen. Search results will appear in a list with the search word or phrase highlighted.

In that menu, you also have the option to view back issues of that magazine. To view a back issue of the magazine, click on the issue you’d like to view under More Issues. The cover of that particular issue will come up in the upper right and from there you can click View.

You can also navigate by mousing over Pages, which will show groups of pages in the magazine. Clicking on a particular page image will take you to that page. Clicking on the left and right arrows will turn the pages forward or back in the issue. If you would like to zoom in on a page, you will see an icon that looks like a magnifying glass with a plus sign when you mouse over the page. Clicking when you see the magnifying glass will zoom in on that area of the page. If you would like to Print, you have the option to print just the pages in view, or all pages. Mousing over Print will allow you to choose what you would like to print. Mousing over Settings will allow you to choose whether you would like to view one page at time or if you would like to Zoom Out when you turn the page. There is also an option to fit the view to your screen, based on the height or width.

Please note that there is no offline viewing option for desktop computers. You must maintain your internet connection to read to magazine unless you are using the Flipster app for tablets and smartphones.

Mobile Version

If you are on a mobile device, there is another viewing option. The Flipster app is available to download in the Apple App Store (for iOS devices), the Google Play Store (for Android devices), and the Kindle Store (for Amazon devices). To download the app, search for Flipster in your device’s app store. Once you have downloaded the app, you can access the magazine you would like to view via your device’s web browser, and then click the three lines in the top left corner. This will bring up a menu and from there you can tap Open in App.

You’ll get a conformation message asking if you want to open in Flipster. Clicking on Open will open the magazine in the Flipster app. You will see a list of all the magazines you have downloaded, as well as if they expire within a certain amount of time. You can re-download the same issue once it has expired. If you are finished with the magazine, you can click the trash can icon to remove the magazine from your device. Once the magazine has finished downloading, you can tap on it to view. The gray bookmark with a percentage shows how much of the magazine you have read.

Once you have tapped on the magazine, there are several ways you can navigate through the issue. To turn the page forward or back, you can swipe left or right. If you tap on the three line menu icon in the top right corner, a table of contents will be displayed. Tapping on any of the article names will bring you to that article.

Another neat feature of the mobile app is that if you click on Text View in the top right, you will get a text view of that page or article with only the text of the article, minus any pictures or ads that would appear normally. To switch back to the regular view, click on page view in the top left corner. Below is the same page in regular view and text view.

Clicking on Library in the top left corner will take you back to the home screen where all the magazines you have downloaded are displayed. Another bonus of using the mobile app is the ability to view the magazines later for offline reading, as you don’t need to be connected to WiFi to read the magazines once they’ve been downloaded. When opened in the app, the magazine will automatically open to where you left off. If you would like to download back issues of magazines to view in the app, follow the process listed above on your device’s web browser to access the back issue, and then click the three lines and Open in App to download the issue to your device.

There is no limit to the number of magazines you can download to your device or view on your computer. If a magazine downloaded to your tablet expires, it can be re-downloaded at any time. Once a title is expired, there will be an expired icon and will appeared greyed out. Certain weekly titles will expire in two days and certain monthly titles will expire in one week.

Flipster Basics

Flipster is a free service provided to you by the library. You do not need a mobile app to view a magazine. Even if you are on your mobile device, you can just view the magazine in your mobile web browser. Both the mobile version and desktop versions of Flipster website allow you to search within a magazine, however you cannot search a magazine within the mobile app. You can print from the Flipster website, but not from the mobile app.

Flipster information page

Search Flipster

If you have any questions about Flipster, please contact the library and we will be glad to help you out. Have you tried out Flipster yet? Let us know in the comments.

A Brand New Overdrive Page is Coming

If you’ve ever checked out anything electronically (an eBook, a digital audiobook, a digital periodical, or a streaming movie), then you have used OverDrive. On November 9th, OverDrive will be getting a facelift, with new features and a brand new look. This post will go over the changes in the new layout.

If you’d like to check out what the Upper Hudson Library System’s new OverDrive page will look like, you can check it out here: https://uhls.overdrive.com. This link will continue to work once the site goes live. You can also go to the current OverDrive page and you will see a red bar across the bottom with a link to the preview site.

Signing In

The first change you may notice is the login screen.

There are two new options: using your OverDrive account to login or connecting via your Facebook account. An OverDrive account syncs your progress through titles, your saved libraries, and your bookmarks across multiple devices. Keep in mind that whichever way you sign in, you will need to enter your library card number.

Once you have logged in, you will see a drop down box appear.

There is a new icon that looks like three books. Clicking on this icon will always take you back to your account. There is some new terminology here also. The section of your account that listed the items you currently had checked out was called Checkouts. They will now be referred to as Loans, which you can see appears first on the drop down box.

Searching and Browsing

If you are browsing the site, you can click on Subjects in the top left corner. This will bring up the entire library collection, organized by subject. Once you’ve clicked on Subjects, you also have the option of narrowing down the list by format (eBook, Audiobook, Video, or Periodicals). Clicking on Collections with bring up a drop down box that allows you to easily see things like new additions and popular titles, organized by format. You can click on the magnifying glass icon to bring up a search box. When you click on it, you’ll also get a link for the Advanced Search feature, if you want to limit your search by specific criteria. Searching directly from the search box will now use an auto complete feature.

Whether you’ve narrowed down by subject or searched by a specific keyword, you will notice changes in the way the results are shown.

There will be text across the top of each book jacket picture showing the item’s availability. You will see a blue bar with Available if an item is available and can be checked out right away. There will be a blue bar with Borrowed if you currently have the item checked out. If you currently have the item on hold, On Hold will be written on a white bar. If the item currently has a waiting list, you will see Wait List across the top. If the item has Wait List shown, there are no current copies available for check out and you will need to put the item on hold if you’d like to borrow it. If you’d like to add an item to your Wish List, you can click on the little ribbon shaped icon with a plus sign. You can also see the format of the item listed under the title and author.

If you click the icon with the three dots, you’ll get three options: Read/listen to a sample of the item, View More Details (where you can view more details about the item, such as a plot summary, the available formats and more), and You May Also Like, which gives you recommendations based on that item. Clicking on the book jacket or the title will also take you to the more details page.

Checking Out an Item and Placing Holds

You can click the borrow link under the jacket picture to borrow the item. Once you’ve clicked borrow, you’ll get a blue notification bar across the top of your screen that tells you when your loan ends, as well as a link to your Loans page, where you can download the item to your device.

If you go to the item’s page to check an item out, you have the option of choosing the lending period. On the blue borrow button, you’ll see an arrow. Clicking on that will bring up a drop down box, allowing you to choose whether you would like to check the item out for 7, 14, or 21 days.

Placing an item on hold has changed slightly. You can click the Place a Hold link under the picture of the book cover or from the item’s more details page. You’ll get a conformation popup that your hold has been placed, which lists the email address where you’ll be notified, along with a link to manage all the holds you’ve currently placed. You’ll also get recommendations that are currently available for check out based on the item you’ve just placed on hold.

Your Account

There have been a few changes to the my account section of OverDrive. Once you’ve chosen which format you want to download, a little button labeled How to Return will appear under the item. This will give instructions on how to return to the item early, based on which format you’ve chosen.

Holds

In the Holds section of your account, you can view the items you currently have on hold.

The date the hold placed will be listed across the top. Near the bottom, you have the option to edit the email address where you’d like to be notified once the item is available, to suspend the hold to a particular date, and to delete the hold. Clicking on the three dots near the top right corner will give you the same options as we saw earlier: to read/view a sample, view details, and recommendations based on that title. You can also see what number you are on the waiting list, as well as the format of the item on hold.

Settings and Help

The option to choose whether you want to automatically check out an item is now found in settings. You can check or uncheck this option. Whenever you make any changes to your settings, they are automatically saved.

If you need help using OverDrive, there is a help link on the top right corner of each page. You can also get assistance by scrolling to the bottom of the page. Under help you’ll see FAQs, a getting started guide, a link to contact support, and more. Clicking on Get Support will give you the option of going to the OverDrive support site, which has getting started guides, videos, how-to articles, troubleshooting tips and more. You’ll also get the option to contact the library for more specific questions.

What do you think of the OverDrive’s new look? Let us know in the comments.

Category: Services

Meet Libby, an Overdrive Alternative

Libby: An alternative to the OverDrive App

What’s Missing in Libby

Getting Started

Navigation

Library View

Borrowing and Placing an Item on Hold

Shelf View

Loans

Holds

Tags

Activity

Navigating a Book

Navigating an Audiobook

More Information

Use Your Library On the Go with UHLS Mobile!

Getting Started

Popular This Week

Search and Request

My Account

Barcode Wallet

OverDrive and Online Resources

BookLook

Events

Hours

Social Media Integration

Your Preferred Library

Online Registration

Flipster Is Here

Desktop Version

Mobile Version

Flipster Basics

A Brand New Overdrive Page is Coming

Signing In

Searching and Browsing

Checking Out an Item and Placing Holds

Your Account

Holds

Settings and Help