Libby is my go to app for borrowing eBooks and audiobooks from my local library! I use it literally every day, whether scrolling through new books to borrow, listening to an audiobook on my commute, or deciding if I want to borrow a book that’s now available or delay it until later. 

If you don’t already use it, you can visit your library’s website or call/ask in person if they work with Libby. Libby is an app you can download on your phone that gives you access to your library’s collection of eBooks and audiobooks.

Each library has a different collection of books, but the features and usage of Libby are similar for everyone! So I’m sharing 10 Libby tips and tricks that will help you make the most out of the app!

 

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Libby Tips / Hacks

 

Add More Than One Library Card

If you want access to a bigger variety of books, use more holds, or checkout more books at once then add another library card! It’s a very simple process in the app, so here are the steps: 1. Click on the menu (three lines in the center at the bottom of the app) 2. Click Add Library 3. Search for the library name and find the one you need 4. Click Sign In With My Card and complete the steps!

Now you’ll be able to use both library cards simultaneously! If you’re wondering how to get another library card, you have a few options. You can check with friends or family members to share library cards or use one that they’re not using. Many big cities also often offer free cards for anyone within the state. For example, Philadelphia allows anyone in PA to sign up for a library card online!

A quick Google search of the bigger libraries in your state should help you find some options.

 

Change The Checkout Date To 21 Days

I’ve noticed that the standard checkout period is often 14 days, but that’s not always long enough to read a book or listen to an audiobook! If you typically need or want more time, it’s easy to change the checkout period to up to 21 days. I’ll note, not all libraries offer 21 day checkouts but it seems that most do.

When you are about to borrow a book, you should see a 14 or 7 listed on the screen. When you tap the number, a drop down list will appear with the checkout days available to you. If you see 21 days, you can click that and then proceed to borrow the book!

 

Turn Airplane Mode On To Keep Books From Being Returned

Sometimes even using a longer checkout period isn’t enough time! I’ve noticed that books always seem to become available in a cluster, so I’m scrambling to read them. 

If you’re reading on a Kindle, you can turn your Kindle on airplane mode to keep the book on your device! The book will still be returned electronically and available for someone else, but will remain on your device until the next time it syncs with WiFi.

 

Return Books Early To Get The Exploding Flower Bouquet

Have you heard of the exploding flower bouquet?? This is such a fun feature that I love telling people about. If you end up finishing a book before it’s due, you can return the book early so it can be passed on to the next person in line right away. When you do, you’ll find a flower bouquet appear. If you tap it with your finger, it will turn into an explosion of flowers on your screen!!

 

Use The Suspend Button (Formerly Deliver Later)

When you put books on hold, you never know when they’ll become available. If you get the notification that it’s available before you’re ready for it, you don’t need to check it out! You can use the Suspend Hold button to save your place in line without checking out the book.

When you are ready to read the book, simply click Unsuspend. You will return to the queue at the place where you Suspended the book and continue moving up the line or if you’re 1st in line, receive the next available copy. 

This is a change made in Fall 2025 that is slightly different from Deliver Later. The biggest update is that you have to manually Unsuspend a hold rather than letting Libby notify you when it’s available. My strategy is going to let a book on hold until I receive the notification that my hold is available. Then I’ll Suspend Hold until I’m ready to actually read it. 

 

Use Deep Search 

When you search for a book title or author, the immediate results will be the options your library has available at that time. However, there’s always a chance the library could add more titles at a later date or if you’re searching for a book that isn’t published yet it may not be a part of their database quite yet. Enter Deep Search!

When you search, scroll down to the end of the results and you’ll see a button called “Deep Search.” After you click on it, you may see your book pop up and a “Notify Me” button appear. You can click Notify Me so you’ll get a notification if/when the library acquires any copies of the book.

This is a great way to stay on top of new book releases, so you can put an upcoming book on hold as soon as it’s available on Libby!

 

Use Tags To Organize Books You Want To Read

I didn’t start using these until recently! The little tag symbol on the bottom right will take you to the Tags tab. Tags can help you organize books directly on the app. I’ve heard of people creating a To Be Read (TBR) tag so they can keep track of the books they want to read. 

 

Skip The Line To Find Books Immediately

This feature is only available for one of the three libraries I use, so it’s not available for everyone but it’s helpful if you have it! On the Search tab, you’ll see the common filters like Books, audiobooks, magazines, etc. Some libraries also have a Skip The Line search filter. 

When you click on that option, you’ll find a list of books you can borrow immediately! These are often random popular titles that they’ll make available without a wait.

 

Check Out The Newsstand

Libby isn’t just limited to eBooks and audiobooks. You can also get immediate access to an endless number of magazines! You’ll find issues from basically every popular magazine out there. It’s a great way to read brand new articles. You can even choose to be notified whenever there’s new issues for magazines you love!

 

Curated Recommendations by Library

If you click on the little library building, you’ll be directed to your library’s home page. Each library has different collections to help you choose your next read. I particularly like the “Just Added” sections so I can see which new books I want to read. It’s also fun to browse the librarians’ personal recommendations and seasonal collections.

 

 

 

 

I hope a few of these Libby tips will help make the app even easier to use! If you have any additional tips/hacks, please share with us in the comments!