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Use Libby’s filters, tags, hold controls, and download settings to make library borrowing easier to manage. The exact titles and some features depend on the library whose card you use; Libby offers library ebooks, digital audiobooks, and magazines, and you need a library card to borrow them. Libby Help’s getting-started guide explains the basics.
1. Add every library card you can use
If you already have cards from more than one library, add them in Libby so you can browse and borrow from each collection. Open the menu, choose the option to add a library or card, and follow the prompts. You can switch libraries from the menu. Each library selects its own catalog, so adding cards broadens the collections you can check but does not guarantee that any particular title is available.
Libby’s quick-start guide covers adding libraries and cards. If you use Libby on a new device, a recovery passkey can help restore your cards, loans, holds, and tags.
2. Pin useful filters—and unpin them when they get in the way
When browsing or searching, filter by the details that matter to you: format, availability, audience, language, or Kindle compatibility. Pin filters you use often so they are easy to apply again. Because pinned filters stay active until you remove them, unexpectedly sparse results may mean a filter is still narrowing the list.
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Available filters depend on the list and library. Libby’s quick-start guide describes searching and browsing controls.
3. Search exact phrases, then sort the results
For a phrase search, put the words in quotation marks. Then refine the results with the filters and sort options available for that list. For example, searching for "climate fiction" looks for that phrase; filtering by format or availability can make the results more useful. Search and sorting options can vary by library or list.
Rank #2
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- What You Get: Anker USB-C Hub (5-in-1, 4K HDMI), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.
4. Turn tags into a personal reading queue
Tags let you organize titles from any of your libraries without changing their availability. Create queues such as “next audiobooks,” “book club,” or “read later,” then sort or filter a tag to find what you want. Libby lets you create as many tags as you need and export, rename, or delete them. See the official Libby tags guide for details.
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When a title displays Notify Me, save it to the Notify Me tag to signal interest to that library. If the library adds the title, Libby may notify you; this is not a promise that it will be purchased. The feature depends on the library and whether it is offered for that title.
Rank #3
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Notify Me smart tags can also track some newly added works by saved authors or series, as well as new magazine issues. Alerts appear in the app. Libby explains the feature in its smart tags guide.
6. Keep holds from expiring while you wait
Check the wait-list position shown for a hold, and use the hold controls to suspend or cancel it if your plans change. When a hold becomes available, you have 72 hours (3 days) to borrow it, suspend the hold, or cancel it, according to Libby Help’s holds guidance, last updated September 3, 2026.
Rank #4
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Enable a notification method you can actually receive, and check your Shelf as well. The hold’s action window is short enough that relying on a device notification alone may be inconvenient.
7. Pick notifications that match your device
Libby offers push, in-app, and email notification options depending on the platform. Browser users cannot receive push notifications, and Fire tablets do not support them either; use in-app or email notices where available. Review the options under Libby’s notification settings and choose a method you check regularly. The notification guide was last updated September 3, 2026.
Best Value
- 5-in-1 Connectivity: Equipped with a 4K HDMI port, a 5 Gbps USB-C data port, two 5 Gbps USB-A ports, and a USB C 100W PD-IN port. Note: The USB C 100W PD-IN port supports only charging and does not support data transfer devices such as headphones or speakers.
- Powerful Pass-Through Charging: Supports up to 85W pass-through charging so you can power up your laptop while you use the hub. Note: Pass-through charging requires a charger (not included). Note: To achieve full power for iPad, we recommend using a 45W wall charger.
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8. Set up downloads for offline reading or listening
In the mobile app, ebook and audiobook loans download automatically over Wi-Fi by default. You can change download settings in the app if that behavior does not suit your connection or storage needs. Magazines are not automatically downloaded, so do not assume they will be available offline.
Libby in a browser requires an internet connection. The differences between app and browser access are covered in the quick-start guide.
9. Choose the loan period at checkout and return finished loans early
If your library offers multiple loan periods, choose one on the checkout confirmation screen. To see when a loan is due or return it before then, open Shelf > Loans, select Manage Loan, and choose Return Early if available. Libby returns loans automatically on their due date. The quick-start guide and getting-started guide describe these loan controls.
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For most eligible ebooks borrowed from U.S. libraries, open Shelf > Loans, choose Read With… > Kindle, then complete the handoff by selecting Get Library Book on Amazon. Kindle delivery is available only in the U.S. and does not cover every ebook. You can read in Libby instead; a Kindle e-reader is optional, not required. See Libby’s Kindle e-reader instructions, last updated September 3, 2026.
Quick Recap
When Kindle or Libby makes more sense
| Reading method | Where it works | Title availability | Offline access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Libby mobile app | Supported mobile devices | Titles available through the selected library | Ebooks and audiobooks download over Wi-Fi by default; magazines are not automatically downloaded |
| Libby in a browser | Web browser | Titles available through the selected library | Internet connection required |
| Kindle e-reader | U.S. only | Most, not all, eligible library ebooks | Follow the Kindle delivery workflow; Libby’s cited guidance does not specify a separate offline-download setting |
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
