Overdrive is the original app, which is compatible with most devices. Use this if you have a Kindle Fire, a Mac, a Windows device, or a PC.
Libby is a new app by Overdrive. It has the same collection as Overdrive. If you have an Android or iOS device, use the Libby app.
NEW NHDB Link: https://nhsl.libguides.com/nhdbpatron
Upcoming Libby Enhancements
Thanks to feedback from our partners and users, we are working on several enhancements to Libby. Many of these updates are available to preview in Libby Beta or will be added soon. We invite partners with the Beta app to explore the latest version and follow along for additional updates. You can also preview them at libbybeta.com.
Refined navigation bar: We have updated each icon in the navigation bar for clarity and consistency. The active icon displays in your library’s colors. There is also an option in the new Settings menu (more below) to add labels to the icons, if desired.
Library home organization: We continue to evolve the library home screen into a space that reflects your library’s voice and highlights your curation. Later this year, we will offer options in OverDrive Marketplace to further customize this area—stay tuned!
Search enhancements: When a user taps the search icon, they will see a new “Explore with filters” section, with options to easily browse by format, availability, skip-the-line titles, and more. Advanced search filters are available with the + more button on this screen.
OverDrive Magazine List
Click here for a spreadsheet of magazines available on OverDrive. There are two tabs on this spreadsheet: The entire magazine title list with 3587 titles and the US publication list with 516 titles.
Wish list syncing
Based on popular request, Libby now supports wish list syncing with the OverDrive app and your library’s OverDrive website. Users with active wish lists will be notified in-app and prompted to sync their wish list titles into a single tag. Learn more here.
Notify Me & other tag enhancements
We’ve made many other enhancements to tags, including:
- New Notify Me: Series tag that sends push or email notifications when the next issue of a magazine is available. In the future, we will add more options for users to receive notifications when other content of interest is added to your library’s collection.
- Automatic tag syncing across devices.
- Automatic tagging of borrowed and sampled titles.
Search improvements for users with multiple library cards
Over the years, we’ve received many requests from users for an easier way to search across multiple library collections Now, users can tap the library card icon () next to a title in search results to see if it’s available at their other saved libraries.
How to Use the Libby App
Click here for a tutorial on how to use the Libby App.
Free Magazine Collection
OverDrive has implemented the update to the free magazine collection. Each multi-issue title record has back issues attached to the single record. Click here to see how to access back issues.
New Magazines
The NHDB collection has received a free package of digital magazines, courtesy of our OverDrive vendor. The collection will include some popular titles, such as those listed below, and all new issues can be read in “article view” on the Libby app, which makes for a cleaner reading experience on smaller screens. They will remain in our collection until July 2021.
o Architectural Digest
o Bon Appetitz
o Cook’s Illustrated
o Family Handyman
o Family Tree
o House Beautiful
o Macworld
o National Geographic
o Newsweek
o Ok!
o PCWorld
o Popular Science
o The New Yorker
o This Old House
o Us Weekly
o Yoga Journal
On your device:
Go to your app store and download the “Libby” app, then create your account.
On your computer:
Visit: https://nh.overdrive.com/
Click the “Your Account” link at the left of this page.
Up in the right hand corner of the resulting page is where you’ll log-in. Look at your library card. As indicated, the numbers following the zeroes is your library card number. Use your 7 digit phone number without the dash as your PIN.
After you’ve logged in, use the Overdrive icon at the bottom of the page to link to Overdrive.
If you haven’t used Overdrive or Libby before, the HELP link answers common user questions.
Also, in response to COVID-19, these videos on YouTube are great for any new users
looking to learn how to use the Libby app.
FAQ:
The download limits and return procedures are the same on both Libby and Overdrive.
Limit three titles at a time and 5 reserves.
NOTICE:
There is a glitch with the Overdrive and Libby App notifications, please review the following information for assistance:
- The Libby app sends out email notifications OR app-driven device-based notifications.
- If you turned on your app-driven device-based notifications, you will not receive email notifications.
- The app-driven notifications are not working properly. OverDrive has acknowledged this bug and admits that people are not receiving their notifications via their mobile device. (Nor are they receiving email notifications).
- Automatic checkouts are now turned off site-wide.
People are rightly upset about not getting notifications about their holds and then missing their holds (which expire after 48 hours).
Please view these online resources for further information and (hopefully) answers to this problem:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CX11euSj91OGj8sCltRwPgHU_YvvAZvjVEK0SnIkcH4/edit#heading=h.hsm5mtvo8gwt
https://nhdbooks.blogspot.com/2020/01/libby-app-notifications-not-working.html
Magazines on Overdrive and Libby:
Cosmopolitan
Bloomberg Businessweek
OK!
HGTV
Car and Driver
The Oprah Magazine
Taste of Home
Country Living
Popular Science
Food Network
Star
Reader’s Digest
Newsweek
And many more…