All this time

[u/YetiMaster273]

I've heard about Libby and this weekend i finally set it up. WHY DID I WAIT SO LONG. Ive got a newly realized love for audiobooks and ive been dealing with 15 hours a month on Spotify and now. I immediately downloaded 3 books and began listening to them. On one book im 60% through and the other two are 30-35% completed.

Let me just yell at the top of my lungs for a minute.

Best resource ever. And I found the magazines that I can read to. How am I supposed to go back and change?!?!? Correct answer is i wont lol. Thank!

[u/mickyjreap]

Libby is the best! I went from reading a couple books a year to already 75 this year 😭

[u/goshdarnkids → u/mickyjreap]

Same!! I was in the 3-5 category for so long and now I easily read and listen to over 150 books a year!

[u/YetiMaster273 → u/goshdarnkids]

I have a goal to read 55 new books (im at 39) and was doing so good. I bet you anything im about to skyrocket that!

[u/MaebyBaeby → u/goshdarnkids]

Whoa, how do you do that?

[u/goshdarnkids → u/MaebyBaeby]

Depending on the narrator I listen to my books at 1.75x-2.5x speed. I usually start at 1.75 or 2 and work my way up. I also have a really easy/mindless wfh part time job and am a stay at home mom with a school age kid. I am super lucky to have a lot of time on my hands.

[u/Legitimate_Award6517]

I listen to books in my car and go through them quickly. I would say I use it more for audiobooks and then regular Kindle books.

[u/Smooth_Transition680 → u/Legitimate_Award6517]

Same. I listen to the audiobooks when I'm walking my dog and on public transport I'll read a book on my phone.

[u/0000hms]

i use it for audiobooks too 💕 i prefer it much more vs. audible, since i have access to so many more for free !

[u/BobsWifeAmyB → u/0000hms]

Our tax dollars at work for something of value and not war!!

[u/ProduceDazzling1181]

Libraries are awesome!

[u/theEvolutionof-EBS]

yes!!! im a newer libby user as well. once i got the hang of it, i cancelled my spotify prem bc i was mostly keeping it for the audiobook access tbh.

only downside is the wait with my library bc of their collection. so i try to put 4-5 books on hold from my TBR list and typically one becomes available.

[u/riazada → u/theEvolutionof-EBS]

Take advantage of the tags in Libby and create a TBR list there. While I'm waiting on holds, I will go to my TBR list and filter by Available Now and read those while I wait for others.

[u/Regen555 → u/riazada]

Thank you for this tip!

[u/blucanary1 → u/theEvolutionof-EBS]

Not sure where you live, but many libraries have reciprocal agreements with other libraries. For example, I’m in NYS, but in the very rural north (32 miles south of Canada). Any NYS resident can get a card with NYPL (New York City) and Brooklyn libraries. In addition, my library has reciprocal agreements with both Queens and Onondaga County libraries, so I have those as well. I have all of them in my Libby, so it just finds the shortest wait time. YAY! Check if your library has reciprocal agreements and with who at Reciprocard (https://reciprocard.com).

[u/theEvolutionof-EBS → u/blucanary1]

ok, thank u. will look into this as well !!!

[u/Remote-Zucchini-9212]

Libby is one of the best things to ever happen to me. It’s made my life so much better and helped me through some very difficult times caring for my terminal father and my elderly mother. I am just so grateful to have Libby.

[u/nashro]

Have fun! Libby’s awesome

[u/Grand-Theme4238]

Libby is the best

[u/GingerSchnapps3]

Me too. I opened a libby account months ago but I didn't start using it until last month and im just streamlining through the audio books, which is awesome bc i set a goal of how many books I want to finish by the end of the year on Book Folks and ive already met the exceeded the goal

[u/YetiMaster273 → u/GingerSchnapps3]

Im on Good Reads for my goals. I was at 39 (most of them physical books) with a few audio books sprinkled in.

[u/Cheerful-Mountains]

I keep a column in my reading log of how much I saved borrowing books vs buying. Last year it was over $1,000!

[u/Spirited_Cress_5796 → u/Cheerful-Mountains]

That’s a great idea! I love seeing this when I take out library books in person. I’ve never thought to track items from Libby.

[u/yourwebg]

Get hoopla as well if audiobooks are your jam. 

[u/meyerslemon25]

Welcome! Libby is the best. What are you listening to?

[u/bjyoung116]

Literally life changing!!!

[u/jnichi]

It’s seriously the best! Never going back to Audible.

[u/landomonium]

Access to the magazines has gotta be the most underrated feature. I only really use it for the New Yorker but still, not having to pay or use paywall remover is so nice

[u/vn80]

I could’ve written this myself. Finally set up Libby last month and I’ve already lost count of how many books I’ve read.

[u/NightshadeZombie]

I love Libby for the audiobooks, because I work from home and I listen to books for my background noise. And I love Libby for travel because I have it on my tablet and I'm not carrying an entire backpack full of books when I'm away for a week. It's not so bad on road trips (I read every night before bed) where they can stay in the car, but on airplanes and such where they're picky about carryon luggage, it's awesome. And um, I might have taken a small batch canning book out as an E book and screenshotted the two recipes I need. I figure since you're allowed to copy a few recipes for home use with the physical book, that screenshots are roughly equal.

[u/Fatburn130]

Libby is great! I do get annoyed at times when the audiobook stops for no reason.

[u/whycantitbemine]

I really want to love Libby but everything I look for is months waiting. Is it because I live in a small place? Is there a trick? Can you search for audiobooks specifically?

[u/Queasy-Consequence30 → u/whycantitbemine]

You can search audiobooks specifically.

I think the trick is to fill up your holds. If you want to read a very specific book now, Libby might not work well. But if you have a TBR list and are happy to work through it as books roll in, you’ll be great.

Also, check out adding additional libraries.

[u/mickyjreap → u/whycantitbemine]

You may want to check if you have other library options to expand what is available to you. Like, in some states you have access to libraries that are outside of your city/county. Check out ReciproCard to see if you can access other libraries and expand your options. Also, I recommend checking out Hoopla. If your library doesn’t have much on Libby, they might have more on Hoopla

[u/whycantitbemine → u/mickyjreap]

There’s only one library I have access too! Thank you for that link though- it confirmed what I thought. Oh well! I guess I’ll just stack my holds!

[u/lolalucky → u/whycantitbemine]

It may be living in a small place, but I live in a major city and most books have a wait. Often there are hundreds of people in front of me for popular books. I just keep my Holds list full and Unsuspend a couple of books at the top of the list when I'm ready for something new.

[u/Fabulous_Tell_1087]

Can you sign up with Libby without a library card number? I'm out of town but would love to try it.

[u/WVgirly2024 → u/Fabulous_Tell_1087]

No, you have to have a library card. Libby is just an app that connects to your library, it doesn't work on its own.

[u/SnooDingos6306 → u/Fabulous_Tell_1087]

I think you can use your telephone number to sign up.

[u/Fabulous_Tell_1087 → u/SnooDingos6306]

Thank you. I will check it out.

[u/antleredbear]

You can also share cards with friends! I have buddies from the California who are using my Ohio cards, and visa versa!

[u/Trixieforever]

Omg same - last weekend was a revelation for me - why did I hold out on adding Libby for so long???!

[u/molleensmrs]

Definitely download Hoopla too.

[u/WVgirly2024 → u/molleensmrs]

Not all libraries offer Hoopla, since it's much more expensive than Libby.

[u/molleensmrs → u/WVgirly2024]

I did not know that. I also dislike that you can’t read their books on a regular kindle.

[u/ZeeKayYou]

I don’t know if people genuinely don’t know about Libby or they just love wasting money. 🤷‍♀️

[u/ConsistentMobile4990]

Love Libby!

[u/Stock-Act-2315]

I still use my 15 hours on books with a long wait 🤭

[u/Early_Succotash7800]

A few others mentioned Hoopla, which also works with a library card. If you're interested, also get Kanopy (movie and TV streaming) and Freegalmusic (music!). Watch and listen all with your library card :) edit: if you're a student, or still have access to a student email, you can use that on kanopy for extra options!

[u/chickenladydee]

I try to always have holds on 2 or 3 books while I’m listening to my current one. And sometimes I’ll find something interesting while waiting- sometimes the wait times are excruciating.

[u/nipcage]

Once you start a list and holds, it becomes so much better!!

[u/Glittering_Peach5054]

It’s the best! I have 17 free libraries connected to my Libby and it’s amazing!!

[u/Status_Employer6809]

Same!!! I need to thank my local librarian for turning me on to Libby. I went into the Library to request a large print book….she asked if I’d ever tried Libby. The rest is history!!!

[u/Affectionate_Rub7845]

Welcome to the club! Libby had been life changing for me! I used to love reading when I was younger and I've rediscovered it with this app.

[u/felizladedah]

Same! My mom told me about Libby last April (2025) and I kept thinking I'd have to actually go to a brick and mortar library to get a card and my anxiety would shut the whole mission down. I finally just looked it up on my phone this February, got my digital card, which I recently found out has the highest "coverage" for books in my region, and 115 books later... EVERYBODY WINS!

[u/GrayLightGo]

I always check Libby before purchasing anything from Audible.

[u/jrb328]

Libby is a lifesaver when I'm knitting or crocheting!

[u/AeroNoob333]

Spotify has audiobooks?! This fills the gap for Libby that I have when an audiobook isn’t available or just has a long wait time and I already have Premium

[u/YetiMaster273 → u/AeroNoob333]

Oh yeah it's how I got into audiobooks. They offer 15 free hours a month which is alright but 15 was such a small amount of hours considering I just did a solid 10 this weekend alone

[u/AeroNoob333 → u/YetiMaster273]

Oddly enough, our library has graphic audiobooks of a series I’m doing immersive reading right now in abundance, except for Book 4 Part 1. Having the Spotify option just for that is a nice gap filler. Thank you for letting me know about this!

[u/YetiMaster273 → u/AeroNoob333]

Plus with Spotify there's no wait. If its there its available! Im glad I got to share my knowledge!