libbyapp.com Reviews 121

Just bring back overdrive! It was simpler, quicker and better in every way!

First, I refuse to download their app as I see no benefit or utility for me. I only use the web based online version, but these comments hold true across all platforms.
* I assume for their convenience they optimized the Libby design for display via their app, or, in a pinch, online via a phone screen. The online version as displayed on a laptop or PC is full of wasted white space, repetitive and useless links, fewer items per line, visually difficult to scan. Then you scroll and scroll and scroll down...hoping to see something interesting.
* Then I can't find decent reading material! Normally I browse library content, looking for something interesting. That's how I found a number of enjoyable authors....Louise Penny, Donna Leon, Ruth Downie... On Overdrive I checked frequently to immediately view the general collection books as they popped up, whether currently available or not and across all subjects and types. It seems most of what Libby displays are crummy romance novels. Certainly Overdrive didn't seem to display this much drek. Is there some algorithm at work? Does Libby force this mix of product on the libraries or is this actually what my library is chosing?
* As to the frequent complaint about audiobook streaming requirement...it was always annoying and glitchy. But I do understand why it was done, so we could not steal copies of audiobooks.

Is this some plan to make libraries so worthless we will stop using them? I actually dread the day I will stop accessing my library's content because Libby has made it so inconvenient. The dumbing down of the American public at work.

Horrible app. Never works and you can only listen on your phone which is way too heavy, bulky, and totally inconvenient to carry all over. I now purchase most of my audio books so I can use them on my mp3. I have asked my library to discontinue spending on this ebook system scam which most people have stopped using due to them becoming utterly un-user friendly.

I was just forced to switch from Overdrive, which I have been using for 15 years, to Libby, to download an audiobook from my library. On the original Overdrive, I could download the book in an MP3 format to my computer and load it onto my MP3 player. Cannot do it now and must listen on a phone or connected device. Terribly inconvenient not being able to use my very small inexpensive player and now risk damaging my bulky phone when out doing sports.

Dreadful app, I am so fed up with it that I have deleted it. Whenever I search for a book it is unavailable or there is a 6 month wait. There are no notifications or reminders sent either.

Book "The Turn of the Key" expressly a nanny of a child murderer is a disturbed rendition acclaimed as best seller but is in fact dreadful and highly distasteful unworthy a review at all. Disgraceful filth. Shame on you.

Libby is absolutely lacking in capabilities and features compared to the predecessor Overdrive app.

Garbage. Cannot listen offline.

Love this app - easy to use, easy to understand - can browse multiple libraries where I have cards in my area, all the notifications you could want (but you can cut them back). what more could you want than free, easy and functional?

I HATE YOU LIBBY APP !! I’d almost finished reading the latest novel I borrowed, then found it’s been returned ‘on my behalf’….without any warning to hurry up and read. Ah !! I’m now on a waiting list- of 26 people - in order to finish it.

The designers made this look pretty but I don't know if there is a more widely used low functionality app, I guess it's free and that's why libraries have latched onto it but it's hard to understand how a function app (overdrive) morphed into a completely useless app. it's still cool to be able to take books out from the library from home, but it's disappointing that it used to be MORE functional before, now that I've experienced a well functioning app it's hard to go backwards with this terrible embarrassment of a junior developers hopefully side project, and if it is someones' full time job they should consider switching careers. Don't know where to start, nothing is in an intuitive place, the help section is rarely helpful (you'd think people who are somewhat process oriented in that sort of department would actually walk through the instructions to see if they were usable or worked, and many of the times, they don't). I really hope a better app comes soon.

I love this app!! It’s been a lifesaver for me. Had a few issues with app logging on at first but since then it really is a great tool for anyone who has a library card. There isn’t a huge variety of books but if you call your local library and ask them to add a book they will help as much as they can. It is also linked to borrow box and overdrive which was a little tricky to work out but the actual Libby app is brilliant.
It does seem that most people who comes to review are those that have had bad experiences but it would be good if those who use the service and love it would come on and give it a good review!! Mind you it’s only taken me 4years 🤣
5 stars for me and I get through an audiobook every 2-3days- so, thank you Libby 🙌🙏

Gave this site a bad first review as couldnt log in my library card. It now appears that libraries in Nottingham were updating their systems so not the fault of Libby. Have now got excellent magazines through the site so happy to amend the review.
Nigel Mackinnon

Does not have the ability to download audio books to MP3 players. This is bad business.

Dreadful, don't know why libraries switched from overdrive, which worked perfectly to this amateur libby. Just the look of it is for 10 year old, with giant graphics and comic words. I does not allow you to download to an audio device. I do not like to listen on my phone, I use a device, smaller and easier. It is poor quality, there is no user support and it is very poorly designed. Not sure who made this decision, but a really bad one.

The old browser version allowed me to download books to read offline. This one doesn't.

With the old browser version I could open up more than one book at a time so I could switch between then with a single click. This one doesn't.

The old browser showed me the number of a book in a series on the loans page so I could easily track down the next one to download. This piece of rubbish doesn't. It allows me to find that out if I click on the (...) icon. Once again clumsy development.

The old one allowed automatic update of reading position when changing between devices (I used phone, tablet and desktop depending on where I am). I don't have to shut anything down to be able to do this.
This "new, improved" version does something, sometimes but seldom takes me to the correct position. And, yes, I could use bookmarks. That is clumsy, requires me to shutdown the app each time to get the bookmarks updated. Actually, clumsy is too polite a word.

The only value I can see in the updated app is that it serves to give people something new and updated. Unfortunately the new and updated is comparable to a 1910 Model T Ford rather and a Tesla Model S.

Ridiculously long wait times - over a year for many titles! Many titles on NYT list of best fiction not available at all.

It works perfectly fine for me.
need attention for a proper easy interface. Anyway, it is good indeed.

goes down for a couple of days at a time at least once a week. impossible to borrow books, says to consult the link, but the link is always broken. Terrible

Hate it! If you ever used Overdrive before, you know what I mean.
Libby is a horrible alternative that can't be used offline with nearly impossible highlight function which I need for translation, you just try and try and try to highlight a text and to no avail. Too many buttons to push for context translation and so much more. When they will listen to us?????,