Designed & Developed by XP DESIGN
What is Libby?
What can you find on Libby?
What devices are compatible with Libby?
Libby is the library reading app from OverDrive. It connects users to their local library and allows them to borrow ebooks and audiobooks with the use of their library card. Over 90% of public libraries in North America have OverDrive, and Libby can be found in 78 countries across the world.
For people who don’t have library cards, Libby can help you get one for certain libraries without even leaving the app—all you need is your phone number. Different from Audible, Spotify, and other e-reading and listening services, Libby is totally free. The app is free to download, and getting a library card is also free.
Image courtesy of Apple App Store
Welcome to our website!
We’re glad you’re here.
This website serves as an assessment and UX evaluation of the Libby app, with critiques and proposed improvements. As Library Science and Information Experience Design students in a Masters-level program, we emphatically recommend Libby as a service, and believe that, with improvements, it can serve an even larger population and enhance the digital library experience.
Throughout the pages, you’ll discover overviews of Libby’s accessibility and navigation features, borrowing processes, and filter and search functionality, as well as a broader examination of its aesthetics.
There are thousands upon thousands of books to borrow, depending on your local library’s availability. You’ll find special collections developed by your library, like “Oprah’s Book Club” or “Best Books of 2023” but you can also do a more traditional search.
Once you borrow a book, you can customize the screen to make e-reading easier. You can customize your audiobook experience in the app, too.
Why is it important that Libby
is user-friendly?
Think about it: It’s important for physical libraries to keep their doors open because they’re one of the last totally free information hubs for everyone, regardless of their
• Economic status
• Race
• Age
• Education level
• Gender
…and other marginalizing factors
So, then, it’s key that the Libby is intuitive and accessible for that same reason. Similar apps that offer audio- and ebooks are not free; to access premium features, you need to pay a premium price. Libby has no barrier to entry, so it’s integral that everyone has access to it and is able to use it without frustration.
Sources:
https://www.overdrive.com/apps/libby
The Libby app is available for both Apple and Android devices on:
• Phones
• Computers
• Tablets
You can even send your borrowed e-books to your Kindle (U.S. only). With your account, your data syncs across devices so you can seamlessly transition your reading or listening from phone to tablet and vice versa.
Libby Critique
By Jiten Thakkar, Nidhi Gowda, Lillian MacGuire, and Sarah Madaus
Image courtesy of Unsplash
Image courtesy of Unsplash
Image courtesy of Unsplash
References:
Libby Icon: OverDrive, Inc. (2023). Libby [Mobile application software]. Libby, by OverDrive. https://meet.libbyapp.com/
All other images taken from Unsplash
Illustrations: "Free illustrations from Streamline."
Navigation
Features
Interface
Designed & Developed by XP DESIGN
What is Libby?
What can you find on Libby?
What devices are compatible with Libby?
Libby is the library reading app from OverDrive. It connects users to their local library and allows them to borrow ebooks and audiobooks with the use of their library card. Over 90% of public libraries in North America have OverDrive, and Libby can be found in 78 countries across the world.
For people who don’t have library cards, Libby can help you get one for certain libraries without even leaving the app—all you need is your phone number. Different from Audible, Amazon, and other e-reading services, Libby is totally free. The app is free to download, and getting a library card is also free.
Image courtesy of Apple App Store
Welcome to our website!
We’re glad you’re here.
This website serves as an assessment and UX evaluation of the Libby app, with critiques and proposed improvements. As Library Science and Information Experience Design students in a Masters-level program, we emphatically recommend Libby as a service, and believe that, with improvements, it can serve an even larger population and enhance the digital library experience.
Throughout the pages, you’ll discover overviews of Libby’s accessibility and navigation features, borrowing processes, and filter and search functionality, as well as a broader examination of its aesthetics.
There are thousands upon thousands of books to borrow, depending on your local library’s availability. You’ll find special collections developed by your library, like “Oprah’s Book Club” or “Best Books of 2023” but you can also do a more traditional search.
Once you borrow a book, you can customize the screen to make e-reading easier. You can customize your audiobook experience in the app, too.
Why is it important that Libby
is user-friendly?
Think about it: It’s important for physical libraries to keep their doors open because they’re one of the last totally free information hubs for everyone, regardless of their
economic status
race
age
education level
gender
and other marginalizing factors
So, then, it’s key that the Libby is intuitive and accessible for that same reason. Similar apps that offer audio- and ebooks like Spotify and Audible are not free; to access premium features, you need to pay a premium price. Libby has no barrier to entry, so it’s integral that everyone has access to it and is able to use it without frustration.
Sources:
https://www.overdrive.com/apps/libby
The Libby app is available for both Apple and Android devices on:
Phones
Computers
Tablets
You can even send your borrowed e-books to your Kindle (U.S. only). With your account, your data syncs across devices so you can seamlessly transition your reading or listening from phone to tablet and vice versa.
Libby Critique
By Jiten Thakkar, Nidhi Gowda, Lillian MacGuire, and Sarah Madaus
Image courtesy of Unsplash
Image courtesy of Unsplash
Image courtesy of Unsplash