The Sword and Laser discussion
Multiple Library Accounts / reciprocal
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"I was curious how it works with Hoopla / Overdrive (libby) if you have 2+ libraries, do they support multiple accounts or is the switching at least tolerable? "For Overdrive, you can enter multiple libraries. You set one as primary but if you search for a book, you can check availability at the others and check out easily.
For Hoopla, you can add multiple libraries and switch from one to the other but there's no cross library search.
Calvey wrote: "I was reminded in "what else you are reading" about reciprocal accounts with my library. I haven't found a free one but can get my county for an annual fee. So considering it. I was curious how i..."
As far as I recall, Libby supports multiple cards in the app. Hoopla I think you have to log in and out of your account (and maybe use different email addresses to register your card numbers). Also, just a heads up to ask any reciprocal libraries if you'll have access to their digital library with your card - I know the library I work in offers Hoopla/Libby only to residents of our city because of cost concerns, even if you qualify for a library card with us because of reciprocal agreements or the TexShare program.
Libby definitely supports multiple accounts. I have 3 on mine, but I stopped checking the 2 smaller system accounts a long time ago, if LAPL doesn't have it, Burbank & Glendale almost never do.
I have five with Libby. When you changed the card and go back to search; the latest search term will be on top. Makes it easy to find the book in multiple formats.
Great news…now I just need to decide on a reciprocal
You guys have it easy! My local libraries in the UK switched from overdrive to something called ‘borrowbox’ which glitches frequently so sometimes I’ll go to the next page to find I’m on a new chapter, even though the last one didn’t finish! It also only allows you to log into one library. If you want to switch, you will lose anything you currently have downloaded. At least I’m lucky enough to have an ipad, so I can have an app on that logged into one library and an app on my phone logged into another.One of the libraries does use libby too, but mostly for magazines - the selection for books is teeny tiny.
Ruth (tilltab) Ashworth wrote: "You guys have it easy! My local libraries in the UK switched from overdrive to something called ‘borrowbox’ which glitches frequently so sometimes I’ll go to the next page to find I’m on a new chap..."Australian libraries use Borowbox and it is genuinely the worst. I use it for audiobooks (IF my library subscribes to the book I want, which it generally does not) but the playback is not UX-friendly. Ebooks are only through the app or through an arcane process onto Kobo (which I don't own). I want to support my local library but it's hard when there's not much to support.
Elizabeth wrote: "Ruth (tilltab) Ashworth wrote: "You guys have it easy! My local libraries in the UK switched from overdrive to something called ‘borrowbox’ which glitches frequently so sometimes I’ll go to the nex..."South Australia uses Libby which allows multiple accounts. Ruth, I have access to Lancashire’s Libby and BorrowBox. You can download the books from BorrowBox and run them through Calibre to allow reading on any device. Their audiobooks do not have DRM and work on the honour method so you can move into another app. I do this all the time ( you may want to convert the mp3 into a book format so that it is recognised by book reading apps)
Lancashire has Libby but very few books, mostly comics and magazines but it does have a few things…
Iain wrote: "You can download the books from BorrowBox and run them through Calibre to allow reading on any device. Their audiobooks do not have DRM and work on the honour method so you can move into another app."Bah, effort! I want just a few easy clicks and done! lol
It’s the fact that they use Libby for some things that is particular irksome, because everything works so smoothly on there and then you go back to borrowbox and…ew! lol Basically, I’m spoilt and lazy want everything the easiest way!
BorrowBox does suck. Although I like drm free audio books when I can listen for an extra day or so if it needs to be returned
I hate the pressure but appreciate the deadline - without it, there are times I'd take a lot longer to finish stuff.
In the Washington, DC metro, due to reciprocal borrowing priviledges, I have 10 Libby accounts. Many also have Hoopla and magazine borrowing through Libby. Kindle books through Overdrive don’t expire when using airplane mode on e-ink Kindles.
I have access to 4 different library systems. - my local county for free,
- my neighboring county [where my official office is] for $40/year. It would be free if I had a business in the county or lived there but not if I work there.
- my state has a system of university and academic libraries which i don't use much
- and a friend of mine lets me borrow her local account in another state. a non-resident fee is $120/year.
I do have access to several other surrounding counties where I would have to pay a similar non-resident fee to the one I have, I'd have to drive to them to get the books, which with traffic being nasty, is not convenient.
The nice thing about Hoopla in my area is there is no restriction on the number of books available to the community so the book is always available, no 3 month wait. The loan time may be shorter tho.
I have accounts at 4 different libraries, my main reason is that I want to read in my native language (German) as well as in English and French. Also the books the different libraries offer can be quite different. I maintain accounts in two Swiss libraries, one in Singapore where I live and one free international account at Goethe institute (this is free for anyone outside of Germany, so a great way of getting access to German books).The issue is that different system seem to he established in different languages, so for my Swiss library accounts I'd get an account at Libby/Overdrive for English, Onleihe for German books and Cantook for French books.
All of these systems work with multiple accounts. One complaint I have is that it's not possible to search for a book over all accounts, but rather I'd have to switch accounts and do a separate search for each system, but I think this is a minor complaint as switching accounts is really quite easy.
I was curious how it works with Hoopla / Overdrive (libby) if you have 2+ libraries, do they support multiple accounts or is the switching at least tolerable?
On a side note as I have been searching for a reciprocal I found the county south of me gives a library card if you were born there, no matter where you live now. I immediately went to Cook County (chicago, IL) and thought I was saved, but they don't have the same offer. I thought that was kind of cool, but never heard of it before - Has anyone else found other odd library card criteria?