E-Books - Tech Tips

Libby App Now Available for Kindle Fire

Recently, the OverDrive app was discontinued. In its place is the Libby App. Until recently, Kindle Fire users were unable to access the app on their devices. Luckily, this has changed!

The Kindle Fire app is now available for download in the Amazon App Store. The Kindle Fire Libby App is available for Kindle Fire models made in 2020 or newer. It is also available on the following models:

Device	Year
Fire HD 10	2017
Fire HD 8	2018
Fire HD 10	2019
Fire HD 8	2020
Fire HD 10	2021
Fire HD 10 Plus	2021
Fire 7	2022
Fire HD 8	2022
Fire HD 8 Plus	2022

When visiting the Amazon Libby App download page, there is a box listing if your model of Kindle Fire is compatible with the app.

Screenshot showing Libby App in the Amazon app store with x marks next to the compatibility with your devices that aren't compatible.

After downloading the Libby App on your Kindle Fire, there is an option to read e-books either on the app itself or on the built in Kindle app on the Kindle Fire. For more information on how to deliver e-books to your Kindle App, check out our helpful Tech Tips article.

How to Use AI to Ask the Literary Universe for Answers

Artificial intelligence is being explored for use in every sector, for every purpose you can imagine. Today’s tool leverages the information in Google Books to allow a user to pose a question and see a list of “answers” in related quotes from books.

Google Talk to Books is an experimental tool designed to respond to questions asked using natural language, as opposed to using keywords. In other words, you can type a question in sentence form (Why do dogs bark?) and get better results than using a sentence fragment (Why dogs bark).

I feel obligated to issue a warning that this is the kind of tool that you can lose a whole afternoon (or more) to. Asking the same question in different ways will get different results, and those results often lead to engaging book passages. Next thing you know, your “to-be-read” pile is out of control.

That said, let’s try some sample searches.

Simple Search Interface

In true Google fashion, the page features a search box that prompts the user to “say something to books.” I started with a basic question with a scientific answer – “Why is the sky blue?”

Screenshot of search results including passages from books in all categories.

This brought up a list of five passages, with the option to load more. Each entry includes a citation and is clickable. You can follow the link to read more.

For my next question, I went for something more informal. It turns out this had scientific responses, too.

Question posed: Why are cats so weird? Search results include their keen senses and other attributes that differ from other animals.

To see what sort of non-factual answers I might get, I narrowed the results to fiction using the filters in the upper right.

Filter books by category list includes: arts, current events, fiction, history, literary criticism, and more.

The new results:

Same search with results filtered to fiction. Includes statements that cats are strange and that beings seemed wrong because they were descended from felines.

These results looked more like places I might find similar observations but in more imaginative settings.

Next, I tried rewording my question, which led to very different results.

Screenshot of question "are cats possessed?" with results about their relation to demons and how they can attack seemingly without warning.

These results were a little more interesting, for sure.

Give it a try and let us know how it went in the comments!

Download Books to Your Kindle with the Libby App

If you have a Kindle and use the Libby app, you may have been wondering how to send e-books to your Kindle.

Libby is an app made by OverDrive that allows you to browse for and read and listen to e-books, digital audiobooks, and digital magazines. If you have a Kindle, you also have the option to checkout e-books and read them on your Kindle device.

To get started, open the Libby app on your phone or tablet, which is available on iOS (Apple) and Android devices. If you have a Kindle Fire or another device that does not support the Libby app, you can go to https://libbyapp.com/

Once the app is open, click on the shelf icon on the bottom of the screen.

Screenshot showing the shelf view of the Libby app with two e-books listed and the shelf icon highlighted.

Next, find the book you want to send to your Kindle and tap or click on Read With.

Screenshot of loan shelf with "read with" highlighted on the first e-book..

If this is your first time accessing the book after borrowing it and there is no “Read With” text and it only displays “Open in Libby,” that means that particular e-book is not available in Kindle format. If you have previously opened the book within the Libby app and would like to send it to your Kindle, tap on “Manage Loan” and then tap on “Read With.”

Next, tap on Kindle.

Close up screenshot of the "read with" screen with the Kindle option highlighted.

From here, a browser window will pop up prompting you to log in to Amazon if you aren’t already logged in. Once you are logged into Amazon, you’ll see a screen with more info about library loaning as well as a “Get Library Book” button.

If you have more than one Kindle or device with a Kindle app (for example if you have the Kindle app installed on your phone), you will have the option to choose where you’d like to deliver the book.
Above the Get Library Book button, the email address you use to log in to Amazon is displayed. If that is not the email address of the account you used to register your Kindle, click or tap sign out and log in with the correct account.
Also on this page, you will see when your loan period ends. After the loan expires, the title will automatically be returned.
Tap or click “Get Library Book” to send your e-book to your Kindle.

Screenshot of Amazon book checkout page showing the book cover, user email, destination indicator, and "get library book" button.

Once you have sent your e-book to your Kindle, you will get a confirmation screen that it was successful. The e-book will automatically be downloaded to your Kindle and it will be displayed in the Your Library section of your Kindle. If you are using a Kindle Fire, open up the Kindle app, which is called either Kindle or Books. If you don’t see the e-book on your Kindle, make sure that it is connected to WiFi.

Here is a step-by-step video showing the process when using the Libby app on an iPad:

Have you used the Libby app to send books to your Kindle? Let us know in the comments!

Access Even More Digital Content with Your Library Card

If you enjoy downloading or streaming digital content with your library card, we have great news for you. The available selection on OverDrive/Libby just got bigger! The Upper Hudson Library System (UHLS) and the Mid-Hudson Library System (MHLS) have decided to partner up and share resources. Members of both library systems have access to both digital catalogs with a single library card number.

UHLS members can continue to use OverDrive/Libby as they always have, but now they have an additional option to search the MHLS collection and borrow from there, as well. Don’t worry – this won’t make wait times longer for popular items in either digital library. Only items available for immediate checkout are available to the members of the guest library system.

How to Access Additional Content

Using the Libby App

Go to the Libby menu and select “Add library.”

Screenshot of search results with Mid-Hudson Library System available

Search for and select “Mid-Hudson Library System.”

Select “Upper Hudson Library System Cardholder” under Partner Libraries and sign in with your card number.

Screenshot showing library selection screen

Once you have activated both systems, you can toggle between the two from the menu.

Using the OverDrive Website

Screenshot of https://uhls.overdrive.com sign in screen

Toggle between the partner libraries by selecting the desired system from the Partner Libraries dropdown menu.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will UHLS users see everything from the MHLS catalog?

No. Titles that are not available for checkout will not be visible.

Can guest users place holds?

No, users can only place holds in their own library system’s digital catalog.

Can guest users renew their loans?

Yes, as long as there are no other users are waiting for the item.

How many items can be borrowed at a time?

Both UHLS and MHLS each allow users to borrow up to 10 items at once. The limits set by each system will function independently. Items borrowed from UHLS will not count against the MHLS 10 item limit. Likewise, items borrowed from MHLS will not count against the 10 item limit set by UHLS.

Can guests recommend titles for purchase?

No. Users can only make recommendations of titles to purchase to their own library system.

Will settings applied to a UHLS account carry over to the MHLS collection?

Any settings you configure in the Libby app (accessibility options, notifications, etc.) will be applied to all library systems linked to your account.

Settings that you apply on the website version (default lending period, display options, etc.) will only apply for the specific collection associated with them. If you want the same settings on both collections, you will have to configure them separately for each site.

Will students accessing the UHLS collection through Sora’s Public Library Connect feature have access to the MHLS collection?

No, Public Library Connect users will only have access to their home library system’s collection at this time. They will not see options to access additional content from other systems.

Conclusion

Thanks to the partnership between our library systems, more digital content is available for all library users. Everybody wins! Let us know how you like this new feature in the comments. Got questions? We’re happy to help.

Virtually See the Libby App in Action

In April 2023, the library held a virtual program via Zoom called Libby 101. The program was a basic intro to the Libby app, which is the app created by OverDrive to read and listen to e-books, audiobooks, and magazines. If you were unable to attend the virtual program, you’re in luck! The presentation was recorded and uploaded to our YouTube channel.

To watch the entire presentation, please view the playlist on our YouTube channel.

Part One: Getting Started With Libby: Getting started with the app and the steps to take after downloading the app and opening it for the first time.

Part Two: Browsing and Searching: Browsing and searching for content on the Libby app.

Part Three: Borrowing and Placing a Hold: Borrowing an item and how to place a hold on an item.

Part Four: The Shelf: Loans: The loans section of the Shelf section of the Libby app.

Part Five: The Shelf: Holds: The Holds section of the Shelf on the Libby app.

Part Six: Reading and Listening Settings: Adjusting the settings used while reading and listening to digital content.

Part Seven: Settings: The settings section of the Libby app.

If you have any questions about the Libby app, please call the library or ask a librarian when you’re in the library.

Do you use the Libby app? Let us know in the comments.