NEWS – How many of you have been using the OverDrive app on your mobile devices to check books out from your local library for free? If you do, then you will want to pay attention to this news. One month from now on May 1, 2023, the legacy OverDrive library app will officially be discontinued. Don’t panic, you’ll still be able to check out books on your mobile devices because OverDrive is making the Libby app the primary way for readers to enjoy their local library’s digital book collection. This change has been in the works for over a year now, so it’s not something new that was just decided.
Why is OverDrive making this switch? The Libby app is a big improvement over the old OverDrive app. Here are some features available on Libby that OverDrive didn’t offer:
- Unified bookshelf for all loans and holds
- Support for multiple library cards
- Ability to export notes & highlights
- Compatibility with Apple CarPlay (Note: Android Auto is supported in both apps)
- Sonos speaker integration
If a user has a NOOK or a similar dedicated ereader, they can download books to a computer then use Adobe Digital Editions (ADE) to transfer them to their device. This option is available from libbyapp.com or your library’s OverDrive website. Learn more about transferring ebooks on Libby Help.
Additionally, many Kobo devices are compatible with direct borrowing of OverDrive ebooks (e.g., Kobo Sage, Libra 2, Clara HD, Elipsa, Forma, Libra H2O, Nia, Aura Edition 2, Aura H2O Edition 2, or Aura ONE). This functionality will continue to work as expected.
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Not super surprising, They have neglected that poor thing for ages.
I was worried because I have it connected to a KOBO ereader but luckily that will still work.