Friends of Washoe County Library

The Libby App is designed for readers of all ages and skill levels. The app is easy to use regardless of your level of technical skill so you can create a digital library tailored to your preferences. With features like series tracking, customizable search options, and curated collections, it is easy to organize content and create a personalized experience for you and your family. Below are some practical tips and tricks to help you get started making the most of the app. (btw, Libby doesn’t stand for anything. It’s just a cute name that’s easy to remember.)

Tips and Information for Libby Users
If the buttons on the bottom of your home screen are not labeled, tap on the middle circle, scroll to Settings, Navigation, and tap Navigation Bar. Turn the Labeled Icons button to the ON position. This action will help you use the information below.

📚You can use Libby from anywhere in the world where you have an internet connection.

📚To find the nearest library, open Libby and tap the round Washoe County Library logo. You will see the address and phone number of the closest library. If you need directions, tap the Directions button and you will get a map and step-by-step driving directions.

📚You can have multiple library cards and change the names and colors for easy identification. To add a card, tap Menu (middle button), scroll to Manage Cards and tap ADD CARD. Tap Personalize to change colors.

📚You can change the skin tone of the little face icon on any page you access from the Menu button. Just tap the little face and then tap the skin tone of your choice.

📚You can read up to 10% of any eBook in the digital collection, even if it’s checked out.

📚You have three days to claim your book before it goes back into circulation.

📚Before you open your borrowed book, tap on its cover and swipe side to side to make the cover spin.

📚If you’re reading in sunlight, on a book page, tap the “A” icon in the upper right corner and under Lighting, select Sepia. This softens the background making it easier on your eyes when reading in glaring sun.

📚Libby has special guides curated by librarians. Open the Library tab and scroll to Guides (second batch of books). The librarian-selected collections are designed to help you find books based on age and interests.

📚If you’re reading a series, tap Shelf, then tap the small circle near the bottom right and you will see the word Series and the name and number you’re on. Tap that button and see a list of books in the series, in order.

Tricks For Libby Users

Annotating and Highlighting Your eBook
To annotate your eBook, tap and hold what you want to note or highlight. Options to Define, Highlight, or Search will appear. To see what you have marked, tap on the double bookmark on the top right of the page.

Preparing for a Trip: Downloading Books for Offline Reading
Before you travel, download your digital books to your device so you can enjoy reading without needing a Wi-Fi connection. You can access your book even in locations where internet access is limited or unavailable.

Organize your Reading with Regular Tags
The little Tags icon on the bottom right of the home page (Menu) lets you make lists of books you can use to stay organized. You can name each separate list, for example, Titles I’ve saved, Book club, or use an emoji 😩. These lists can represent any category that helps you manage and sort your digital library.

Begin by tapping on the Tags icon at the bottom of the screen. Next, tap Actions and select New Tag. You can now enter the name of your new tag (e.g., Favorites) and add a description (e.g., Re-reads). When you are happy with your tag, tap Create to add it to your collection.

Smart Tags
Libby also offers Smart Tags, which are automatically generated by the app. These smart tags keep track of your borrowing history, making it easy to revisit titles you have previously checked out.

For even more control over how your books are sorted and displayed, tap on the Tags menu, then tap blue square with three lines. This opens up additional sorting and filtering options. The blue oval button will show you how many items are in each category. If you want to remove all your filters, tap Reset Filters.

Tracking Borrowing Activity
To see your borrowing history, tap Shelf and select Timeline. This feature lets you see your borrowing activity organized by year (scroll backwards for previous years).

Choosing and Customizing Your Interest Categories
If you’re a “Mood Reader” and like to browse or read specific types of books—such as spine tinglers, non-fiction, seasonal, or only books that are available, Libby has a way to tailor your selections. Start at the Library tab. Here, you can either tap one of the interest categories (for more subjects, tap the blue square with black lines) or scroll down the page to see the full list of categories.

What to Do If You’re Not Finished with Your Book When It’s Due
If you haven’t finished reading your book by its due date, there’s an easy solution if you’re using a Kindle. Switch your Kindle to airplane mode before the due date. This will keep the book from being automatically returned, allowing you to continue reading past the original borrowing period. This will not impact readers on the waitlist—the book stays accessible for others to borrow. Once you turn airplane mode off and your Kindle reconnects to the internet the book will automatically be removed from your device if it is overdue.

How to Share What You’re Reading
If you want to share what you’re reading with friends or family, open the Shelf tab. Next to the highlighted book (the one you are currently reading) tap on the small circle with three dots near the bottom right. You will see the Share button. Tap this button and you will see several ways you can share the book’s information with others.

Magazines
If you want to explore topics like Food and Wine, Yoga, or Kids and Teens titles, you can check out magazines without worrying about wait lists or due dates. Tap Library and tap on the blue square icon with black lines. On the Format option, select magazines. From here, you can pick the subject that interests you. In the upper right corner, a green tab will show how many magazine titles are available for your selected subject. Click that tab and when the list of magazines appears, scroll down and tap the one you want. You can then Open Magazine to read it, Subscribe to receive new issues, or Save to create a Tag.

If you want to read magazines in a language other than English, after you tap Magazines, scroll down to Language (before tapping the Number of Titles tab). You will see a list of languages and how many titles are in each one-all with immediate access and no due dates. Now tap Show Titles and tap on the magazine you want. If you tap on Subscribe, you will be notified when a new issue arrives.

Unlock Flower Rewards
If you want to get flower rewards, there are a couple of ways to see this fun feature. When you return a book before its due date, the book will disappear and a small bouquet of flowers will appear. Tap on the bouquet to trigger a shower of flowers on your screen. The more books you return early, the more flowers you’ll receive.

If you haven’t returned a book early but still want a flower shower, you can access it from Menu. Simply scroll down to the bottom of the screen. After the words Libby Life, look for a small bouquet of flowers. Tap on the bouquet, and you’ll get to enjoy a flower shower even without an early book return!

Libby and Kids
Finding Inspiration for Kids’ Reading
According to a 2025 literacy study, reading enjoyment for kids (especially boys) is dropping each year. One way to help kids read more is to use Libby to find material related to a favorite film or TV series that matches their interests or hobbies. For reading inspiration for young readers, start by tapping Menu, then Fiction or Non-Fiction. The menu gives a wide range of books for adults, teens, and kids. The library has lots of engaging and fun suggestions to spark kids’ interest in reading. Consider getting your kid their own library card!

Setting Content Controls
To manage material children can access in Libby, tap on Menu, and scroll to Content Controls. You’ll see three kids’ face icons; each represents a different level of access:

• Left face: Limits displayed titles to those suitable for ages 0-12.
• Middle face: Allows all available titles to appear, without restriction.
• Right face: Permits access to young adult content in addition to all other titles.

For added security, you can Lock With A Passkey (above the faces). This prevents others from changing the content controls you have selected. There are also options for Mature Content on that page.

A word of caution: anyone can open an item that is on a tag or on your shelf. This means that books you tag or place on your shelf are accessible to others who have access to your account or device.

Read-Alongs for Kids
Read-alongs are books with professionally recorded narration that plays while your child reads. Many read-along eBook’s also highlight each word as the narrator reads, making it easy for the reader to follow along. Read-along stories are a great way to build confidence in young and emerging readers and are available in nonfiction and fiction titles.

To access read-alongs in Libby, click the Search button (the magnifying glass), then tap on the blue square with lines, and under Format, tap on read-alongs. From there, scroll down to select options for your child’s specific interests, audience, and language preference. Tap on the blue tab on top to see titles of books in that category.

If a reader wants the narrator to repeat a word or sentence, they can click or tap the word(s). Automatic page-turning, option to pause, and reading speed and volume are all adjustable. By reading along with audio narration of favorite stories, young readers can enjoy eBooks and improve their reading skills.

Fun Summer Reading: Beanstack
Starting in May each year, kids can enter the summer reading challenge to earn free books and prizes for completing reading challenges and for participating in library activities (like eBook Bingo or reading a book under a blanket or reading to a friend). Kids can use vouchers for free books at the Friends of Washoe County Library book sales. The goal is to keep kids reading throughout the summer by involving them in activities that develop reading and memory skills and build positive attitudes towards reading and learning. To learn how to participate in the summer reading challenge, visit washoecountylibrary.us/summerreading.

Staying Connected with Libby Life
For families looking for more helpful tips, and book recommendations tailored for children of all ages (even babies!) Libby Life can help. Libby Life delivers information about new features, curated lists for young readers, upcoming events, and fun quizzes. To subscribe, open Menu scroll all the way to the bottom. There, you’ll find a link to subscribe to Libby Life and get regular updates delivered to your inbox.

Finally: April 19-25 is National Library Week
National Library Week is a nation-wide celebration focused on appreciating libraries for their many resources and services.

How to Celebrate:

• Visit your local library and learn about books, puzzles, digital materials, and the many programs and groups they offer (think reading, knitting, crafts, lectures, and more).
• Support library workers by sending notes of appreciation and encouragement to keep adding new activities and materials.

• Mention, link, or tag your library’s official social-media pages. When you share experiences, favorite books, or library events, you encourage our community to learn more about our libraries, increase online visibility, and show appreciation for the many valuable services our libraries provide.

Happy Reading!

Libby Accessibility and Personalization Guide
From the Holiday 2025 Member Newsletter

Discover Libby Reading Options
Libby offers a variety of customizable features designed to support readers with vision, hearing, or mobility limitations, making reading enjoyable for everyone. With options to adjust text, lighting, speed, volume, and movement, you can personalize your reading to suit your needs. The following guide outlines how to make the most of Libby’s accessibility and appearance settings.

Appearance Settings
Text Scale
To modify the appearance of your book or magazine, tap the page and select the capital “A” at the top right corner. From there, use the slider to adjust the text size. For more options, select accessibility sizes. If you are reading magazines, picture books, or comics and need to zoom in or out, you can tap on the zoom icon at the top of the page and use your thumb and index finger to “pinch” the screen and change the text size.
Lighting
In the Appearance settings, you can choose the lighting that is most comfortable for your eyes: Bright, Sepia, or Dark. Selecting the right lighting can enhance contrast and reduce eye strain.
Book Design and Typeface
Adjust text on the page by tapping through the available design and typeface options, including custom choices. Libby offers OpenDyslexic typefaces, which show heavy-weighted bottoms, unique shapes, and wide spacing. These fonts are specifically designed to help prevent letters from appearing rotated or flipped—a common challenge for readers with dyslexia—and to reduce letter confusion.
Screen Reader Compatibility
For visually impaired users, Libby is compatible with screen readers such as NVD and VoiceOver. These tools read on-screen text aloud to provide descriptions for a more accessible experience. For help using this feature, ask your librarian or refer to Reading a book using a screen reader.
Text Justification
Libby has options for left-aligned or justified text. Most users find left-aligned text more comfortable, as it gives a relaxed appearance and consistent spacing, making it easier and faster for the eye to move to the start of each new line. In contrast, center-justified text can create uneven gaps, and make reading more difficult for people with dyslexia and those using assistive technology.
Line Spacing and Weight
Line spacing and font weight also affect readability. Ample line spacing prevents text from feeling crowded or too sparse, allowing your eye to track lines smoothly and comfortably. Font weight, or the thickness of the text, also impacts clarity; a heavier font may appear bold but could look cluttered and be more difficult to read. Libby provides three line-spacing options, with 1.6 being the recommended setting, but the best spacing is the one that feels easiest for you to read.

Using Libby with Hearing Aids
Libby uses the audio “source” that your phone is connected to. If your hearing aids are already paired with your device via Bluetooth, make sure the phone’s Bluetooth menu shows the hearing aids as the chosen audio source. Most hearing aids are Bluetooth compatible, but if yours are not yet paired, you will need to do this first. After pairing, follow these steps:

1. Open Libby and borrow an audiobook.
2. Go to your phone’s settings and open the Bluetooth menu.
3. Ensure Bluetooth is turned on. If your hearing aids have already been paired, check that they are connected. If not, connect them to your device. On most devices, the audio “source” is managed in the phone’s media player in the quick access control center.
A convenient feature of Libby is that if you receive a phone call while reading, playback will pause to let you to take the call. When you finish, Libby will resume exactly where you left off.
More Accessibility Features
Additional accessibility options are available on the Libby menu. To explore these settings, go to Menu > Settings > Accessibility. Here you can adjust features such as color variation, motion, and vibrations, as well as options for orientation, timing, and keyboard shortcuts.

Make Libby your own and enjoy more comfortable reading! If you need a hand with any of the tools, your librarians are always happy to help you.

Happy Reading!

Libby: Your Gateway to Reading and Discovery

From the Fall 2025 Member Newsletter