The 15 Best Library Apps & Services for 2026

Libby by OverDrive — Best Overall Library App

What it offers: Ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines from 90% of US, UK, and Canadian public libraries. OverDrive, the parent company, holds deals with virtually every major publisher, which means Libby has the deepest catalog of any library app.

How to access: Download Libby from the App Store or Google Play. Tap "Sign in," select your library system, enter your card number and PIN. You can link cards from multiple libraries — a huge advantage if you qualify for NYPL, Brooklyn PL, and Queens PL simultaneously.

Pros: Largest catalog (2M+ titles), Kindle compatibility in the US, offline reading, variable audiobook playback speed, 4K magazine covers, send-to-Kindle feature.

Cons: Popular titles have long holds (8-12 weeks for bestsellers); monthly borrowing limit of 5-10 titles at most systems; loans auto-return.

Tip: Join 3-4 library systems (many cities offer reciprocal free cards) to quadruple your borrowing limit and shrink hold queues.

Hoopla — Instant Ebooks, Films, Music

What it offers: Ebooks, audiobooks, movies, TV shows, music albums, and comics — all available without holds. You get a monthly borrow allowance (typically 6-8 titles).

How to access: Search "Hoopla Digital" on your app store. Set up with your email, then link your library card.

Pros: Zero waiting (pay-per-use licensing means everything is always available). Strong comics and graphic novel selection (DC, Marvel, Image). Good indie film catalog.

Cons: Monthly limit is hard (you cannot borrow more even if you return titles). Smaller ebook selection than Libby. Video streaming can buffer on slower connections.

Best for: Album listening, comics bingeing, and discovering indie films without holds.

Kanopy — Free Films Through Your Library

What it offers: Criterion Collection films, PBS documentaries, indie releases, Great Courses lectures, and children’s programming (Kanopy Kids). Strong in auteur cinema (Bergman, Kurosawa, Varda).

How to access: kanopy.com or iOS/Android/Apple TV/Roku/Fire TV apps. Link your library card; each library sets a monthly credit limit (typically 5-15 films).

Pros: Vast world cinema library (20K+ titles), 4K/HDR on many releases, no ads, Great Courses access is worth the signup alone ($200+/year value).

Cons: Not all libraries participate; monthly play credits can run out fast. Kanopy Kids has unlimited viewing.

Best for: Cinephiles, students studying film or history, and parents seeking ad-free kids programming.

cloudLibrary — Alternative Ebook Platform

What it offers: Similar to Libby (ebooks and audiobooks). Smaller footprint (~30% of US libraries) but some titles unavailable on OverDrive are here.

How to access: Download cloudLibrary, select your library, enter your card.

Pros: Cleaner UI than Libby for some users, faster discovery tools, better handling of series metadata, Bluefire-style PDF highlighting.

Cons: Smaller catalog, not all libraries participate.

Best for: Patrons whose libraries use Bibliotheca rather than OverDrive, or anyone seeking titles blocked on Libby by publisher embargo.

BorrowBox — The UK & Australia Standard

What it offers: Ebooks and audiobooks through public libraries in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. BorrowBox is the dominant platform outside North America.

How to access: Download "BorrowBox Library" from the App Store or Google Play. Search your library service (most UK, AU, NZ, and IE systems appear). Log in with your library card and PIN.

Pros: Deep UK publishing catalog (Bloomsbury, Faber, Bonnier UK); supports simultaneous borrowing of ebook and audiobook versions; clean mobile UI.

Cons: Fewer American titles; smaller overall catalog than OverDrive.

Best for: UK, Irish, Australian, and New Zealand library cardholders.

PressReader — 7,000+ Newspapers & Magazines

What it offers: Full digital editions of 7,000+ newspapers and magazines in 60 languages. Includes The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, Le Monde, Der Spiegel, Le Figaro, Vogue, Rolling Stone, National Geographic, The Economist, and thousands more.

How to access: Visit your library website and find "PressReader" under "Digital Resources." Click through (it passes through your library’s authentication). Once in, you can download the PressReader app and use it away from the library.

Pros: Newspapers available the day they publish. Full magazine scans including photos and layouts. Translation button on every article.

Cons: Authentication sessions expire every 7-30 days; you must revisit your library website periodically to refresh. Some smaller local papers unavailable.

Best for: Anyone who wants Economist + NYT + WSJ subscriptions (combined $1,000+/year) for free.

LinkedIn Learning via Library

What it offers: Full access to LinkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda.com) – 16,000+ professional courses in business, technology, creative skills, and certifications prep (PMP, Six Sigma, AWS).

How to access: Check your library’s digital resources page for "LinkedIn Learning" or "Lynda." Many US, UK, and Canadian libraries offer free access worth approximately $240/year.

Pros: Professional instructors; certificates of completion; exercise files; mobile app for offline downloads.

Cons: Authentication must be renewed weekly at some libraries. Certificates do not display "via library" but the underlying LinkedIn Learning is identical to the paid version.

Best for: Career changers, certification-prep students, and anyone building technical skills.

JSTOR & Academic Databases via Library

What it offers: JSTOR (academic journals), EBSCO Academic Search, ProQuest, Gale databases, Web of Science, Credo Reference, Sage Research Methods. These platforms charge institutions tens of thousands of dollars a year; your library card gets you in free.

How to access: Visit your library’s website, find "Research Databases" or "Academic Resources." Click the database you want. You will be proxied through the library authentication.

Pros: Scholarly articles, primary sources, full-text journal archives going back to 1850s (JSTOR).

Cons: Most databases allow only IP-based access within the library; remote access requires a library card and sometimes a VPN or EZproxy.

Best for: Students, lifelong learners, journalists, and independent researchers.

Tutor.com — Free Live Tutoring via Libraries

What it offers: Live, one-on-one tutoring with subject experts in math (K-calculus), science, English, writing, foreign languages, and test prep (SAT/ACT/GRE/GMAT). Service is available every day from roughly 2 pm to 11 pm local time.

How to access: Find "Tutor.com," "Brainfuse HelpNow," or "JobNow" on your library’s digital resources page. Click through and sign in with your card.

Pros: Real human tutors, text chat or video, shared whiteboard. Paper-drop feature: upload an essay, get it marked up within 24 hours by a writing coach.

Cons: Availability is busiest 4-9 pm weekdays; occasional wait times.

Best for: K-12 homework help, college writing revision, and exam prep support. See our library exam prep guide for details.

Other Notable Library Apps (15+ more)

• Mango Languages — 70+ languages, conversation-focused, free via library.
• Transparent Language — another language-learning platform available in many US libraries.
• Rosetta Stone Library Edition — limited library systems still offer this; includes 30 languages.
• Creativebug — 1,000+ arts-and-crafts video classes, available through many library systems.
• CreativeLive — photography and design courses through select libraries.
• Consumer Reports — free via hundreds of libraries (saves $40/year).
• Morningstar Library Edition — full investment research, worth $250/year.
• Value Line — stock analysis database.
• A to Z Databases — business leads and research (~$300/year value).
• Ancestry Library Edition — full Ancestry.com access inside libraries.
• HeritageQuest — genealogy and historical records, accessible from home.
• Newsbank — local and regional US newspapers archive.
• Universal Class — 500+ non-credit classes with instructor feedback.
• Gale Presents: Udemy — select libraries offer 10,000+ Udemy business and tech courses.
• Flipster — an EBSCO competitor to PressReader with its own magazine lineup.

Step-by-Step: Setting Up Libby on Your Phone

1. Download Libby from the Apple App Store or Google Play (developed by OverDrive Inc.).
2. Tap "Yes" when the app asks if you have a library card.
3. Search by city, ZIP code, or library name. If you live in a metro area, you might see multiple options — a city library, a county library, and possibly a state library. You can add all of them.
4. Tap your library and enter your card number. Libby auto-detects most US public libraries; for some you may need to enter a PIN or birthdate.
5. Browse, sample, or search for a title. Tap "Borrow" on any available book; tap "Place Hold" if it has a queue.
6. Open the title from the Shelf tab. Audiobooks support 0.5x to 3x playback. Ebooks support font and theme customization.
7. Send to Kindle (US only): tap the title and select "Read with Kindle." Amazon completes the loan and sends to your Kindle automatically.

Setting Up Hoopla

1. Download Hoopla Digital from the App Store or Google Play.
2. Tap "Sign Up," enter email, choose your library, enter card number.
3. Browse the catalog — everything is "always available" with no holds.
4. Each borrow uses one of your monthly credits (typically 6-8). Credits reset on the 1st of each month.
5. Stream on Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV, Chromecast, or directly in the app.

Setting Up Kanopy

1. Visit kanopy.com or download the iOS, Android, or smart-TV app.
2. Click "Find your library," search, and authenticate with your card.
3. You will see a credit balance — usually 5-15 plays per month, depending on your library.
4. Stream films instantly. Kanopy Kids has unlimited plays for children’s content, separate from adult credits.

Best Library App by Use Case

Apps That Manage "Libraries of Things"

A growing number of libraries lend out non-book items — telescopes, sewing machines, ukuleles, metal detectors, fishing poles, even baking pans. These collections are typically reservable through:

• BiblioCommons — the dominant catalog system at large US libraries (NYPL, BPL, San Francisco PL, Toronto PL). Look for the "Library of Things" or "Stuff to Borrow" section.
• Aspen Discovery — an open-source catalog used by Sacramento PL (the original Library of Things), Berkeley PL, and Seattle PL.
• MyTurn.org — the dedicated lending-library platform used by smaller systems. The catalog is searchable by category (kitchen, outdoor, music, tools).
• Local apps — some library systems run their own apps for renewals and holds (Toronto PL, Boston PL, NYPL). Always check your library’s website for a branded mobile experience.

Frequently Asked Questions