How to Get Free Audiobooks With Just a Library Card and an App

Sometimes, friends and family don’t understand why I don’t mind long drives, whether it’s a long-haul holiday visit or a quick jaunt to return something someone forgot at my place. The secret is the trip, whatever the length, is the perfect time to get lost in one of my favorite pastimes: audiobooks. And with just a simple library card, one special app has given me access to more of them than I’ll ever need, and can do the same for you.

Audiobooks are an addiction I picked up straight out of college, with a newfound need to occupy my brain during commutes to work and lunch breaks. I was pushed to give them a try after being mightily embarrassed over my inability to make much progress into Lord of the Rings throughout my entire undergraduate education. With just a few months of an Audible membership, I had worked my way through that fantasy bible and was off onto new literary horizons.

Audiobooks aren’t for everybody — some people have told me they find it difficult to retain what they hear — but if audiobooks are for you, you need to check out an app called Libby. Thanksgiving might be over, but with the broader holiday travel season on the horizon, it just might be the perfect companion for long drives or flights. Or for distracting yourself once you’re with the family; we’re not here to judge. 

For more about holiday travel, dig into our stress-free travel checklist and find out which essential items to keep track of while packing.

What is Libby?

Previously known as OverDrive, the Libby app lets you access digital publications from real library systems. While I might be here to evangelize about its audiobook offerings, you can also borrow ebooks, digital comic books and digital magazines.

All of that content won’t cost you a dime, but while there might be such a thing as a free lunch, there probably isn’t such a thing as a no-effort lunch. All that to say, Libby requires a real library card to access anything, and while some systems will let you sign up for a card online, in most places, you will eventually have to go to your local library in person to get set up with a card, and you’ll need to make sure it stays up to date. A small price to pay, if you ask me, for a nearly unlimited supply of free books.

Read more: Best E-Reader of 2024

Where can I get Libby?

Libby is available through Apple’s App Store, the Google Play store and the Amazon Appstore. If you’ve got a phone, tablet or laptop in your pocket or bag, you can get Libby. You can also access the service via a web browser at libbyapp.com.

So how does it work?

Once you’ve created a Libby account and entered your library card’s info, all you have to do is search for the title you want and borrow it. If you’ve ever used Spotify or the Apple Music app, or other audiobook apps like Audible or Apple Books, you’ll know what to expect with the Libby player. Elsewhere, you can read ebooks in Libby or by exporting them to your Kindle app.

One of the major value propositions that Libby offers is the ability to add multiple library cards. Some library systems out there will allow you to sign up for a card even if you don’t live in its local area. For example, as a resident of New York state, I’m able to access the New York City Public Library in Manhattan, the Queens Public Library and the Brooklyn Public Library, as well as my local library, dramatically expanding the catalog I can pull from. Go digging on Google and see if any library systems in your state offer something similar.

Are there any drawbacks to Libby?

As Libby is connecting you with real libraries, you’re required to work within the limitations of library rentals. That means that each title will have a limited number of “copies” that the library can lend at a time, so if the one you’re looking for is all booked up, you’ll have to place a hold and wait for it to become available. Once you borrow something, you’ll also only have access to it for a certain amount of time, usually two to three weeks. Maybe reconsider using Libby to check out Infinite Jest, unless you have a mountain of free time.

You’ll also notice on Libby, compared to Audible or Apple Books, that the audio quality for audiobooks leaves something to be desired. And unlike Audible, there’s no option to choose from higher or lower quality files. Certainly not something that will be a dealbreaker for most people, but something to keep in mind for perfectionists. 

For more on audiobooks, find out how audiobooks could become another medium shaken up by AI.