eBooks, eAudio, eMags & Streaming: Tech Help

The library offers free eBooks, eAudiobooks and eMagazines through the Libby, by Overdrive app. Ten items may be borrowed at a time and there are no late fees. eMagazine checkouts are unlimited. While items can be returned early, they are returned automatically when the checkout period expires. Libby, by OverDrive and the browser site libbyapp.com can be used interchangeably.

Libby is not available in Amazon’s app store, but Kindle users can visit libbyapp.com to stream eBooks, listen to eAudiobooks and read eMagazines while connected to the internet. Please see our separate Kindle instructions.

What You Will Need

• Libby, by OverDrive App
• Valid Fairfax County Library Card and password (PIN)
• Internet Connection

One-Time Install

1. Download Libby, by OverDrive from your app store and open the app.
2. Do you have a library card? Select Yes.
3. Select Search For a Library; enter your zip code. Select Fairfax County Public Library.
4. Select Sign In With My Card and then enter your library card number and password (PIN).
5. Select Sign In to use the Libby app.

Search

1. Select the magnifying glass in the footer of the app to search.
2. Narrow your search:
   a) Prior to entering your search terms, by selecting options under Advanced Search. Select the magnifying glass and then select Advanced. Under Formats you can limit your search to either EPUB eBook or PDF eBook. Also limit by Availability, Subjects, Audience and more. OR
   b) After entering your search terms, by using the filters on the left-hand side of the screen. Choose the category called eBooks to limit to either OverDrive Read or EPUB eBook.
3. Select the library card icon next to a title to see its availability in all of your linked library systems.

Borrow

1. Select Borrow on available titles. Confirm by selecting Borrow! 
2. You may Open Book to begin reading, Keep Browsing, or Go to Shelf to see all of your checked out titles.
3. If prompted, select Read With… to choose between reading with Kindle or Libby.

Holds

1. Select Place Hold if all copies are in use. You can see the approximate wait time on the next screen before you place the hold. Confirm by selecting Place Hold!
2. After receiving notification that a hold is available, choose one of the following from within the Libby app or from the notification:

a) Borrow the title within three days.

b) Select Deliver Later to stay at the top of the holds list while passing the book to the next person in line. After your chosen suspension period, you can borrow the next available copy.

c) Cancel your hold.

If no action is taken within three days, your hold will be automatically suspended one time for seven days. If no action is taken a second time, the hold will be automatically canceled.

Read

• Select the Bookshelf icon (books) in the footer of the app to open your downloaded titles. Select Open Book or Read With…
• Swipe or click left or right to turn pages.
• Select or tap the middle of the screen to go Back to your Bookshelf, search within the book, change reading settings (including font size and lighting), set bookmarks, or select a different chapter

Return

• Items will be returned automatically at the end of their checkout period.
• Items can be returned early from the Bookshelf icon screen. Select Manage Loan, select Return Early, then Return.

Renew

• The option to renew becomes available three days before a title is set to expire.
• From the Bookshelf icon screen, select Expiring soon. Renew? above the book cover or select Manage Loan. Select Renew Loan, then Renew. If other users are waiting you can Place a Hold on the title to request it again.

eMagazines

Setup for eMagazines

Add Library of Virginia to Libby to browse and checkout digital magazines.

1. Select the Menu icon in the center of the footer of the app.
2. Select Add Library. Search for and select “Library of Virginia."
3. When prompted “Let's sign into your account. Where do you use your library card?” DO NOT choose ‘Library of Virginia’; select the button that says 84 More.
4. Select Fairfax County Public Library from the drop-down list of VA libraries.
5. Enter your FCPL library card number and password (PIN) to Sign in.

Search eMagazines

• Select the magnifying glass in the footer of the app to search. Then:
  • Type a title in the search box or
  • Browse Magazines under Explore With Filters. Or,
• Select the library icon (building) in the footer of the app. Scroll down to the heading Guides and select the green box that says Magazines. You can browse or select All Titles > to select Refine.

Borrow and Read eMagazines

• Select Borrow to check out a magazine. Select Borrow! to confirm.
• Select the cover of a magazine title and scroll down to see available back issues. Select the image of the library card to the right of a desired issue and select Borrow. Select Borrow! to confirm.
• Select the Book Shelf icon in the footer of the app to open and view the contents of a borrowed eMagazine.
• Select or tap the middle of the screen to navigate within the issue.
• To view a screen-friendly layout of a page or article, select the page in the footer of the app. Select Done to return to the eMagazine.

Additional Tips for Using the Libby App

If you find and check out a title from our regular library catalog, download the title directly in the Libby app or libbyapp.com.

Configure Libby to work the way you want! Select the Menu icon in the center of the footer and then scroll down to select Settings.

• Find the setup code to onboard Libby to another device
• Choose Read Books With… to set your preference to Kindle or Libby
• Customize Navigation and Manage Notifications
• Add a library (Library of Virginia, for example, for eMagazines)
• Toggle between libraries, e.g.: (FCPL) for eBooks/eAudiobooks (LVA) for eMagazines.

Visit bit.ly/fcpllibacc for accessibility tips.

iOS and Android Updates

Libby's minimum iOS version is iOS 10. The Android version must be at least 5.0. It is recommended that for the web app libbyapp.com, you use the latest version of Chrome, Safari, Firefox or Edge.