OverDrive / Libby

Good to Know

• Checkout and hold a limit of 10 items. 

• There are never any fines and items return automatically. 

• Items can be renewed or requested again 3 days before the due date. 

• You will be notified by email or through the app when your holds are ready. You have 3 days to check out the item or decide to have it delivered later. 

• London Public Library has partnered with Burlington, Hamilton, Kingston Frontenac, Milton, Mississauga, and Ottawa public Libraries to offer more titles through OverDrive. 

Getting Started

To get started, you will need to have the following: 

• Your Library card number and PIN. 

• An internet connection. 

• A compatible device. Please note that Kindle eReaders are NOT compatible with Canadian Library eBooks.

You can download or stream using Libby App, an eReader, or on your computer.

Download the Libby App

Enjoying eBooks and audiobooks from OverDrive on your tablet, smartphone, and computer is easy with the Libby app for Apple iOS 10.0+ or later, or Android 5.0+, and newer Fire tablets. The OverDrive App is no longer available.  

Once you have downloaded the Libby app, you can browse the collection as well as set filters such as format, availability or audience.   

Using an eReader

Kobo eReaders: Most never models have OverDrive integrated, allowing you to browse and borrow books directly on your Kobo. You can also use the Libby app or a web browser, such as Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari to checkout items and then sync your device. Note: Audiobooks and magazines are not supported on eReaders. 

Other eReaders: Use Adobe Digital Editions (ADE) to transfer EPUB eBooks from a computer to your eReader.  

Getting Started with Kobo: 

1. Ensure your Kobo is connected to Wi-Fi. 

2. From the Home screen, tap the More button. 

3. This will bring up a menu. 

4. Click on Settings then select OverDrive. 

5. Your account will indicate if you are logged in. If not, tap Getting Started. 

6. Tap on Add Library. Search for "London Public Library" and select it from the list. 

7. Next, you can either scan the QR code provided or tap on Sign in on This Device.  

8. Select "London Public Library" from the list and enter your Library Card number and PIN, then tap Sign in.  

Borrowing Library eBooks for Your Kobo   

Borrow Directly:   

Once you have signed in to OverDrive on your Kobo as directed above, you can then  Search and borrow titles from the Library's OverDrive catalogue. After searching for items, the options will display as either Place a Hold or Borrow. Tap on Borrow if you wish to start the checkout and download process. Borrowed eBooks will appear in the Books section of your Kobo alongside any books you have purchased.  

Borrow Using Libby or a Web Browser:   

Search for books using the Libby App or a browser by going to https://lpl.overdrive.com. Borrow materials or add to your hold list from here. Return to your Kobo eReader and tap the sync button on the top right corner. Please note, it may take a few hours before your items show in your Books section.    

Borrow from Partner Libraries:  

Kobo only allows one Library to be signed in at a time. To borrow and read eBooks from one of our Partner Libraries, you will need to log out of your London Public Library account on the device and sign back in using the Partner Library. For example, if you wanted to borrow or sync a title from Ottawa Public Library, in step 6 above, you would select “London Public Library (Ottawa Public Library)” from the list rather than simply “London Public Library”. Then complete steps 7 & 8 as instructed. 

Please note: Some titles may not be available for direct borrowing or syncing to Kobo due to publisher restrictions on specific titles. In these cases, the title has to be transferred from a computer using Adobe Digital Editions as described on the help page.  

Some titles may not be available for direct borrowing or syncing to Kobo due to publisher restrictions on specific titles. In these cases, the title has to be transferred from a computer using Adobe Digital Editions as described on the help page. 

Using a Computer

You can search for books using a web browser at https://lpl.overdrive.com. Select a title that is available and click on Borrow.  You will then be prompted to sign in by selecting your Library and entering your Library Card and PIN. At this point, you will receive another prompt to borrow the item, and you can select how long you would like the item for – 7, 14 or 21 days. This becomes your default borrowing period but can be changed during a future checkout if needed. After you have selected your borrowing period, another prompt will appear, providing you with the option to download the title or to read it in your browser. 

Downloading the title to your computer requires Adobe Digital Editions. Please note: Adobe is no longer supporting Digital Editions. This limits our ability to help you download and transfer using Adobe Digital Editions. Instructions can be found here on the OverDrive help page. 

Partner Libraries Collection

London Public Library has partnered with Burlington, Hamilton, Kingston Frontenac, Milton, Mississauga, and Ottawa Public Libraries to offer you a greater selection of eBooks and audiobooks through OverDrive. You can borrow and place holds on titles from any partner Library, giving you more choices and flexibility. Each Library prioritizes holds for its own members, so we recommend placing holds on London Public Library titles when possible. Wait times vary, and partner Libraries may have shorter wait lists for some titles, offering you additional borrowing options. 

On https://lpl.overdrive.com, just click on the Partner Libraries button on the top right and select the Library you wish to browse. When you find a book you would like, click Borrow or Place a Hold. This will bring you to the screen to Select your Library and Sign in. 

Please note: If you borrow books from a partner Library using OverDrive, these checkouts will not appear in your main OverDrive account or loans page. To view or manage these titles, you must sign in to the partner Library’s OverDrive using your London Public Library Card and PIN.   

If you are using the Libby app, you will need to add each partner Library to the app in order to search for titles. You can do this by clicking on the menu icon located at the bottom of the screen. This will bring up a list of Your Libraries. You can then add each Library individually and follow the prompts to let Libby know you are visiting from London Public Library and will use your Library Card to enter. The app will let you see all your checkouts and holds regardless of the Library.

Creating Wish Lists and Tags   

You can use wish lists or tags to save titles that you might be interested in borrowing later, including titles that have not yet been released.   

OverDrive Wish Lists

You can add a book to your wish list by selecting its Ribbon icon (located beneath the title on the home page, in search results, or next to the title on its details page). Books you add to your wish list will remain there until you manually remove them. To view your wish list, click on the Books icon or My Account tab in the top right corner, then select Wish List. To remove books from your list, simply click the Remove button located at the bottom of the book, then select the Remove title in the confirmation pop-up.   

Libby Tags

To save a title for later, use the tagging feature. Tags can be used to organize books that you want to read, suggest to a friend, and more. You can use tags as an alternative to placing a hold if you’re not ready to join the wait list. In your search results, or on the title details page, tap the Tag icon then select Create New Tag. Assign a custom name to the tag (e.g., “To be Read,” “Mystery Novels” or “Book Club Reads”), or select from Libby’s premade tag options. Add a description to your tag if desired, then tap the Create button to save. To tag multiple books quickly, turn on the quick tagging toggle at the bottom of the panel. This setting will stay active for the duration of your session.  

Libby Smart Tags

To automate tagging, use Libby’s Smart Tags, which automatically apply tags to certain titles. There are four types of smart tags; Notify Me, Borrowed, Sampled, and OverDrive Wish List.   

Notify Me: Apply this tag to receive notifications when tagged books are added to your Library, including new magazine issues or titles by the same author.  

Borrowed: This smart tag is created automatically after you borrow your first book in the app. You can manually add or remove this tag from individual titles or delete the tag entirely.    

Sampled: Created automatically after your first sample is opened. You can manually manage or delete this tag as needed. 

OverDrive Wish List: Use this tag to sync your OverDrive Wish List with the Libby App.    

Access smart tags by tapping the Tags icon. You can manually apply, rename, edit or delete them as needed. After creating a Notify Me smart tag, adjust your notifications settings in Libby to ensure you receive alerts.   

Need Help?

For more help, please visit the OverDrive help page or the Libby help page.

Privacy and Terms of Use

OverDrive is a commercial service whose policies concerning privacy and user information differ from that of the London Public Library. For more information, please read OverDrive’s Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions of Use.