eBooks and Audiobooks

Here is a step-by-step guide (463 KB) on how to read the eBook online. If you wish to download the eBook so you can read even when offline, please read the "How to Download eBooks and Audiobooks with Libby" section on this page. After setting up the Libby app, simply search for the book title to borrow and download it.

NLB Mobile and Libby are apps that let you borrow and read NLB's eBooks and audiobooks.

NLB Mobile lets you easily check your account and access our resources. You can borrow eBooks / Audiobooks, access eNewspapers / eMagazines and online courses.

While NLB Mobile lets you read or listen to eBooks / Audiobooks while you are connected to the Internet, it does not have an in-built reader for you to read downloaded eBooks.

Libby is a third-party app by OverDrive. You can borrow and download NLB's eBooks / Audiobooks, so that you can enjoy them even when you are offline. Watch a short introduction video on how to set up Libby.

If you can't download the app, you can use Libby in your web browser at libbyapp.com/library/nlb. Do note that in the browser mode, you cannot download the eBooks or audiobooks for offline use.

Your 'user ID' refers to your NLB myLibrary ID.

Yes, you can!

Libby makes it easy to switch between library cards or between different libraries (e.g. for users who are not only members of NLB but also members of school libraries that use the OverDrive platform). Open the menu, select ‘See Library Cards’ or ‘Add A Library’.

All your digital checkouts from different cards and libraries are on the same virtual shelf, so you need not switch between libraries or cards to read your books.

You can renew a title a few days before it's due using these steps:
Go to Shelf > Loans.
Tap Manage Loan.
Tap Renew Loan, then Renew.

If the title you wish to borrow is not available, you can reserve it free of charge by selecting the "Place Hold" option in Libby. You can reserve up to 16 eBooks / audiobooks.

To ensure that titles are delivered at the right time for you, reserved items will not be automatically borrowed. You will receive a notification in your phone when it is your turn to borrow. If you have turned off notifications in Libby's settings or if you don't have the Libby app, we will send you an email. To keep the reservation, simply respond to the notification within 10 days.

Once notified, you have three options:

• borrow now,
• deliver later, which lets you stay next in line for up to 180 days, or
• cancel the reservation.

These actions have to be taken through:

• Libby app or libbyapp.com/library/nlb
• OverDrive app or nlb.overdrive.com

If you don't respond within 10 days, we get it, you're busy - your reservation will be cancelled.

If you fear you may have missed a notification, check your Shelf or Holds in the Libby app. To ensure that your notifications get through, do check your notification settings in Libby (click here to learn how to setup or manage notifications).

The publishers require that each eBook copy is only lent to one user at a time - much like a physical book. This business model assures publishers and creators that they will be paid as fairly for digital copies as they are for physical copies. You can read about the details here from our eBooks vendor, OverDrive.

If there aren’t any copies available, you can select “Place Hold” or “Reserve” and you will be alerted once it is available. We constantly monitor the waiting lists per title and buy more copies, as far as our budget allows.

To find books that are available right now, you can browse "Available" categories in Libby, such as this list of popular but available books for adults. In any category in Libby, you can also filter out unavailable books by tapping on Refine > Available Now. We also have this special category called Skip the Line, where you can immediately borrow popular books which otherwise have very long waiting lists. You can borrow such special copies for 7 days. The list is ever-changing and exciting, and you can check it out here.

In addition, eMagazines like Readers' Digest, Wired, HELLO!, Home & Decor and The Economist are always available. See the full list and borrow them.

We acquire unlimited copies of certain popular titles for a limited period, whenever opportunities arise. For updates, follow us at @publiclibrarysg on our social media channels (we're on Facebook, Instagram, Medium).

Go to your Shelf in Libby and look at the icon next to the book title. If there is a tick next to the title, it's been downloaded on your device for offline use.

If there's a cloud icon next to the title, it hasn't been downloaded on your device. It'll be streamed when you open it, requires an internet connection to read or listen to, and doesn't take up space on your device.

If you want to know why your titles are not downloading or how to adjust your automatic download settings, look at "My eBook/eAudiobook isn't downloading" under the Troubleshooting header on this page.

Just follow the steps in the video below. You can skip to 0:24 if you are already familiar with what Libby is. If you've borrowed eBooks from Libby before, the steps are the same.

If you can't find the magazines section in the Libby app, see the full list of magazines available in Libby.

If you can't find the magazines you want in Libby, try PressReader (click here for the guide).

Good news! Magazines don't affect your eBook loan quota. What's more, you can borrow unlimited magazines. We also have unlimited copies of every magazine - so you never need to wait for your turn to borrow.

Each magazine issue can be borrowed for 21 days. After that, feel free to borrow again if you still want it.

The difference between PressReader and Libby is that Libby has a smaller, magazines-only collection, but includes some that are not available in PressReader. These are:

1. Allure
2. Billboard
3. Bon Appetit
4. Conde Nast Traveler
5. Marie Claire
6. Rolling Stone
7. The Economist
8. The Hollywood Reporter
9. The New Yorker
10. Wired

If the above titles aren't what you are looking for, try PressReader for a wider selection that includes newspapers too. Learn more about PressReader.

The other key difference is that once downloaded, you get to keep PressReader magazines in your device for as long as you want. Libby Magazines are automatically returned after 21 days. After that, feel free to borrow again if you still want them.

No. There is no limit to the number of devices that you can use to sign in to Libby.

If you are using Libby across multiple devices:

• Yes, Libby automatically syncs your loans, holds and book progress between devices. Just ensure that your library cards are on each device, and you are connected to the Internet. To manually sync your Shelf, go to Shelf > Actions. Select 'Synchronise Shelf'.

If you are using NLB Mobile and Libby across multiple devices:

• Only the loans and holds will be synced across these apps.
• Bookmarks from NLB Mobile will not be seen in Libby and vice versa. In NLB Mobile, 'bookmarks' mark your favorite books and eBooks in NLB so that you can search them more easily. In Libby, 'bookmarks' mark pages within your eBook to help you find your way around the eBook.