NLB Mobile app
About the NLB Mobile app
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The NLB Mobile app is your personal library, anywhere, anytime:
- Read eBooks and listen to audiobooks online
- Access eMagazines and eNewspapers
- Search for both online and physical resources to borrow
- Take online courses
- Borrow physical items using your mobile device
- Check the accounts of you and your family
- *New - April 2020* Log in to NLB websites quickly by scanning a QR code - find out more.
How to Borrow eBooks using the NLB Mobile app
How to Borrow Physical Items using the NLB Mobile app
Option 1: Use the in-app barcode scanner
Option 2: Use the Borrowing Station
About NLB Mobile
The key highlights of the NLB Mobile app's features are summarised in this video. For a more detailed listing, please see the "List of Features" section below the video.
List of Features
With NLB Mobile, you can enjoy these services while you are on the move or even from the comfort of your own home:
Borrow and read / listen
- Borrow eBooks and Audiobooks and read / listen to them online
- Read eMagazines and eNewspapers
- Borrow library items with the app instead of at the borrowing stations
Transact
- Pay outstanding fees and/or fines using PayPal or credit cards
- Check and/or renew your loans
- Reserve library items
- View the titles you borrowed from the libraries for the last three years
- Update your particulars such as email address and mobile number
- Switch between family members’ accounts for quick access to library transactions
- *New - April 2020* Log in to NLB websites quickly by scanning a QR code
eCard
- Use the eCard to borrow items at the libraries’ borrowing stations, collect reserved items, make payments and more
Search, share and recommend titles
- Search the library catalogue
- Bookmark your favourite titles
- Share a title easily on Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp
- Suggest a title to NLB and view all your recommendations
Find libraries and events
- Search and register for events held at our libraries
- Locate nearby libraries based on your current location
- Get library addresses, directions and operating hours easily
Setting Up NLB Mobile
By signing in, you will be able to enjoy the full suite of services available to library members such as borrowing items and reading eMagazines and eNewspapers. But even if you don’t sign in, you can still:
- Search the library catalogue
- Locate nearby libraries based on your current location
- Get library addresses, directions and operating hours
- View details of events happening at the libraries
- Share a title on Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp
You will need a myLibrary ID. If you do not have it, you may create one online or at a Borrowing Station in any library.
You can retrieve your myLibrary ID and password:
- Online with your SingPass or NRIC / FIN number. Once you have signed in, the system will automatically detect if you have a myLibrary ID and display it. It will also let you reset your password if you have forgotten it.
- Via the NLB Mobile app’s login page with your SingPass or NRIC / FIN number – tap “Forgot ID” or “Forgot Password”.
We are sorry that you are encountering this problem! Here are the steps.
If you are using an iPhone:
Go to your phone’s Settings menu.
Tap on General -> Storage & iCloud Usage.
In the top section (Storage), tap on "Manage Storage".
Select “NLB Mobile”.
Take a look at the entry for "Documents & Data".
Tap on “Delete App”.
Head to the App Store to re-download it.
Try signing in again. It should work this time. If not, please take a screenshot of the error message and email it to enquiry@nlb.gov.sg.
If you are using an Android phone:
Go to your phone’s Settings menu.
Select "Apps" or "Application manager" or "Applications".
Tap on “NLB Mobile”.
Tap on “Storage”.
Select “Clear Data”.
Select “Clear Cache”
Try signing in again. It should work this time. If not, please take a screenshot of the error message and email it to enquiry@nlb.gov.sg.
You can delete the app, then re-download it before signing in again.
This is optional but what it does is to enable the app to automatically display events that will be happening at your preferred library.
Using the QR Login Feature on NLB Websites
It’s another method for you to sign in to our services without having to key in your myLibrary ID and password. When logging into NLB's websites, use your NLB Mobile app's camera feature to scan the QR code.
Currently, you can use NLB QR Login for every NLB website with a “Login” button, e.g. eresources.nlb.gov.sg, catalogue.nlb.gov.sg.
Just follow these simple steps:
- Visit any NLB website on a desktop computer / laptop and click "Login". Choose to log in using NLB Mobile app.
- Click on the QR code on the computer screen.
- Open NLB Mobile app on your mobile device. If you have added other profiles, make sure you are logged into the right profile. Tap the camera icon on the top left corner of the Home tab. (If the app requests access to the device camera, please allow it. You will need to do this only once.)
- Use your phone to scan the QR code displayed on the computer screen.
- NLB Mobile will show you a confirmation screen that mentions the website you are trying to log into. Tap "Yes" to confirm.
- You will be logged into the NLB website automatically. Enjoy seamless access to NLB’s resources!
Borrowing physical items, eBooks and Audiobooks
First, sign in with your myLibrary ID.
Next, tap on the camera icon on the top left corner of the app to launch the “Scan-to-Borrow” function. Use the in-app camera to scan the NLB barcode on the library item.
Alternatively, if you prefer to use the Borrowing Stations at libraries, tap the “eCard” icon (at the top right corner of the NLB Mobile app). Your virtual membership card will appear. Scan the membership QR code at the Borrowing Station to borrow the library items.
No, the app will seek your confirmation before the item is checked out.
Each member can borrow up to 16 eBooks / Audiobooks. You can check your quota by selecting ‘Account’, then ‘eBook Loans’ in the app.
Follow these simple steps:
Step One: In the app, search the catalogue for the titles you want.
Step Two: The search results will include both physical books you can find at the actual libraries as well as digital items that match your search terms. Select your desired title.
Step Three: If you have signed in using your myLibrary ID, you can select ‘Borrow’ on the title details page.
Step Four: After the title has been checked out, you will be prompted to choose among these options: read / listen online, download the item so you can read / listen offline or return to ‘Home’.
You may view all your borrowed eBook / Audiobook titles by selecting ‘Account’, then ‘eBook Loans’.
Here are the steps:
Step One: In the app, select 'Account’, then ‘eBook Loans’ and tap on the title you want to read or listen to.
Step Two: You will see a ‘Read Online’ option for eBooks or a ‘Listen Online’ option for Audiobooks. Select this option to read / listen online immediately within the app.
Please note: Reading or listening online will tap on your mobile data allowance if you are not connected to WiFi.
If you wish to read or listen offline, you may select the ‘Download’ option. The app will automatically launch a third-party app, Libby, to download the title. If you do not have the Libby app, the NLB Mobile app will prompt you to install it.
One of the most convenient features of borrowing eBooks / Audiobooks is that they will be returned automatically after 21 days. But if you are done with them before the 21-day loan period is up, you can also return them earlier so that another person can enjoy them sooner.
Just go to ‘Account’, then ‘eBook Loans’, and select the title you wish to return. You will see the option to ‘Return early’ under the title’s cover image.
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.
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 addition, eMagazines like Readers' Digest, Wired, HELLO!, Home & Decor and The Economist are always available. Click here to 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).
Reading eMagazines/ eNewspapers
Reading SPH Local eNewspapers
First, install the NLB Mobile app and sign in with a myLibrary ID. Next, tap on the SPH icon. Choose the eNewspaper you would like to read.
Find out more about how to access SPH Local eNewspapers (e.g. how to zoom in) from our FAQ page.
Reading International eNewspapers and eMagazines
NLB Mobile lets you read over 7,000 current eNewspapers and eMagazines from local and international publishers.
First, install the NLB Mobile app and sign in with a myLibrary ID. Next, tap on the ‘eMagazines & eNewspapers’ icon. Because this is a service we subscribe from PressReader, an international digital newsstand, you will be prompted to download the PressReader app if you do not have it. When you launch the PressReader app through NLB Mobile, you can get complimentary access (this is called ‘sponsored access’ in PressReader) to these local and international publications. Do note that this sponsored access is for one hour only. Don’t worry, when the one hour is up, you can re-launch PressReader from NLB Mobile to get sponsored access again.
Find out more about how to access eNewspapers and eMagazines.
Accessing eLearning courses
Sign in to NLB Mobile with your myLibrary ID and select the ‘eLearning’ icon on the Home page. You will be directed to LyndaLibrary, and you don’t need to sign in again.
This is optional as long as you access the online courses from the NLB Mobile app. As an NLB library member, you have complimentary access to the online courses from LyndaLibrary that NLB has subscribed to.
You don't need the Lynda mobile app to access the online courses.
Reading Challenges and Points
We periodically hold Challenges to encourage our library members to read. During the Challenge period, eligible library members can register to participate.
During promotional periods, the points earned from borrowing library items may be redeemed for rewards, e.g. Book Bugs II cards in 2018.