What are you reading?

[Frelga]

Libby has a send to kindle option, where it asks for my Amazon login, and the book just appears in Kindle library (not Overdrive). A bonus is that if I don't finish by expiration date, I just turn off the wifi on Kindle and they can't take my copy away, but it still shows up as returned and available for the next person.

[RoseMorninStar]

Yeah, from what I'm reading Libby works well with Apple products, not so much with Kindle Fire. I had to add something .. APK (Android Package File).

[RoseMorninStar]

Libby For Kindle Fire Tablets
Kindle Fire users can sideload Libby onto their device manually with our APK (Android Package file), since Amazon has not yet accepted our submission of the Libby app to the Amazon Appstore. Once the APK is installed, the Libby app will appear and function like any other app on your Fire tablet. (NOTE: The Libby APK is supported on Fire tablets with Fire OS 5+. Your downloading steps may vary slightly depending on your device's generation and operating system version.)

Step 1: On your Fire tablet, open the SILK BROWSER and visit the download link for the Libby APK.

Step 2: You may get warnings saying that the SILK browser needs more access on your device or that this kind of file should be avoided. We test our file to make sure it's safe, so you can safely dismiss these messages for our Libby APK.
Tap OK, ALLOW, or CONTINUE to proceed. (the wording of the warnings may vary).

Step 3: Once the file downloads, tap OPEN.
(If you're unable to open the file from this prompt, locate the file in your downloads folder and tap to open.)

Step 4: If you get a message saying your device is not allowed to install unknown apps from this source, tap SETTINGS and toggle "Allow from this source" ON. NOTE: We recommend turning this setting off after installing the Libby app. This will prevent you from accidentally downloading unsafe files in the future.

Step 5: Tape the BACK button in the top-left corner, then tap INSTALL.

Step 6: Once the app is finished installing, tap OPEN to start using Libby! If you already use Libby on another device, you can use a setup code to copy your library cards, loans, holds, and tags to your Kindle Fire tablet. If you're new to Libby, check out our getting started guide for tips!

[RoseMorninStar]

Libby has a send to kindle option, where it asks for my Amazon login, and the book just appears in Kindle library (not Overdrive). A bonus is that if I don't finish by expiration date, I just turn off the wifi on Kindle and they can't take my copy away, but it still shows up as returned and available for the next person.

OH! This is a great tip!

[Inanna]

I do this all the time before traveling - download bunch of books and then put the kindle on airplane mode. The books stay, and the kindle doesn’t slow down trying to connect to a WiFi.

[Alatar]

Does Libby work outside of the US?

[Jude]

I'm not in the U.S. and I use it all the time.

[Alatar]

Can someone give me a dummies guide?

[RoseMorninStar]

Libby is an app where you can borrow digital material from your Public library. If I'm not mistaken, you will need a library card. You can download the app from the Apple store or Google apps. You may find help/links on your local library website.

[Alatar]

Yeah, doesn't seem to be very Ireland friendly

Can I sign up to a Library in the US?

[Frelga]

Some libraries offer e-cards with just a phone number, but they may rely on the local phone format.

You may want to check out your local libraries. Even if they don't use Libby, they may have other ways to lend digital materials.

[RoseMorninStar]

Al, maybe give this a try: Libraries Ireland. It instructs you on how to use Libby in Ireland.

[Impenitent]

I use Libby and swear by it. I have also taken digital membership at Brooklyn Public Library using a friend's Maryland address - had to pay $50 for out of state membership but I estimate I've saved $400-$500 in book purchases in the last year so well worth it.

[RoseMorninStar]

Impy, I thought of you when this subject came up and I was wondering how it worked for you. Good to know.

[Maria]

I'm on this series right now:

First novel is The Starship Sakira.

The reader is mediocre, but the story is good enough I'm sticking with it. It's sort of the opposite of a disaster tale- which is what I'm liking right now. Stories involving good guys doing good things that benefit all sentient beings. Is that a genre? Science Fiction Optimism? I absolutely hate dystopian novels and post apocalyptic ones... but whatever this is, I like it. It's a bit "mary sue", but that's fun once in a while. I actually like it when I get to know an author's work well enough that I know nothing horrendous is going to happen to the main characters and they are smart enough to get themselves out of a bind. It feels safe.

[RoseMorninStar]

I agree Maria, there's enough stress and uncertainty in our day-to-day lives. At such times it's not uncommon to gravitate toward something more uplifting/reaffirming.

I just finished Take Me With You by Catherine Ryan Hyde. A touching tale about a father after the loss of his son. He's on a trip he and his son were supposed to have taken together and a twist of fate changes his life and that of others. While it deals with some difficult subject matter, it has a beautiful message at it's core which runs throughout. It's a story about good (if flawed) people doing their best. It deals with loss, tough choices, a chance meeting, and the enduring power of positive influence and the power of hope that influence can bring. It's far from "mary sue" but heartwarming. I think it's message will stay with me a long time.

[narya]

Interestingly, there are at least three other authors who wrote books titled "Take Me With You", but the one by Hyde is not available to me in Libby. She has written quite a few other books, though, like "Pay it Forward". Evidently she started that popular movement back in 2000.

I also couldn't find Starship Sakira, the author Bob Blanton, or the series Delphi in Space. Oh well, I'll try again later. They sound interesting. I can add it to the end of my to-read list, currently at about 230 books. An embarrassment of riches.

[Frelga]

In an effort to return to a more literary genre, I listened to The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner, read by Thorin Richard Armitage. It follows seven devotees of Jane Austen who come together to preserve her legacy. It's set after WWII, and every character's life is marked with tragedies and choices taken away. You have to be an Austen fan to enjoy it, because of the many references to her work both by the characters and the plot.

I do think it's a thematically appropriate book for a group of people brought together by the love of an author, who are affected in many ways both by the literary work, and each other.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

And whose lives are marked with tragedies and choices taken away.

[Frelga]

V,