Could you love Libby even more?!

We’ve recently finished up a survey to help with crafting the Library’s new strategic plan for 2026 through 2029. When we asked you what you loved most about the library and didn’t want us to change, many of you responded: Libby!!!

For the few of you not “in the know” about Libby: Libby is the app that allows library users to listen to eAudiobooks, read e-books, or browse eMagazines that are provided for our library users through the State Library of Iowa’s Bridges consortium. The titles available are purchased from a company called Overdrive and are selected by librarians throughout the state of Iowa.

All of the libraries participating in the Bridges consortium contribute funds annually for the titles that are purchased. (FYI: not ALL libraries in the state participate, there are some libraries — Iowa City for example — that have their own collections purchased from Overdrive or other vendors). Libraries that participate in Bridges contribute over $500,000 per year through a formula-based fee; the Washington Public Library contributed $2,064 to the consortium this year for new materials. This gives Washington residents access to over 162,000 items in the Bridges collection!

For the last few years, the Washington Public Library Foundation has generously chosen to fund enhanced access to e-book and eAudiobooks through Bridges/Libby. The contribution from the Foundation allows our library get e-books and eAudiobooks in the hands of Washington patrons more quickly.

How this works: Our library director looks at the list of holds periodically that WPL patrons have placed for Bridges titles. If there are more than four (4) holds on a title, we’ll buy a copy that will be immediately available to fill ONLY WPL holds — so the first WPL patron on the holds list will receive the opportunity to check out the item immediately; when they’re done with it the item will go to the next WPL patron …. and on and on until all WPL holds are filled. Only when there are no more WPL patrons waiting on the holds list will the copy be available for patrons in other libraries.

What this means for you: When you place a hold on that book that you’re anxious to receive and it says “available in several months,” don’t be discouraged — if the book is also popular with other patrons, you may go from several months to either immediately or in a couple weeks in an instant. So place that hold!

And there’s more good news: Overdrive recently implemented what they call a “pay per use” model where the Library can offer their patrons simultaneous access to certain titles (selected by the library) and the library only pays a minimal fee for each checkout. New and popular materials will have a higher fee ($9-$10/checkout) which is not an cost-effective choice for WPL, but older, lesser known titles may have a lower fee ($1-2 or so) and are very cost-effective as opposed to buying the title ($40-50) and seeing it check out only once or twice. Feel free to give us a call and see if the book you’re looking for may fall into that category.

We’re glad that you love Libby and we hope that you’ll continue to enjoy the benefits that a Washington Public Library card offers you!