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New feature now available in Libby!

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One of the most often requested updates to Overdrive’s app Libby is now available – to request titles not yet owned by your home library, right in the app! This update includes two features called “Deep Search” and “Notify Me.”

Deep Search allows you to discover titles that are not yet in your library’s collection. Expanded search results will show when:

·        You search for something that returns no results, or

·        Your search results contain fewer than 100 titles and you manually turn on a filter called “Deep Search.” Libby will then show results not owned by your home library.

You can also add a “Notify Me” tag to titles that are not in your library’s collection. If your library purchases a title you have tagged, you will get a notification with the option to borrow (if available) or place a hold on the new item.

Watch this video from Libby on how this updated feature works!

Please Note: Users who previously accessed a similar feature called “Recommend to Library”  in the classic Overdrive app or website will note that this option will be ending in April 2023, along with the discontinuation of the classic Overdrive app. Be sure to update to the Libby app or link to https://libbyapp.com/library/acla to keep accessing your library’s collection and to use the new features available for title suggestions.

— Heather Auman, Western Allegheny Community Library

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Exciting Libby News 

On March 21st Libby will be getting a shiny new update for libraries and their patrons to enjoy! This news means that Libby is introducing two new features called deep search and notify me. The deep search feature will allow patrons to find more titles, ones that may not be in the library’s collection yet. And Notify Me tag is actually a part of the tags feature that already exists within Libby now!  

Deep search will allow everyone to see titles that may not be in the collection. Once you find something you are interested in but is not in the collection you can then use the Notify Me tag to let the libraries know you are interested in that title. And in turn if that title is added you will then be notified of its addition so that you can read or listen to that title! 

This does mean that the Recommend to Library feature that some people may be familiar with is officially going away. This is going hand in hand with the OverDrive App’s formal sunset at the end of April.  

So, this is a good time to remind everyone – if you are still using the OverDrive App and have not yet switched to the Libby App – now is the time! OverDrive will be going away officially at the end of April along with its Recommend to Library feature but fear not Libby will still be here with its handy new deep search and Notify Me tags to help us meet your library needs! 

P.S. For those not yet familiar with Libby’s tag feature please take a peak at their handy help page here all about tags and how to use them: https://help.libbyapp.com/en-us/categories/tags.htm . And to get more familiar with Libby please don’t forget to checkout https://libbyapp.com/library/acla .

Happy Reading  

~Adrianne 

Northland Library 

Continue ReadingExciting Libby News 

Popular Magazine Title Leaving OverDrive

FYI —

OverDrive recently released an update regarding required digital lending model changes for The Economist in the OverDrive Magazines Collection.

According to the update, the new requirements would restrict lending period access to only 24-hours and prohibit a reader who wants to access the same issue from borrowing it again remotely. For a reader to continue access to the issue, they must visit the library to renew access. 

OverDrive has decided not to implement this new lending model. As a result, all editions of The Economist will be removed from OverDrive Magazine collections effective February 1, 2023. The last issue available for readers to borrow will be January 28, 2023. All back issues will also be removed from collections on February 1. 

While this news will come as a disappointment for many library users, OverDrive continues to add new magazines to the collection regularly, including most recently, Fortune. Additionally, Allegheny County Library patrons have access to nearly 100 popular and in-demand digital magazine titles with the hoopla Magazine BingePass collection.

– Richelle at Sewickley Public Library

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Goodbye, Flipster

In September, the Digital Resources Committee announced that Allegheny County Libraries’ subscription to the eMagazine service Flipster would not be renewed and that on December 31st, 2022, this service will disappear. 

Some patrons may take issue with Flipster disappearing, so if that occurs, here are some talking points. 

  • Usage for Flipster has decreased over the years while circulation numbers for Overdrive and Hoopla have risen.  
  • Public libraries have limited resources. 
  • Flipster offers limited access to latest/back issues and the app is limited when it comes to accessibility features. 

There will still be plenty of options available for magazine lovers. In fact, Overdrive offers thousands of options to choose from and Hoopla’s growing collection can be accessed with a single borrow as part of its BingePass program.

-Erin Weaver, Bridgeville Public Library

Continue ReadingGoodbye, Flipster