The Future of Libby at Susquehanna 

If you are an avid reader like me, you are probably aware of the app Libby. I was there when most libraries switched from the plain OverDrive app to Libby, and although I was resistant to the change, I am now a huge fan. 

For those that aren’t familiar, Libby is an app that libraries connect their digital catalog to. It allows patrons to borrow eBooks and audio books from all the libraries they have library cards for. Something that you may also not know about Libby is that Susquehanna University students actually get access through a partnership with Snyder Country Libraries.  

How Students can Use Libby Today 

Susquehanna uploads all SU student, faculty, and staff ID card barcodes directly into the Snyder Country Libraries system. This means that students automatically have access to Libby just by using the number of their SU ID card, even if they never physically go to the public library. If you want to learn more about how to connect to your library account, check out our post about this process!

This process means that all students can easily and effortlessly access the Snyder Country Library digital catalogue. However, this is not the only way students can check out digital books. Susquehanna University is right next door to Rudy Gelnett Memorial Library, one of the libraries within the Snyder County Library system. Students are encouraged to take a trip down to the library to get a library card, meaning that they can check out both digital and physical books from the library.  

By attending a Pennsylvania college, SU students also can get a free digital card from the Free Library of Philadelphia. This library offers library cards to any Pennsylvania resident and contains a wide variety of online materials. Out-of-state students can use their Susquehanna address to sign up, offering them another large catalog of books. As an out-of-state student, I defiantly will be taking advantage of this. 

In addition, the PA POWER Library collection was recently added to Libby. To access this library, all you need is to be a card-holding member of any Pennsylvanian public library, and yep, this includes the Snyder County Library! This means that all SU students also have access to their catalogue.  

Now, you may be wondering why should I sign up for all these library cards? Isn’t one enough? And while yes, one library Libby account is better than none, my personal opinion is that you can never have too many. A great feature about Libby is that you can switch between library card accounts, allowing you to look through all the cataloged materials. Although there will be some overlap, libraries do have different books in their collection. Libby also has a feature called Deep Search, which allows users to automatically search across all their linked libraries at once, saving time and making book discovery easier. 

How Libby Will be Implemented at SU 

While SU students are able to access the Snyder Country Library digital catalogue, I was curious about whether or not the Blough-Weis Library could ever expand into Libby. To find out, I spoke with the Assistant Director of the Blough-Weis Library Ryan Ake, and asked him about the future of Libby at Susquehanna. 

“Actually,” Ake responded with a laugh, “we are in the final stages of implementing what they call OverDrive Academic, where as an academic institution, we’re in the process of setting up our own library.” He explained that Susquehanna, along with six other Pennsylvania universities, are coming together to utilize this OverDrive Academic system. This version of Libby will be tailored to universities and offer more access to academic publishers and university press titles. 

“We’re still figuring out the details of what the collection makeup is going to look like,” Ake said when I asked him about the items in the catalog. “We need to keep in mind content overlapping with what’s already available. How much do we overlap versus expand into titles that might not be available through other means?” Ake went on to explain that most of the content will likely be textbooks to give students the ability to expand their reading beyond just what the Blough-Weis Library physically holds. “However,” Ake said, “I’m interested to see if there are opportunities to provide a more user-friendly eBook, or even audiobook options, for fiction titles that show up in creative writing classes.” With this in mind, Ake hopes that once the platform is introduced, they can add more leisure books into the collection. 

“Other institutions use platforms like this for campus-wide book clubs,” Ake said, “where you can get multiple copies of a single title for a large group. I think there’s a lot of opportunity to engage in different programming and outreach work once we build out the collection.” 

Ake told me that he hopes this platform will make reading more accessible on campus. With this project being a collaboration, the online catalog will consist of all seven universities titles, giving students access to more books and materials than ever before. He hopes that this access will encourage people to read new and interesting titles to further their learning. Digital books will also give people the ability to change the font size, text color, and other accessibility settings to make reading more inclusive. Ake also talked about his love of audiobooks, and how he believes that with OverDrive Academic, the library could provide more audiobooks to students. “I think for me personally,” Ake explained, “having access to an alternative format really opened up a whole new world for me.” Now, he hopes that OverDrive Academic can open up this world for students, making every student a reader, no matter the medium. 

Download Libby Today! 

If you are a student, I hope that this article helped you to realize how much unlimited access you have to eBooks. I encourage every Susquehanna student to login to Libby using their SU ID and take a look at the incredible number of titles that are available for checkout. Libby offers massive leisure-reading options, as well as great resources for academic research. Libby also supports multiple reading styles with their eBooks, audiobooks, and adjustable accessibility features. So, no matter what type of reader you are, Libby has something for you. 

Make sure to also check out the other digital catalogues students and PA residents get access to. These libraries will have many unique titles and be able to further expand the number of materials you can check out. 

I hope that everyone is as excited for OverDrive Academic to launch in the Blough-Weis Library as I am! I know that this program will do a great job at giving students access to new and expansive materials. The library’s academic collection is scheduled to go live in January 2026, so make sure to stay connected with us for all the information regarding OverDrive Academic! 

Madeline Davis (’28) is a sophomore at Susquehanna University.  She is a Marketing and Advertising & Public Relations dual major. In addition to her marketing work at the Blough-Weis Library,  Madeline serves as the Public Relations manager for Susquehanna’s Best Buddies chapter and as an editor for Ginkgo Magazine. Outside of school, she enjoys reading, writing, and antiquing with friends.