Notice of Changes to Your Library Libby Limits

Important Notice of Changes to Libby Limits

We've heard from you! We're making changes to our hold and checkout limits to help shorten waitlists in Libby!

Beginning November 1, 2025, the following changes will go into effect:

• Libby holds will go from 25 to 15 at a time.

• Libby checkouts will go from 25 to 15 at a time.

What does this mean for me?

If you occasionally borrow digital materials, you likely won't notice a change. If you have more than 15 holds or checkouts, you'll keep what you already have. You just won't be able to place new holds or borrow additional items until your total is under the new limit.

Why the change?

The primary reason is due to the rising costs of the library's access to digital collections. If you're looking for a quick and engaging explanation, NPR recently released a video that breaks it down.

By lowering the maximum number of holds and checkouts, we hope to:

1. Reduce Wait Times : With fewer holds and checkouts, popular titles will circulate more quickly, allowing more patrons to enjoy them sooner.

2. Enhance the Collection : This change will help us better manage our digital resources, ensuring a more balanced and diverse collection.

3. Improve User Experience : Lower limits encourage patrons to be more selective, leading to a more efficient and satisfying experience borrowing.

Our community reads - a lot! In 2024, MARINet was recognized as one of 180 public library systems worldwide that surpassed one million Libby checkouts. Unfortunately, libraries are charged differently for these digital books than consumers.

Why are digital books so expensive?

Libraries can offer check outs of a single e-book to one patron at a time. So, we purchase multiple copies, just like we do for physical materials, to help lower your hold times for materials. In addition to purchasing multiple copies, we pay more for each limited license of these titles than a typical consumer price.

A single e-book license for a library can cost more than $75, and audiobooks are often even higher, with many priced at over $100. For example, the 2024 Kristin Hannah title The Women costs about $15 to purchase as an e-book or $33 as an audiobook for an individual consumer. In contrast, a single library license for either format is $60. That difference adds up quickly, especially since we must buy multiple copies to keep pace with demand.

I use my holds list as my "to be read" wish list. What else can I do?

If you tend to place holds through online catalog, we encourage you to check out the catalog's "Shelves" feature, which allows you to tag books you want to read in the future.

If you use OverDrive's Libby, you can use the "Tags" feature to easily create a wish list. Check the Libby Help section for more information.

Do you have other suggestions for finding great digital titles that are available now?

Yes! You can check out many titles right away, with no holds, through our Available Now and Skip The Lines collections. They include a wide range of titles, and the collection is always changing.

How can I help reduce wait times?

If you finish a book before the lending period is over, you can return it early. Don't worry if you forget, ebooks and audiobooks will automatically return when the loan period is finished, as always.

I have more questions…

We understand that changes like these can be challenging, but library staff is here to support you. If you have any questions or need assistance managing your holds, please don't hesitate to reach out to your home library.

Thank you for your understanding and continued support! We are committed to providing you with the best possible library experience and appreciate your cooperation as we make these improvements.

Happy reading!