Rating: Very Good
Platform: iPhone/iPad/Android
Cost: Free
Strong Points: Free to use; easy to navigate.
Weak Points: Book availability depends on the library.
E-readers and their associated apps are great for taking your books with you on the go, but typically require that you buy the books you want to read. On the other hand, libraries are essential for their expansive and free-to-access collections, but lugging around heavy tomes can quickly become a literal and figurative pain. If you want the best of both worlds, download Libby. Libby is a free app that allows you to connect your library card and check out e-books to read right on the app. The app supports both city and university libraries and puts their collections into the palm of your hand. Within the app, users can check out books, place holds, read, and bookmark as they go. Users can also add as many libraries as they have cards to and allows access to libraries’ overlapping collections of books. If you’d like to catch up on some extra reading without putting out any extra cash, the Libby app is well worth checking out.