Our Services: Requesting a Purchase: Leisure Reading & Wellbeing Purchase Requests (Libby App)

1. You can access our collections through Libby online or by downloading the Libby app: 

• iOS devices: Apple App Store 
• Android devices: Google Play 
• Amazon Fire tablets: Amazon Appstore 
   

2. Follow the prompts to find Durham University Library and ‘sign in with a library card’ (this is to create a digital library card with Libby to access our collections on the app) - you will need to use your Durham University login details for this. 
 

3. You’re now ready to find something to borrow!  

• Tap Search  to find a specific title, author, series, etc. 
• Tap Library  to browse our Libby catalogue. You'll find helpful filters, catalogue guides, campaigns, and curated lists created by us. 

You can: 

• Check out up to 3 titles at a time.  
• Borrow titles for up to 21 days.  
• Place a hold on 3 titles at a time.   

If we don’t have the title you’re looking for in our collection, you can use the title search and select the ‘Notify Me’ button on the title to ask us to consider adding it. 
 

4. Your loans and magazines appear on your Shelf . By default, book and audiobook loans are automatically downloaded for offline access when you're connected to Wi-Fi, but magazines are not. 

On your Shelf: 

• Tap ‘Loans’ to read or manage your borrowed titles. 
• Tap ‘Holds’ to see your place in line and manage your holds. 
• Tap ‘Timeline’ to see your Libby activity history. 
• Tap ‘Notices’ to see in-app notifications for your loans and holds.  You can choose what you want to be notified about under Menu > Notifications. 
• Tap a magazine on your magazine rack to start reading. 
   

When searching a library in Libby, you may discover titles that aren't in their collection. These titles will have a Notify Me button (instead of Borrow or Place Hold). Selecting Notify Me sets up a smart tag in Libby that will alert you when the library purchases the title as well inform the Library of your interest.

Here's how to find and tag a title:

1. Search for a specific title, author, or series.
    
2. If you see the title you're interested in, and it has a Notify Me button, skip to step 5.
   If you don't see the title you're looking for, make sure your search has under 100 results. If there are more, try a more specific search (like the book's full title and the author's name).
3. Scroll to the bottom of the search results screen, then tap deep search.
    

   Tip: You can find the deep search button in the filters list too (by tapping ).

4. In the new search results, look for the title you're interested in.

   Note: Some books have never been published digitally, and some digital titles may not be available for purchase by your library. If this is the case please request a purchase using purchase request form vis Discover.

5. Tap Notify Me. You'll be prompted to set up a Notify Me smart tag or use one you've already set up.
    

If the library purchases the title, you'll be notified and have the option to borrow or place the title on hold (depending on its availability).

A reminder the Libby App is for leisure reading and wellbeing. Titles required for teaching or research are best requested via the Purchase Request Form.