Libby & Accessibility

Screen reader support

Low vision and blind users can use screen readers to browse, borrow, read ebooks and magazines, and listen to audiobooks in the Libby app.

Keyboard shortcuts

Libby’s ebook reader and audiobook player are navigable with a keyboard. In addition, Libby offers keyboard shortcuts to quickly page forward/backward, start/stop playback, operate features (like turning on the sleep timer), and adjust settings.

Customizable ebook reader display

In the ebook reader, users can choose from a variety of page and font styles for an experience that’s best suited to their reading preferences.

Dark mode

Libby uses a device’s built-in lighting setting and displays the app in light or dark mode accordingly.

The ebook reader uses the device’s lighting, but users can manually select a different lighting option in the Appearance menu: light, dark, or sepia.

Adjustable text size

Libby uses a device’s built-in text size setting and scales the text in the app accordingly.

Users can manually adjust the text size for ebooks in the reader and expand the range of sizes to include larger accessibility sizes, if needed.

Zoom feature

In magazines and fixed-layout ebooks (like picture books and comics), users can zoom into the content of page to better read the text and to magnify images.

Adjustable playback speed

Libby’s audiobook player offers configurable playback speed for every audiobook. Users can choose from 48 different speeds, ranging from 0.6x to 3.0x.

Additional accessibility features

Under Settings > Accessibility Features users can:

• Reduce Color Variation: By default, Libby adapts to the colors of book covers and the user’s active library. This toggle allows users to reduce such adaptive changes, favoring neutral colors with good contrast.
• Reduce Text Variation: The app uses a variety of font styles to convey meaning, such as italics for important actions. Users can adjust this setting to simplify text styles.
• Reduce Motion: This setting reduces most of the transitional motion in the interface. Users can also set this preference in their operating system or browser preferences, and Libby will apply it automatically.
• Reduce Haptics: On devices that support subtle vibrations (called haptics), Libby uses these to provide feedback on certain touch interactions. Users can either turn it off at the operating system or in the new “Accessibility Features” option in the Libby menu.
• Orientation Locking: By default, Libby uses a “smart orientation” setting that chooses the device orientation that best suits the content. Users can override the default orientation of the app in the “Accessibility Features” menu.

For more information about accessibility in Libby, visit Libby Help or check out OverDrive’s accessibility statement.

For more information about accessibility in Libby, visit Libby Help or check out OverDrive’s accessibility statement.