Libraries Day
Bookworms find new food with these apps
Whether in real or virtual libraries: Bookworms keep track of things with app helpers.
© Dean Drobot / Shutterstock.com
Reading is the focus on Germany-wide Library Day. Bookworms can find their way around with these apps.
Libraries Day has been taking place across Germany since 1995. 26 years later, the more than 9,000 libraries in Germany play a special role, not least thanks to the corona pandemic. Points to this in the greeting for Libraries Day 2021 also the President of the German Library Association, Frank Mentrup. With or without a library card: these are the best apps for bookworms.
Libby
Anyone who already has a library card can use it to register with the “Libby” app to register. At libraries that work with “Libby”, users can then borrow e-books or audio books – just like their physical siblings, including a time limit. The selection is large, but so is the initial confusion. In order to orientate yourself better, it is therefore advisable to complete the tutorial integrated in the app. Once that’s done, borrowing becomes child’s play.
The filter and search function of “Libby” is successful and usually leads to the goal. However, due to the legal situation in Germany, compromises can be made: digital loans may not be copied or loaned indefinitely. If an issue is currently out of stock, you have to wait until it has been returned. On the other hand, on the plus side: users do not have to be online to read or hear the loan items. “Libby” is available free of charge for Android and iOS.
Goodreads
Come to “Goodreads” People have been together since 2007 to exchange, review and find out more about books. Success was immediate, ten million works and 650,000 users made it to the site by the end of 2007. This did not escape Amazon, after all, the book trade was part of the early business model of the mail-order giant. In 2013, Amazon finally bought “Goodreads” and has been operating the platform ever since. The “Goodreads” app is free and available for Android and iOS.
My Library & BookBuddy
The “My Library” app is aimed at those who already own a lot of books – or just want to note what they have already read. It works simply and clearly, new books can be added by ISBN number, barcode scan or manually. Each entry lists the genre, a summary, the publisher, the year or the price. “My Library” is only for android available. The best iOS alternative that is broadly similar in functionality, is called “Book Buddy”.