Which E-readers Work With BorrowBox, Libby, Hoopla?
I have done some extensive, personal research into best e-readers or e-paper devices to be able to borrow books remotely from libraries. The research includes updated information on Kindles, other popular e-readers and also information borrowing from UK libraries — reviewed at the latter sections. But firstly, how do you know your if your Android e-reader or tablet is compatible with these applications?
Minimum Android OS Requirements for e-reader applications:
- BorrowBox: Android version 5+
- Libby: Android version 7.1+
- Hoopla: Android version 7.1+
Your Android device may be compatible if it was released after Android 5 (November 2014) or Android 7.1 (April 2017). Check which Android version you run by going to Settings and then About phone. Note your Android version number.
If you have a compatible Android e-reader, see whether applications are available by visiting either the Google play store or Kindle store and search for Borrowbox, Libby, or Hoopla. If you do not have an in-built application store then it may be dangerous to try more alternative methods like side-loading.
List of e-reader devices working with one or more stores:
- The ONYX BOOX Poke 5 — Android 11
- Boox Leaf2 — Android 10
- Kobo Nia (Kobo — Libby)
- Kindle (Libby on this device is US only)
What support does Hoopla have?
Hoopla is a North American Service and many reports online [1][2] suggest various BOOX devices support Hoopla; offering 10 loans per month.
Which UK devices have compatibility for Libby?
Suffolk libraries list support for Libby as:
Sony
Nook
Kobo
PocketBook Touch
Tolino Vision
Not Kindle eReaders
There is a lot to consider with support as each application only works on certain devices and in certain countries. Libby on Kobo only works in 12 countries and devices currently. Kindle has no support for Libby on their e-readers (electronic paper displays) for the UK, sadly.
Australian digital library company BorrowBox seems to be available in the UK, Ireland, New Zealand, and of course; Australia. The Clackmannanshire council in the UK states these devices specifically: Nook, Kobo, Zune, and Sony all support BorrowBox, but also state:
“no library solution is currently compatible with the standard Kindle device in the UK”
Furthermore, Cornwall council reiterates similar specifics (probably sparked by frustrations from users) with Kindle NOT supporting e-readers (Kindle fire tablet only) — [read here].
So to get the best support for third party library applications on Android you should have:
- Any Android OS version 7.1 or higher
- Anything but a Kindle
- Be borrowing in the correct part of the world (North America has the edge with Kindle)
Best E reader
It’s become more complicated than ever to find a good solution to borrowing books; the hours of research I have done suggests this post might help a lost soul down a rabbit hole. Thankfully, the latest BOOX (also called Onyx BOOX) range comes with great support for running these applications, and also Kobo when it comes to support for Libby (by OverDrive) in general.
Borrowing from the BOOX note air
This video shows a person finding a sample book (3:30 in) from Libby:
About loaning Kindle books
Amazon exclusively sells Amazon books to e-readers and prevents people from using Libby on Kindle outside the US, so there are no borrowing facilities or alternatives elsewhere, giving little reason to purchase it for this purpose.
Can i use Kindle e-books on other e-readers?
You can install the Android application on some brands like BOOX because it has good support for Google’s Play store. BOOX appears to be avoiding stepping into the competitive book market and focusses more on other business sales angles.
Alternatives like the Kobo store are said to be just as good as Amazon’s. Competition is great — you can borrow books wirelessly too using Libby, but it is not an Android-based operating system so you cannot install Kindle unlimited.
Lastly, the format Kindle uses is difficult to work with (.azw and azw3) because it’s proprietary and unique to Kindle, but with a PC you could transfer your downloaded purchases to otherwise non-compatible devices. Calibre is a great tool for allowing interoperability.
