Your Canadian public library card gives you access to thousands of free ebooks and audiobooks you can read on any device — your phone, tablet, Kobo, or computer. Most people have no idea this exists, or assume it's complicated. It isn't. Here's exactly how it works.
If you are deciding whether library ebooks, CELA, NNELS, interlibrary loan, or a used copy makes the most sense for one specific title, try the Readable Copy Route Planner. This page is more about the ebook branch once you already know that is the route.
If the specific thing tripping you up is getting library borrowing working on a Kobo, read Kobo + Libby / OverDrive Setup in Canada for Seniors and Caregivers. That page is about the sign-in order and handoff friction, not the general Libby basics.
Libby is an app made by OverDrive, the platform most Canadian public libraries use to lend digital books. You download Libby on your phone or tablet (iOS and Android, free), sign in with your library card, and borrow ebooks and audiobooks the same way you'd borrow physical books — except you never leave home, there's no late fee, and the book disappears automatically when your loan period ends.
The Toronto Public Library, for example, offers access to over 375,000 digital titles through OverDrive. The Vancouver Public Library, Ottawa Public Library, Calgary Public Library — all use the same system. If you have a library card, you almost certainly already have access to this.
That's it. No credit card. No subscription. Free.
Search "Libby" in the App Store or Google Play. The icon is a green circle with a white hand. Download and open it.
Tap "I have a library card." Search for your city or library name. Most major Canadian public libraries appear immediately.
Enter your library card number (on the back of your card) and your PIN (usually your birthdate or the last 4 digits of your phone number — call your library if you're unsure). You're in.
Browse the catalogue, search by title or author, tap Borrow. Most books loan for 14-21 days. When the loan ends, it vanishes automatically — no returns required.
In Libby, go to your loans and tap "Send to device." Choose Kobo. The book transfers via your Kobo's built-in OverDrive integration — no cable needed, just wifi. This does NOT work with Kindle in Canada.
This is important for readers with low vision. Libby's reading app has full font customization: you can increase text size significantly, change font to a more readable face (including OpenDyslexic), adjust line spacing, and choose high-contrast themes (white on black, sepia). The settings are in the "Aa" button while reading.
For very large print needs, the Libby reading app on a tablet (iPad or large Android tablet) gives you the most flexibility — you're working with a large screen AND adjustable font size. On a phone the font can only get so large before the reading experience suffers.
Popular new releases have waitlists — sometimes long ones. A new bestseller at a major library might have 200 people waiting. A few strategies that help:
If your local library isn't on this list, it almost certainly still uses OverDrive/Libby — search "[your city] public library OverDrive" to confirm. Libraries in smaller communities, rural Ontario, and BC Interior are often part of regional consortia that pool collections, giving you access to more titles than your local branch would have on its own.