[GUI Plugin] OverDrive Libby

modified · 07-01-2023, 01:49 AM

OverDrive/Libby Integration for calibre

OverDrive Libby is a plugin that allows you to directly import your Libby loans into calibre.

Requires calibre 5.34.0 or newer.

Main Features:

Import the .acsm file for EPUB/PDF(DRM) book loans
Import the .epub file for EPUB (open) book loans
Import the .epub file for Magazines loans
View and borrow holds
Monitor magazines for new issues

This plugin is compatible with the ACSM Input plugin for converting .acsm files into epubs.

Also integrates with the OverDrive Link plugin. If an existing book has a matching OverDrive link and no formats, the loan download will be added to the book.

Install:

Open Preferences > Plugins > Get new plugins and install the "OverDrive Libby" User interface action plugin.
Alternatively, you may also download the attached zip file and install the plugin manually, then restart calibre as described in the Introduction to Plugins thread.

Setup:

Detailed setup help

To configure this plugin, you must already be using Libby on a compatible device.
Open the plugin settings (Preferences > Advanced: Plugins > Search for "overdrive libby" and then click on the "Customize plugin" button). You will be prompted to enter a Libby setup code that you can get by following the instructions here.
You should only need to do this setup once. Then add the plugin to the toolbar/menubar as you wish.

Usage:

Detailed usage help

Loans

Launch the OverDrive Libby plugin UI and select the loans you wish to download. Then click on the Download button.
Each selected loan will then be downloaded in its own calibre job. When the job completes, the loan book file should be in your library.
Only downloadable loans will be listed. If the loan does not have a downloadable format, or has previously been sent to your Kindle, it will not be displayed (unless the "Include titles without downloadable formats" is enabled).
To return a loan or to view the title on the Libby/OverDrive site, select and right-click on the row, then select the appropriate action.

Holds

Select the "Holds" tab. Select the available hold you wish to borrow, then click on the Borrow button.
Each selected hold will then be borrowed in its own job. When the job completes, click the "Refresh" button to see the new loan in the "Loans" tab.
Alternatively, right-click on the Borrow button to choose the "Borrow and Download" action. This will borrow and download the selected hold.
To list unavailable holds, uncheck the "Hide unavailable holds" checkbox.
To cancel a hold, select and right-click on the row, then select "Cancel hold".
To suspend a hold, or delay delivery, right-click and select "Manage hold". Use the slider to set the number of days to suspend/delay for, then click on "Update".

Magazines

Select the "Magazines" tab. From this tab, you can add magazines to monitor for new issues.
From the Libby/OverDrive site, copy the URL of the magazine you want to monitor. Paste the URL into the textbox, and select the Card to use for future borrowing. Then click on the "Add" button.
The title will then be listed below with its details. To borrow a title, select the row and click on the Borrow button.
To stop monitoring a title, select and right-click on the row, then select "Cancel".

Search

A basic search for up to 24 of your libraries (configured in settings).
Depending on availability, you can choose to borrow or place a hold on the title.

Special Notes:

Fix for "[SSL: CERTIFICATE_VERIFY_FAILED] certificate verify failed" error on Windows
Information about Libby's Format Locking
Not all magazines are downloadable. Only magazines that have readable individual articles can be downloaded.
Setup help
Usage help
Source code
Buy me a coffee

Version History:

Spoiler:

modified · 07-01-2023, 01:50 AM

No test version newer than the latest release.

Previous Test Versions

Spoiler:

JSWolf · 07-01-2023, 04:20 AM

Does this plugin work with the ACSM Input plugin to give you an ePub on download of the .acsm file? If not, can you make it so your plugin does this?

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=341975

modified · 07-01-2023, 05:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Does this plugin work with the ACSM Input plugin to give you an ePub on download of the .acsm file? If not, can you make it so your plugin does this?

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=341975

It does work with the ACSM Input plugin, but unfortunately due to the probable calibre bug mentioned in the Known Issues list, the ACSM plugin will convert the .acsm successfully but the resulting .epub does not have calibre metadata.

JSWolf · 07-01-2023, 05:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by modified

It does work with the ACSM Input plugin, but unfortunately due to the probable calibre bug mentioned in the Known Issues list, the ACSM plugin will convert the .acsm successfully but the resulting .epub does not have calibre metadata.

I suggest you report it in the ACSM Input plugin thread in case that needs to be modified to fix this problem.

modified · 07-01-2023, 06:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I suggest you report it in the ACSM Input plugin thread in case that needs to be modified to fix this problem.

Leseratte_10, the author of the ACSM plugin is already aware. He is the one made the calibre bug report after I reported it to him.

JSWolf · 07-01-2023, 06:21 AM

There is an easy work around. Go to the metadata editor and click the button to update the metadata from the eBook. It's the icon that looks squarish with a pencil.

modified · 07-01-2023, 07:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

There is an easy work around. Go to the metadata editor and click the button to update the metadata from the eBook. It's the icon that looks squarish with a pencil.

That's a good tip. For anyone using a different icon set.

modified · 07-05-2023, 03:08 AM

Version 0.1.3 - 2023-07-05
- New: View loans in Libby (from context/right-click menu)
- New: Return loans (from context/right-click menu)
- New: Auto tag downloaded books
- Properly display Checkout Date according to preferences
- Increase concurrent loan downloads
- Main loans window is now modal
- Use icons instead of unicode symbols for buttons
- Removed Verbose Logs option from config
- Improved implementation for Download, Refresh buttons
- Detect invalid Libby setup code format early
- Reduced zip file size by removing unneeded translation files

compurandom · 07-05-2023, 07:56 AM

So, let's say I've already downloaded a book on another device, and I already have an empty book in my library (created by the other overdrive plugin, with corresponding library IDs).

Can I get this plugin to recognize that the book has been downloaded and then auto tag the empty book?

modified · 07-05-2023, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by compurandom

So, let's say I've already downloaded a book on another device, and I already have an empty book in my library (created by the other overdrive plugin, with corresponding library IDs).

Can I get this plugin to recognize that the book has been downloaded and then auto tag the empty book?

This plugin only tags books that the plugin itself has downloaded. I don't really know how an "empty book" or the OverDrive Link plugin works, but it sounds like the answer is no.

miss_p1nky · 07-06-2023, 12:35 AM

Hello, a question here, if I have a hold, do I still need to go to Libby and borrow the hold first before it appears in the plugin? Does this plugin only automatically download borrowed books?

modified · 07-06-2023, 01:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by miss_p1nky

Hello, a question here, if I have a hold, do I still need to go to Libby and borrow the hold first before it appears in the plugin? Does this plugin only automatically download borrowed books?

For now, you will have to borrow the hold first in Libby. The next release will allow you to borrow an available hold when it's available.

Just to be clear, the plugin does not automatically download borrowed books. You will have to select the loan and click on Download.

modified · 07-09-2023, 08:12 AM

With this release, the previous known issue of converted .acsm files not having metadata is now fixed.

Version 0.1.4 - 2023-07-09

- New: Borrow and cancel holds
- New: Fave magazines to monitor for new issues
- Integration with the OverDrive Link plugin: If an existing book has a matching OverDrive link and no formats, the loan download will be added to the book.
- Fixed issue with converted .acsm downloads not having metadata
- Add option to View in OverDrive
- Sort titles with sort name instead of name
- Colored icons
- Implement loading overlay

dewd · 07-14-2023, 04:59 AM

Loving this plugin - thank you!

A request and a note. :-)

Would it be possible to also have a "borrow and download" option to eliminate a few clicks (go to Holds tab, borrow, go to Loans tab, download)?

If the "Hide books already in libary" box is checked, it will also hide books for which there is an empty book record (i.e. it might appear that you've downloaded them when you haven't). I don't know if there's any way for the plugin to determine/indicate whether there is actually a file attached to the record or not, but thought it worth noting.

07-01-2023, 01:50 AM	#2
modified Connoisseur Posts: 90 Karma: 50742 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: PW5	Test Version No test version newer than the latest release. Previous Test Versions Spoiler: 2023-09-12 - cbb55fa - Fix: Error on launch for calibre <6.2.0 - New: Option to disable the Magazines tab - Improve: Convert configuration UI to use tabs so that there is more room for future 2023-09-02 - aeacd7d - New: Advance search mode - New: Simple filter for titles and names in the Loans/Holds/Magazines/Cards tabs - New: Copy the Libby share link for a book - New: Verify a card - Improve: Display linked identifiers, subjects in Book Details - Improve: Infrequently changed data like libraries are now cached to give sync a small speed bump - Improve: Card image in cards tab is not fuzzy anymore - Fix: Borrowing with a card that has no lending period preference - Fix: Display of rating in book details - Fix: Properly update empty book without any identifiers - Fix: Duplicate condition when finding a book in calibre library 2023-08-12 - a9218ce - New: If "Include titles without downloadable formats" is enabled at setup, loans that do not have a downloadable format will be shown (i.e. Kindle, audiobook loans). Also, when such a loan is chosen for download, the plugin will now create an empty book. - New: Read with Kindle option is available for loans that are available as Kindle books and not already format-locked* - New: Custom columns to store borrowed/due dates, and loan type (calibre>=5.35.0) *About Format Locking Libby does not allow users to read a loan on a Kindle and still download the title as an .acsm/.epub. If you chose to read with a Kindle, the loan will not be available for download (the loan is locked to the Kindle format). Similarly, if you chose to download the .acsm/.epub, the loan becomes locked to the acsm/epub format and will not be available for reading on a Kindle. Removing a book from the Kindle/ADE/calibre does not "unlock" the loan. To do that, you have to return and borrow the book again. 2023-08-05 - 7fc49ba - New: Search tab that provides basic search across up to 24 of your linked libraries 2023-08-02 - 15042cd - New: Cards tab that provides a summary of card usage/limits - Various minor UI tweaks 2023-07-27 - 3bdb037 - New: calibre 5 compatible. Requires v5.34.0 or newer Last edited by modified; 09-19-2023 at 03:44 AM. Reason: Remove test version

07-05-2023, 03:08 AM	#9
modified Connoisseur Posts: 90 Karma: 50742 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: PW5	New Version Released Version 0.1.3 - 2023-07-05 - New: View loans in Libby (from context/right-click menu) - New: Return loans (from context/right-click menu) - New: Auto tag downloaded books - Properly display Checkout Date according to preferences - Increase concurrent loan downloads - Main loans window is now modal - Use icons instead of unicode symbols for buttons - Removed Verbose Logs option from config - Improved implementation for Download, Refresh buttons - Detect invalid Libby setup code format early - Reduced zip file size by removing unneeded translation files Last edited by modified; 07-05-2023 at 10:40 PM. Reason: Wrong date

07-09-2023, 08:12 AM	#14
modified Connoisseur Posts: 90 Karma: 50742 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: PW5	New version 0.1.4 With this release, the previous known issue of converted .acsm files not having metadata is now fixed. Version 0.1.4 - 2023-07-09 - New: Borrow and cancel holds - New: Fave magazines to monitor for new issues - Integration with the OverDrive Link plugin: If an existing book has a matching OverDrive link and no formats, the loan download will be added to the book. - Fixed issue with converted .acsm downloads not having metadata - Add option to View in OverDrive - Sort titles with sort name instead of name - Colored icons - Implement loading overlay

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07-01-2023, 04:20 AM	#3
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 76,316 Karma: 136006010 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Does this plugin work with the ACSM Input plugin to give you an ePub on download of the .acsm file? If not, can you make it so your plugin does this? https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=341975

07-01-2023, 06:21 AM	#7
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 76,316 Karma: 136006010 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	There is an easy work around. Go to the metadata editor and click the button to update the metadata from the eBook. It's the icon that looks squarish with a pencil.

07-05-2023, 07:56 AM	#10
compurandom Guru Posts: 942 Karma: 418804 Join Date: Jun 2015 Device: Rocketbook, kobo aura h2o, kobo forma, kobo libra color	So, let's say I've already downloaded a book on another device, and I already have an empty book in my library (created by the other overdrive plugin, with corresponding library IDs). Can I get this plugin to recognize that the book has been downloaded and then auto tag the empty book?

07-06-2023, 12:35 AM	#12
miss_p1nky Connoisseur Posts: 58 Karma: 636 Join Date: Aug 2022 Location: Indonesia Device: Moon+ Reader Pro	Hello, a question here, if I have a hold, do I still need to go to Libby and borrow the hold first before it appears in the plugin? Does this plugin only automatically download borrowed books?

07-14-2023, 04:59 AM	#15
dewd Enthusiast Posts: 42 Karma: 18198 Join Date: Nov 2017 Device: none	Loving this plugin - thank you! A request and a note. :-) Would it be possible to also have a "borrow and download" option to eliminate a few clicks (go to Holds tab, borrow, go to Loans tab, download)? If the "Hide books already in libary" box is checked, it will also hide books for which there is an empty book record (i.e. it might appear that you've downloaded them when you haven't). I don't know if there's any way for the plugin to determine/indicate whether there is actually a file attached to the record or not, but thought it worth noting.

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