Libby App Adds AI Discovery Feature - Reader Reactions

Libby App Integrates AI-Powered Book Recommendations

The Libby e-book and audiobook application is now incorporating AI functionality, a development that has sparked mixed reactions from readers and library professionals. Some users express a preference for maintaining an AI-free experience within their preferred reading platforms.

Introducing the “Inspire Me” Feature

The newly implemented feature, titled “Inspire Me,” enables users to receive personalized book suggestions through the use of prompts or based on their previously saved reading lists within the Libby app.

To access this functionality, readers select the “Inspire Me” option on the Libby home screen. They can then specify their preference for fiction or nonfiction, followed by refining the suggestions based on criteria such as age appropriateness and content type.

For example, users might choose descriptors like “spine-tingling” or “amusing,” and then further specify scenarios such as “dark humor centered on contemporary family dynamics” or “time travelers intervening to save dragons from medieval knights.”

Following the input of these preferences, the application presents five book titles deemed relevant to the user’s specified inspiration.

How the Feature Operates

Overdrive, the developer of the Libby app, explains that the “Inspire Me” feature draws upon each library’s existing digital catalog. Consequently, the recommendations provided will consist of books currently available through that specific library.

The system also prioritizes titles that are immediately available for borrowing, ensuring users can readily access the suggested reading material.

User Concerns and Privacy Considerations

Despite being a relatively straightforward application of AI, the addition of this feature has prompted some resistance from Libby users and librarians, expressed through social media platforms. Concerns center around a desire for AI-free book recommendations.

Additional worries have been voiced regarding potential privacy implications often associated with AI-driven experiences.

Overdrive addresses these concerns in its AI usage policy, stating that it avoids the collection of “inessential personal information.” When personal information is utilized, it is not shared with external parties or AI models.

Furthermore, user data and activity are not transmitted to the AI model. If a saved tag is shared for suggestions, only the titles are sent – no personal details, device information, or tag descriptions are included.

Overdrive’s Perspective

Acknowledging potential user reservations, Overdrive emphasized that the intention behind “Inspire Me” is not to supplant “human insight” with generative AI. Instead, the feature is designed to “complement” the expertise of librarians in guiding readers.

“Inspire Me leverages responsible AI integration to assist patrons in exploring the extensive catalogs curated by their local libraries,” stated Jen Leitman, OverDrive’s chief marketing officer. “By highlighting titles that align with readers’ searches, Inspire Me facilitates the discovery of more books that libraries have already invested in. It’s about enhancing discovery, not replacing human expertise.”

Rollout and Availability

The feature was initially launched in a limited capacity earlier this month, accessible to users searching for “#InspireMe” within the Libby app. Following the official announcement, the feature is now being rolled out to all Libby users, with full availability expected in September.