Library Materials & Resources FAQs

  • General Questions

    There are three main ways to tell us about items you wish to see.

    1. FVRLibraries welcomes suggestions for the collection via our “Submit a Suggestion” form, which can be found in “My Library Dashboard” when logged in to the Catalog. Learn more about Suggesting a Purchase. 
    2. If you use the Libby app, you can also tag an item we don't own when you do a search using the Deep Search filter and click Notify Me.  This lets our selectors know what titles are of interest to our communities. 
    3. You can also ask the library to borrow items from other library systems. Learn about our interlibrary loan service (ILLiad).

    How to check the status of your request

    1. Log in to “My Account” and look for the little bell icon with a number next to it. This indicates a new notification.
    2. If you don’t see that, select “My Library Dashboard” from the login menu.
    3. Look for “Suggested this Month” in the left column of the page and select it.
    4. Your suggestions will be listed and have a status of “Unreviewed”, “Approved”, or “Denied”. Below them, there may be a “Show more” arrow that when selected will display a message from the library.

    Want to find books similar to ones you like, or find more titles on a specific subject? Here are several ways:

    Use the catalog

    Starting from the library catalog, search for a title, author, or topic of interest, and refine your search results as needed.

    • View a title display page and look under the “About” section for Subject and genre links. Select one to start a new search on the broader topic.
    • Back on the title display, scroll down to the “You may also like” and “Explore further” sections. There you’ll see links to NoveList and Syndetics Unbound recommendations based on content, author style, reading level, similar authors, and more.

    Explore BiblioCommons Reviews & User-Generated Content

    When viewing a book in the catalog, you’ll also see community-generated reviews, tags, and user lists from patrons and library staff across participating libraries (not just FVRLibraries!). These give you real-world feedback and ideas from people who love books as much as you do!

    • Reviews can offer personal insights and highlight lesser-known details.

    • User-created lists often group similar titles together (e.g., “Best Cozy Mysteries” or “Classic Sci-Fi for Teens”).

    • Tags can help you spot patterns or themes in a book’s appeal, such as “fast-paced,” “magical realism,” or “biographies of women.”

    Use NoveList Plus

    NoveList Plus is an online resource lets you search, browse, and combine appeals to find more books you might enjoy. You can see if your chosen title or author has “Read-alikes” and link directly to the library’s catalog to place a hold. (Note: you will need a library account to log in if you’re not at a branch.)

    Get personalized reading suggestions

    Fill out our Personalized Reading Suggestions form and tell us about books and authors you enjoy. We’ll email you a custom list of 3–5 recommendations.

  • Physical Materials

    Lucky Day books are extra copies of popular titles—you won't find them listed in the catalog, aside from copies that are currently checked out, so you have to visit the library in person and look on the shelf to see if it is your Lucky Day.

    If you check out a Lucky Day copy of a book you had on hold, the computer will automatically cancel your hold for you, since you don't need to be on the wait list for it anymore.

    You may have only two Lucky Day titles checked out at one time. You can keep them for three weeks, but you can't renew them.

    Do you have microfilm? What do you have, and where can I view it?

    Yes! FVRLibraries has microfilm available to view at these branches:

    • Goldendale Community Library

    • Stevenson Community Library

    • Vancouver Community Library (downtown)

    • White Salmon Valley Community Library

    Each location has microfilm readers for 35 mm and 16 mm microfilms, as well as microfiche. You can print from the reader or save scans to a USB drive for free.

    What we have
    Our microfilm collection includes census records and newspapers. To see what’s available, visit our catalog.

  • Online Materials

    A few downloadable audiobooks from OverDrive come with extra content that needs to be seen and doesn't translate to audio well. When you are looking at the item details page for a particular book that has this, you'll see the words "Includes supplementary content" next to the format, below the author name(s).

    To download and view

    Most supplementary content can only be viewed using Adobe Digital Editions (ADE) on a computer. It is not compatible with the Libby app on mobile devices.

    1. If you don't already have it, download the free Adobe Digital Editions software, opens a new window to your computer. Note that ADE is different from Adobe Reader.
    2. Authorize ADE with your OverDrive account or Adobe ID.
    3. Sign in to the FVRL OverDrive website and go to your Loans page in your account.
    4. Click on the paperclip icon to see the "PDF eBook Download" button and then click that button.
    5. Click the "Confirm" button on the pop-up window that appears.
    6. ADE should open automatically and display the supplementary content PDF, but if it doesn't, find the downloaded file on your computer and open it.

    If the file still doesn't open, check the file type and rename if necessary. (For example, with Spark Joy, the supplementary content might download with a file type of .acsm.part, so you'll need to delete the ".part" portion of the file name in order for the PDF to open properly in ADE.)

    The supplementary content will expire when your eAudiobook checkout does.

    FVRLibraries offers eBooks in different formats for eReaders (like Kindle, Nook, Kobo) and for the Kindle app. Here’s how it works:

    • Find and borrow eBooks 
    • For Kindle and Kindle app users 
    • For other eReaders (Nook, Kobo, etc.) 
    • Returning and renewing eBooks 
      • eBooks return automatically when your checkout period ends.
      • You can renew titles in Libby or on the OverDrive website if it’s within three days of the due date and there are no holds.
      • For Kindle books, renew the title and then remove and re-download it from your Amazon account.

    Why aren’t all titles available in Kindle format?
    Kindle format depends on Amazon—it’s not always available for every title. If you can’t find a Kindle version, let us know and we’ll pass the request to OverDrive.

    Need help?
    Ask library staff or check the OverDrive help site for step-by-step guides for your device

    .

    In the Libby app

    In the OverDrive app 

    Please note: the OverDrive app was discontinued on May 1, 2023. As Amazon has accepted the Libby app into the Amazon Appstore for newer Kindle Fire tablets to download, the OverDrive app will be removed from the Amazon Appstore on June 7, 2023. Older Fire owners will still be able to use the OverDrive app for now if it was previously downloaded.

    OverDrive in your browser

    Learn about Libby

    • The Libby app was designed specifically for smartphones and tablets. You can also use it online in a browser window via Libbyapp.com.
    • The "classic" OverDrive app was discontinued on May 1, 2023. Kindle Fire users may still use this app for the time being, but Libby is now available in the Amazon Appstore for newer Kindle Fire tablets.  (Note: If you have a Windows or Mac computer, the only way to download an eBook for offline reading is by using the Kindle app for your device, or if the file is available as an ePub, download to Adobe Digital Editions.)

    Install Libby

    1. Get the app for iOS, Android devices, or newer Kindle Fire tablets
    2. Install Libby and open it. Follow the prompts to set up the app and add your library card and PIN to it.

    Use Libby

    Search for and borrow a book.

    1. Tap the library icon at the bottom of the screen to browse, or tap the magnifying glass to search, and find a title you're interested in.
    2. Pick an available book and tap on “Borrow” to check it out immediately, or tap on the book cover to see details before you borrow.

    Read or listen.

    • Tap the shelf icon at the bottom of the screen (to the right of the Libby icon), to find your checkouts (loans) and holds.
    • Tap the book cover to read or listen.
    • You'll find reading options at the top of the screen.
    • Tap "Back" go back to your shelf.
    • Libby downloads automatically over Wi-Fi, but streams over a cellular connection. Downloading can take a few minutes.
    • Get more how-tos for reading eBooks or listening to eAudiobooks from Libby Help.

    Place a hold.

    • Tap the library icon at the bottom of the screen to browse, or tap the magnifying glass to search, and find a title you're interested in.
    • If all copies of that title are checked out, you can place a "hold," which puts you in line to check it out when it becomes available.
    • Tap a book cover to read more about a book before placing a hold, or simply tap "Place Hold."
    • Verify by tapping the red "Place Hold" button.

    Suspend a hold.

    1. Tap the shelf icon at the bottom of the screen, then look at the top of the screen for "Holds" and tap.
    2. Tap "Manage Hold," then tap "Suspend Hold."
    3. Use the slider to choose how long to suspend the hold—anywhere between one week to six months. (You'll keep your place in line.) Then tap "Update Hold."
    4. You can also suspend all your holds at the same time.

    Check out or cancel an available hold, or have it delivered later.

    1. When your hold is available, you'll be notified by in-app notifications, push notifications, and/or email.
    2. Tap the shelf icon at the bottom of the screen, then tap "Holds" to find your available hold. You have three days to either borrow it, suspend it, or have it delivered later. Find more information in Libby Help.

    Change your notifications.

    Libby app users will be notified by in-app notifications, push notifications, and/or email.

    Return a title early.

    1. Tap the shelf icon at the bottom of the screen.
    2. Tap "Manage Loan" next to the title you want to return early.
    3. Tap "Return Early," and then "Return!"

    Make a wish list (tagging).

    Libby does have a Wish List feature—it just goes by another name: "tagging." Here's how to tag books in Libby.

    As of March 31, 2021, you can sync your wish lists from the OverDrive app & website with your tags from Libby.

    Get more help.

    Find information and troubleshooting tips on Libby's help site.

     

    Downloadable eBooks and audiobooks  are available through OverDrive and Hoopla.

    Downloading through Overdrive: 

    • For iOS, Android, or newer Kindle Fire devices, use the Libby app. If your device is connected to Wi-Fi, in most cases, the Libby app will download checked-out titles to your Loans shelf automatically. (If your device uses a cellular signal, opening a book will prompt Libby to stream pages or playback.) Tap the 3-line icon in the app footer to go to Settings, where you can change your download rules if necessary.
    • For computers, use Adobe Digital Editions (ADE) or the Kindle app to download eBooks. You can also use ADE to transfer to a non-Kindle eReader.

    Downloading through Hoopla:

    • For iOS, Android, and Kindle, To download borrowed content, simply tap on the "Tap here to download" button on the title details page.  When downloading a Hoopla title for the first time, Hoopla will ask for download permission. Allowing this permission gives Hoopla the ability to store the download on your device. NOTE:All eBooks and comics are automatically downloaded to your device due to the small amount of data they use; denying this permission will stop that process. Denying this permission does not affect the ability to stream movie, television, audiobook or music titles.
       
    • Titles on the Windows and MacOS platforms are only available for streaming.