We all dream of relaxing on vacation with a good book, audiobook, or other streaming media. Depending on where your travels take you, you may find it difficult to access your library account for various reasons. In some areas, you may not find internet. In others, your phone service plan may limit you. We also actively block some IP addresses and even regions to safeguard our systems, services, and data when issues are detected.
Here are some tips to help you prepare for travel:
Make sure your account has no outstanding issues or upcoming expiration.
Before your trip, log into your library account.
- Check your account’s expiration date to ensure it extends beyond your travel. If it does not, simply reach out to your library and ask them to extend it. Each account has an expiration date in place. It is used to provide an opportunity to update any contact information. We also use this date to eliminate accounts only after they have been expired with no activity for more than 3 years.
- Does your account have more than $10 in fines or fees? This could block your access to content.
- Do you have items that should be returned before travel? Outstanding items that become overdue while traveling will automatically generate replacement billing, which could quickly move your status to owing more than $10, so drop items off before you go, or check to see if they are eligible for renewal.
Load up your phone/tablet/eReader with the eBooks and audiobooks you need before you travel with the titles you will need while away.
Libraries share! We have partnered with other New York library systems to bring even more content to you.
If you use Libby, there are three other library systems’ collections that the Mid-Hudson Library System partners with – these collections are available to you from within the app. Once you have set up the access, you can search and borrow from these collections with your local library card.
Tap our logo in the top right corner to add these collections to your available libraries.
- Scroll down and tap “Add a Library” and click the “Add card” icon on the right.
- Search for one of the following:
Mohawk Valley Library System
Southern Adirondack Library System
Upper Hudson Library System - Click “Sign in with my card.”
- You will be asked to sign into your account – select the “Mid-Hudson Library System – your library” option to identify yourself as one of our patrons.
- Once logged in, you can switch in and out of each collection by tapping the icon on the top collection.
Note: Your access and priority will be best in the Mid-Hudson Library System collection. Each partner library system limits the access by members of other systems to items that have no current demand locally or do not have a cost-per-use applied.
Physical items that you have requested for pickup at your library can be “frozen” while you are away for an extended period. Before you leave for your trip, log into your account to freeze any title that you are waiting for. To the right of the Cancel Hold button, select the drop down menu and click “Freeze.” While your requests are frozen, you will be passed over in the queue but your position will be retained. Once home, you can return your request to an active status by unfreezing it with the same button.
Your library subscribes to many online and streaming resources. Check your local library website to see what else might be available to you…
Your local library’s website will have many more options available to you. Access is provided by the library where you live. This may not be the library that you use or even have a card in. The staff of any library can help you to know which library your account is associated with.
You can manage your holds in the Libby app. If you may not have time during your travels, consider suspending your hold for a period.
If you select physical items that are not in high current demand, they will likely be eligible for an auto renewal. If possible, this takes place 3 days before items are due back, assuming that new requests are not pending and your account is eligible. Alternatively, you could ask the library staff if your item is eligible for an extension that could accommodate your travel dates.