Larkspur library board trims Libby checkout limit to 15 amid heavy ebook demand

The Larkspur City Library Board on Nov. 3 said it will reduce the maximum number of concurrent digital checkouts a patron can hold on the Libby app from 25 to 15, a change staff said is intended to shorten long hold lists and speed access to popular titles. The limit will take effect Nov. 1, the board was told.

Board members and staff described the change as a response to usage patterns in which ‘‘power users’’ maintaining many concurrent holds can slow access for other patrons. Staff said the limit applies to concurrent Libby items (ebooks, audiobooks, magazines) and that digital loans generally expire automatically at the end of the loan period; typical checkout length is about three weeks.

The move is presented as an interim, demand-management step while staff pursue funding changes. Staff reported the library’s current annual budget for Libby content is about $1,500; by contrast the countywide program spends roughly $300,000 across about 10 libraries. A preliminary internal formula shared with the board suggested Larkspur’s usage would justify roughly $15,000 a year to substantially increase digital availability, though staff said that figure is under discussion and not finalized.

The board reviewed alternatives and tradeoffs. Staff noted that Hoopla, another vendor, operates on a pay-per-use model that typically costs about $2 per checkout and is capped at a small number of monthly checkouts in the system; Libby titles are priced and licensed by publishers under a variety of terms (some are metered, some expire after a limited number of checkouts, others are time-limited). Board members said additional funding to buy more licenses would be preferable to long-term restrictions.

Board members asked staff to return with more precise usage data and budget scenarios at the next meeting so trustees and community supporters can evaluate options for increasing digital purchases. At the meeting’s close staff agreed to bring back those figures for the board’s December discussion.

The board also clarified operational details raised during the discussion: the 25→15 change limits concurrent checkouts rather than lifetime monthly totals, holds remain queued and are fulfilled when a license becomes available, and patrons may still return items early to free up licenses for others.

Next steps: staff will provide detailed Libby usage and budget scenarios for the board’s next meeting; the change to 15 concurrent Libby checkouts begins Nov. 1.