My library has 169,726 digital books in the Libby app. I read a lot, but I’ll never come close to getting through that many. It’s both a comforting and intimidating thought that there will literally always be a new book for me to discover at my library.

You are never alone when lost in the magic of a book. - Marie Lu

While libraries offer so much more than books, they’ve certainly got this book business down to a science. In the physical branch, you can find them by flipping through the shelf of new arrivals or recent returns, perusing the seasonal book displays and staff picks or, for a challenge, digging deep in the shelves, then skimming the back page.

In the digital world, this experience is replicated, except this time, instead of entering through the library doors, I find them by lounging on my couch after dinner or waiting in line at the grocery. And in this virtual space, I scroll through the curated collections on the homepage (shout out to Cuyahoga County librarians for the on-point book suggestions!), flip on a filter to see only nonfiction audiobooks (my cup of tea) or sift through my favorite “Available Now” Guide and look at just the books that can be mine in minutes.

Reading is a discount ticket to everywhere. - Mary Schmich

While the experience is different (and are both great ways to utilize the library), the result is the same—our favorite books we’ve ever read. Regardless of whether they were found through the public library, school library, bookmobile or digital collection, the joy of finding that perfect read is just one of the many reasons to love these institutions.

We asked Libby users on social media to tell us about their favorite book, series or author they discovered at the library (physical or virtual!). So many got hooked on a series thanks to recommendations from librarians. Others stumbled upon a beloved book that can never be replicated. Some discovered a new author, which lead to another author and so on, and the book discovery cycle continues.

Check out these books, authors and series from the library that stole readers’ hearts. What would you add to this list?

Discover them for yourself in Libby.

*Title availability may vary by region.

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