The ReciproCard Report: Arizona
Overview
Arizona is one of the stronger states in the country when it comes to Libby access.
53 of its 80 library systems belong to a Libby partnership, which means many cardholders in Arizona can reach up to 13 separate digital catalogs through their existing card. No applications, no branch visits. You add them in the Libby app and start borrowing.
It adds up to 635 new card opportunities.
Libraries and Libby Participation
Library systems: 80
On Libby: 64 (80.0%)
Not on Libby: 16
The ones not on Libby: Coolidge Public Library, Eloy Santa Cruz Library, Hopi Public Library, Kearny Public Library, Mammoth Public Library, Office Of Navajo Nation Library, Pinetop-Lakeside Public Library, San Lucy Library, San Xavier Learning Center Library, Show Low Public Library, Snowflake-Taylor Public Library, Superior Public Library, plus 4 more.
Not every library system uses Libby. Some offer digital borrowing through other services, and a few haven't adopted a digital platform yet. This report only covers libraries that are on Libby.
New Card Opportunities
New card opportunities: 635
Through Libby Partners: 624
Through agreements: 11
54 of Arizona's 64 Libby libraries, or 84.4%, have at least one.
A new card opportunity is any time a library system's cardholders can access a Libby catalog they don't already have, as identified by ReciproCard. These come from Libby partnerships (where your existing card works at another library's catalog), reciprocal agreements (where you apply for a free card at another system), and statewide programs (where a library is open to all residents regardless of location). ReciproCard filters out duplicate catalogs, so each opportunity listed here represents access to a genuinely different collection. Keep in mind that ReciproCard only tracks agreements that include Libby access. Many libraries have reciprocity for physical books but not Libby, and those aren't counted here.
That single partnership covers 53 libraries and reaches 13 catalogs.
How to Add Libby Partner Libraries
1. Open Libby and tap the menu. 2. Tap Add Library. 3. Search for one of the catalogs listed below. 4. Tap Sign In With My Card, then pick your own home library from the list. 5. Enter your regular card number.
Step four is where people get stuck. You're not signing in as a member of the library you just added. You're proving you belong to a Arizona library that partners with it. Repeat for each catalog you want, and Libby will search all of them at once from then on.
Unique Catalogs
A shared digital catalog, sometimes called a consortium, is a collection of ebooks and audiobooks that multiple library systems fund and share together. Each catalog listed below is a separate collection. Libraries that belong to the same one are all drawing from the same pool of books.
Ten Largest Catalogs
| Catalog | Library systems |
|---|---|
| Greater Phoenix Digital Library | 9 |
| Gila County Library District | 9 |
| Little Libraries That Could | 8 |
| Cochise County Library District | 8 |
| Yavapai Library Network | 8 |
| Southwest Valley Library Consortium | 5 |
| Flagstaff City-Coconino County Public Library | 5 |
| Arizona State Library, Archives And Public Records | 3 |
| Navajo County Library District | 2 |
| Pima County Public Library | 2 |
Plus 5 more, 5 of which serve a single library.
A shared catalog is what happens when a group of libraries pool their money and buy one collection together. Instead of each small library affording a tiny collection alone, dozens team up for something much bigger. ReciproCard hides libraries that share a catalog you already have, because a second card for the same collection just shows you the same books twice.
How Arizona Compares
- Tied for 32nd of 51 for number of library systems (80).
- Tied for 12th of 51 for separate Libby catalogs (15).
- 11th of 51 for new card opportunities (635).
- 5th of 51 for opportunities through Libby Partners (624).
- Largest catalog: Greater Phoenix Digital Library (9 libraries).
Explore Other States
Only five states run their access mainly through Libby partnerships. In most other states, access to additional catalogs comes through reciprocal agreements, where you apply for a separate card at each library.
Haven't Searched Your Own Library Yet?
This report gives you the statewide picture, but your results depend on your local system. If you haven't already, enter your home library system in the search above to see what cards you might be eligible for.