The ReciproCard Report: Tennessee
Overview
Almost every library in Tennessee shares one big catalog. 177 of the 182 libraries here that use Libby are on Tennessee READS, which means most people in the state are already looking at the same collection.
Because of this, a second card from another Tennessee library often won't add anything new. Most libraries here pull from the same collection. The systems that run their own separate catalogs are the exceptions.
Libraries and Libby Participation
Library systems: 184
On Libby: 182 (98.9%)
Not on Libby: 2
The ones not on Libby: Cannon County Library System, Lucius E. And Elsie C. Burch, Jr. Library.
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.
Unique Catalogs
Tennessee has 5 catalogs total, but the distribution is uneven. One covers the large majority of libraries and the rest are significantly smaller.
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.
Catalogs
| Catalog | Library systems |
|---|---|
| Tennessee READS | 177 |
| Nashville Public Library | 2 |
| Chattanooga Public Library | 1 |
| La Vergne Public Library | 1 |
| Oak Ridge Public Library | 1 |
A shared catalog is what happens when a group of libraries pool their money and buy one collection together. It's why a small-town library in Tennessee can offer a collection far bigger than it could ever afford alone. The flip side is that pooling makes everyone's collection identical, so there's less to gain by collecting cards.
What's Actually Available
New card opportunities: 5
Through agreements: 5
5 of Tennessee's 182 Libby libraries, or 2.7%, have at least one opportunity attached. That number is low because most libraries here are already on the big catalog and have nowhere new to go.
Tennessee also has 4 libraries open to any resident of the state. If one of them runs its own catalog, that's a card worth having.
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.
How Tennessee Compares
- 18th of 51 for number of library systems (184).
- 33rd of 51 for separate Libby catalogs (5).
- 35th of 51 for new card opportunities (5).
- Largest catalog: Tennessee READS (177 libraries).
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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.