The ReciproCard Report: Texas
Overview
Texas runs on agreements, and there are a lot of them.
Texas has 48 separate Libby catalogs, which means 48 different collections of books sitting in the same state. Libraries here have struck reciprocal agreements with each other so their cardholders can cross over, and I've confirmed 3,109 new card opportunities as a result.
Libraries and Libby Participation
Library systems: 483
On Libby: 363 (75.2%)
Not on Libby: 120
The ones not on Libby: Ah Meadows Library, Alicia Salinas Public Library, Allan Shivers Library & Museum, Allen Public Library, Alpine Public Library, Amarillo Public Library, Bibliotech, Bicentennial City-County Library, Blanco County South Library District, Booker School/Public Library, Brazoria County Library System, Brownwood Community Library, plus 108 more. ReciproCard only tracks Libby, so I can't say what those libraries use instead.
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
Texas has 48 different shared digital catalogs. Every one you can reach through a partnership, an agreement, or a non-resident card is a different library of books on Libby. The collections really do differ from one system to the next, so every new card here is a real upgrade.
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 |
|---|---|
| Northeast Texas Digital Consortium | 74 |
| Central Texas Digital Consortium | 57 |
| Lone Star Digital Library | 32 |
| Piney Woods Digital Consortium | 31 |
| North Texas Libraries on the Go | 29 |
| West Texas Digital Consortium | 27 |
| South Texas Library System | 26 |
| North Texas Independent Digital Consortium | 21 |
| Houston Area Digital Media Catalog | 13 |
| Big Country Library System | 9 |
Plus 38 more, 34 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. 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. Everything counted below is a collection you don't already have.
New Card Opportunities
New card opportunities: 3,109
Through agreements: 3,079
Through Libby Partners: 30
Every one of Texas's 363 Libby libraries has at least one new card opportunity attached to it.
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.
The partner ones are the easy wins, since your current card already works on them. Chase those first, then work on the rest.
Open to everyone in the state
14 libraries in Texas will give a card to any resident of the state, not just people in their own town or county. 2 let you apply online and 12 want you to come in.
It's easy to miss, because you'd assume an agreement only covers the next county over. In Texas a lot of these reach the whole state.
How Texas Compares
- 4th of 51 for number of library systems (483).
- 2nd of 51 for separate Libby catalogs (48).
- 4th of 51 for new card opportunities (3,109).
- 10th of 51 for opportunities through Libby Partners (30).
- Largest catalog: Northeast Texas Digital Consortium (74 libraries).
Explore Other States
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.