u/AeroNoob333

Well, looks like they finally patched the airplane mode hack and we can no longer read books past the due date on our Kindle devices. Do you think this will push slower readers to get non-resident cards in order to have multiple holds rather than waiting weeks/months between loans on a single card? I can’t imagine waiting weeks/months to read the same book…

For those not familiar with the hack: it used to be that you could send an eBook from Libby to your Kindle, download it, then turn on airplane mode. When your due date came up, your loan would be returned to the library available for the next person, but a copy of the book stayed on your Kindle since airplane mode prevented it from syncing with your Amazon account, allowing you to read it past the due date.

Now that we can’t keep a copy of the eBook past the due date, my husband is struggling with reading. I normally finish a book within the 2-3 week loan, but he can take up to two months with a book. Is the only work around now just having multiple library cards and having multiple holds on the same book?

I have a Kindle and can’t send eBooks from Hoopla. For those that in the same position, do you typically just use Hoopla for audiobooks or do you also use it for the other offerings (movies, TV shows?)?

For those that are not W-2 employees (and therefore do not get a paystub), what do you show as proof of work to sign up for a library card?

I am self-employed and work as a contractor. I can provide the contract with the company I’m contracting for. My company invoices aren’t the most “professional” looking. They’re just QuickBooks generated, but I could also provide those. I do not have a 1099 yet from this company since that’s not provided until January and I will start working in September.

Edit: I don’t live in MA, but contract for a company there. I am splitting time there and my home state and required by IRS to pay taxes in both states. I would like to get a card in MA if I’m paying taxes.

I debated posting this, but decided a tips guide wouldn’t be harmful unlike flat out naming the libraries. The problem with naming a handful of libraries is the hive will tend to swarm those libraries and overwhelm them.

It is a lot of work. But you don’t need to do this if your local library has a good digital library, but that wasn’t the case for me (rural with crappy eLibrary), so I had to look elsewhere and glad that I did.

I currently have 6 library systems and 3 of which are paid for a total of $60/year. Between all 6 of these, a system will have a book either available or have a decent waiting list. This is what I did:

1. Research the digital library consortiums in your state. If you live on the border of other states, those may be worth checking as well. If you have property in other counties/states, see what their local libraries are.
2. On Libby, stress test each of these

library systems for books in your TBR. I divided this into 3 categories: always-waited listed blockbusters (test worst case) like Fourth Wing and Red Rising, newer moderately wait-listed (ex. Sunrise on the Reaping), and older backlist (test collection depth) like Scythe and Ember in the Ashes. Take note of the number copies and the number of people waiting. In Excel, I calculated the copies-per-capita (# people waiting divided by # copies). This is the most important metric. Decide which of these systems are worth your time based on results. For example, a library system with 40 copies, but has 200 people waiting is far worse than one that only has 10 copies with 7 people waiting. Once you’ve decided which systems to pursue, then it’s time to put in the leg work.

3. Start off by checking ReciproCard to see if your local library and the library systems you’re interested in have reciprocal agreements with other library systems. NOTE: That reciprocal libraries may not offer access to their eLibrary or impose restrictions. For your local library, go ahead and add those libraries on Libby or sign up for a separate card. Take special note of it for the other systems.

4. If you have property in other states/counties, pursue those first. If you are legitimately paying taxes, they will most likely give you a library card. A lot of times, they’ll just mail the card (our experience). If they don’t, it’s worth the phone call.

5. There will be two different kinds of library consortiums: 1) A single system and sign up for all libraries; and 2) Individual libraries with their own library card sign up and policies. The former will be easier: they either allow non-resident cards (for an annual fee most likely) or they don’t. The latter is where real work happens and where you could get free or cheap non-resident cards. I suggest targeting rural and mid-sized libraries. They are often really cheap ($5-15/year) or free. Some allow free library cards if you live in the state rather than the county. They are much more lenient about signing up online or on the phone since signing up truly helps funding for their library. This is how I found 2 free library cards.

6. Once you have your non-resident library cards, it’s worth a quick check on ReciproCard to see if they have any reciprocal agreements with other library systems.

7. Finally, once you’ve found the hidden gems, do not advertise those individual libraries here. That is how you end up overwhelming a library system. They start with worsening wait times and eventually a library may end up increasing the price or flat out cancelling all non-resident cards as we’ve seen with New Orleans and OCLA. Don’t do that to yourself and the locals.

I saw a post on here recently about immersive reading where you read and listen to the audiobook at the same time. Holy smokes! What a game changer!

I started my immersive reading with Dungeon Crawler Carl and I guess it helps that Jeff Hayes’ audiobooks are truly top tier.

Do you all have suggestions on top tier audiobooks like the Dungeon Crawler Carl series that I should add to my “Immersive Reading” list? I never got into audiobooks before because it always seemed flat and boring and I can narrate the book in my head better. Not Dungeon Crawler Carl tho lol

I’m looking for dystopian/fantasy/sci-fi fiction that has real thematic depth. Stuff that examines power, mortality, society, human nature, but is still propulsive and immersive (not a dry literary slog).

Books/series I’ve loved:

- Red Rising Saga

- Arc of a Scythe

- The Giver

- Blood Over Bright Haven

- The Hunger Games

If it helps, I love story forward video games like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, the Last of Us, Final Fantasy X, etc. I particularly can’t stop thinking about Clair Obscur’s story. That “beautiful world hiding a devastating truth”, grief-and-mortality register is exactly the kind of depth I’m looking for.

I want genuine depth while still being propulsive and immersive. Both stand alones and series are welcome!

Dealbreakers:

- No spice/explicit content please. Romance is totally fine as long as it serves the story, but I don’t want awkward explicit chapters or romance-forward romantasy where the relationship is the whole point.

- No slog. If it reads like a high-school assignment (dense, meandering), it’s not for me. I want depth braided into a gripping story.

If you made it this far, thank you!

I’m on the hunt for libraries with short wait times. What book do you use to gauge the waitlist? I’ve been using the Red Rising Saga. I’ve seen the first book range from 1 week to months depending on the library system.

What I’ve been doing so far is going on the Wiki for non-resident cards here, looking for ones that are <$10/year, then checking their waitlist on the Libby App. I figured 3-5 libraries with short wait times is better than 1 $38/year Broward County Card.

Are claims within the first year always going to be an uphill battle? I always seem to hit an automated barrier with my claims even when I have submitted all medical records with SOAP notes I have and invoices. When I call, it's always for the same reasons and I am always having to repeat myself over and over again: she was adopted on April 24, 2026. The first vet visit was on June 5, 2026. No, we do not have records prior to her first vet vist. Yes, all the medical records and SOAP notes we have are already attached under Medical Records in the portal. Yes, the invoice and SOAP notes are attached to the claim. Is there no way for them to take note of these things so my claims are not just stuck in limbo unless I call?

One of our dogs needs corrective surgery for her patellar luxation. We are looking for a post-op medical boarding facility for hardest part of recovery (2-3 weeks). Does anyone have any recommendations? She will need strict crate rest.

Does anyone know if Pets Best does pre-approval? We just went to an orthopedic specialist for River’s Medial Patellar Luxation. They recommended knee surgery and it will cost $7-8K. They are sending us an estimate and I was wondering if Pets Best does pre-approval?

If not, my plan is to send in the claim for today’s consultation and xray visit. They’ve already approved our general vet’s consultation where we got a referral to this specialist, so I’m guessing they will approve this visit, as well. If they do approve this specialist visit, what is the likelihood they’ll deny the surgery itself?

I just ordered a Kindle Paperwhite and I’m thinking of not opening it and just returning. I know Libby (send to Kindle) and Kindle Unlimited work with it, but Hoopla does not.

I really like the E-Ink technology and size of the Kindle Paperwhite. The E-Ink specifically makes my eyes less tired. I was wondering if there are other Android-based E-Ink readers that I could use Hoopla on. The only one I can think of is a Boox Go 7 but it is substantially more expensive than the Kindle Paperwhite. I got the 12th Gen Kindle Paperwhite for $125 + $27 for the cover at Target. Boox Go 7 is at least twice that.

Any other E-Ink Android E-readers worth looking into?

Looking to trade A Deadly Education [Hardcover] (Naomi Novik) and Seige and Storm [Paperback] (Leigh Bardugo) for any of the books in Audrey Grey’s Shadow Fall series.

We hired a retirement planner and have been really happy with the plan and advice we have gotten so far. We were ready to retire this year and found out that if we wanted to continue making improvements to our forever home (landscaping/outdoor work, replacing roof and siding of guest house/workshop, actually finishing the guesthouse — it’s unfinished right now), we would have a rocky start to our retirement. He ran different scenarios and essentially we would have to do a combination of things to retire today: lower home improvement budget, sell properties sooner than later, lower discretionary spending (currently total $12K/mo spending excluding healthcare & home but we can easily lower to $9K), and/or I work 5 more years while my husband retires (I don’t mind doing this).

This week, we received another 2-year work contract: fully remote software consulting work where my husband and I will be earning a combined billable hourly rate of $405/hour. We don’t want to fall into the “one more year” trap, but after telling our planner this, he ran the scenario and working this 2 year contract would bullet proof the plan without us needing to make sacrifices with our “wants”. Would you work a flexible remote job at your lake home for 2 more years to keep your lifestyle creep or lower your planned discretionary expenses to retire today?

I found these in my Notes app on my phone. Apparently, I had been tracking the premiums I had been paying for my now 10 (almost 11) year-old Pitbull mix dog's policy with Pets Best. Not sure if this is helpful to anyone, but I thought it was eye opening to see this tracked data. I also tracked how much they covered throughout the years, but that numbers makes me sadder. I know we get insurance not hoping to use it and that is why I continue to have coverage. But, I wish I stopped paying for the $100 deductible sooner rather than later (like in 2022 or 2023).

From 2017 to 2024, her policy was $100 deductible, 90% coinsurance, and no annual limit. From 2017 and 2018, I was living in Boston, MA. From 2019 to 2021, in Houston, TX, then in Northwest Arkansas thereafter. I had coverage in 2016, but it looks like I wasn't tracking it that time. Her policy renews every April before her birthday. Ages reflect her age at time of policy renewal.

Year	Age at Renewal	Premium ($/mo)
2017	1	$39.73
2018	2	$42.98
2019	3	$42.95
2020	4	$47.95
2021	5	$57.68
2022	6	$69.43
2023	7	$83.94
2024	8	$101.97
2025	9	$144.19

I increased her deductible to $1000 because ~$150/mo is absolutely ridiculous. The premium for $1000 deductible, 90% coinsurance, and no annual limit in 2025 was $45.43/mo and $56.15/mo, effectively just making this into a catastrophic plan. Instead, I have been just transfering $100/mo into the "dog debit account" to cover out-of-pocket expenses.