What are smart tags and what do they do?
In Libby, a smart tag is a special kind of tag that can automatically keep track of certain titles for you.
Like regular tags, smart tags can be:
- Found on your Shelf (
) under tags.
- Added to individual titles manually.
- Renamed or edited.
- Removed from individual titles or deleted entirely.
Smart tags can do more than regular tags, and each one works a little differently:
"Borrowed" smart tag
Libby automatically creates this smart tag after you borrow your first title in the app.
When you borrow a title, Libby adds this smart tag to the title automatically.
You can also manually add or remove this tag from any title, or delete the entire tag.
"Sampled" smart tag
Libby automatically creates this smart tag after you open your first sample in the app.
When you read or listen to a sample of a title, Libby adds this tag to the title automatically.
You can also manually add or remove this tag from any title, or delete the entire tag.
"Notify Me" smart tag
You may be prompted to create a "Notify Me" smart tag as you use Libby. Or, you can manually create a brand new "Notify Me" smart tag or change an existing, regular tag into a "Notify Me" tag.
You can use the "Notify Me" smart tag to get notifications when:
- New issues of a tagged magazine come out. When you borrow or return a magazine, you'll be prompted to create a new "Notify Me" smart tag or add notifications for this magazine to an existing tag.
- Your library adds a title you're interested in to their Libby collection. You'll be prompted to create a "Notify Me" smart tag when you encounter a title your library doesn't offer.
- Your library adds titles by an author or in a book series you tagged with a "Notify Me" smart tag.
Note: Only in-app notifications are supported for this type of "Notify Me" smart tag.
Once you create a "Notify Me" smart tag (or two), make sure to adjust your notification settings in Libby.
"OverDrive Wish List" smart tag
You'll need to set up this smart tag in Libby. Visit our dedicated help article to learn how.
This smart tag syncs with your wish lists from the legacy OverDrive app or OverDrive library websites. Wish lists from all of your library cards are merged into a single tag.
Once all your wish list items are added to this tag, you can manually add or remove titles. Changes you make in Libby will be reflected on OverDrive library websites.

- Adding tags to titles
- Adding your OverDrive wish lists to Libby
- Can I be notified when new magazine issues are available?
- Changing a regular tag into a smart tag
- Creating a new tag
- Deleting tags
- Exporting and sharing tags
- Finding and tagging titles not offered by your library
- Renaming tags
- Sorting and filtering your tags
- Untagging titles
- What are smart tags and what do they do?