How do I install the Libby Book Monitor skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add modbender/libby-book-monitor in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

Is Libby Book Monitor safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. Independent scanners report: SkillSpector: PASS, Skill Scanner: PASS. Capability flags: executes scripts. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Libby Book Monitor?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Libby Book Monitor free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

Who published Libby Book Monitor?

modbender (@modbender) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Libby Book Monitor by modbender — Agent Skill

Name: Libby Book Monitor
Rating: 4.5 (4 reviews)
Author: modbender

Libby Book Monitor

Track book availability on Libby/OverDrive libraries. Search library catalogues, manage a watchlist, and get notified when books are added. Use for "libby", "check libby", "libby watchlist", "is book on libby", "book available", "overdrive", "library catalogue", "ספרייה", "ספרים".

modbender Updated Sep 9, 2026 12 repo stars

File contents

Libby/OverDrive Book Monitor

Track book availability on Libby/OverDrive libraries. Search catalogues, manage a watchlist, and get notified when books are added to your library's collection.

Disclaimer: This is an unofficial tool, not affiliated with or endorsed by OverDrive/Libby. Catalogue data queries APIs that power the website and may not reflect actual availability. This tool does NOT borrow books or place holds. Provided "as is" without warranty of any kind.

Quick Start

# Search a library catalogue
python3 {baseDir}/scripts/libby-book-monitor.py search telaviv "Project Hail Mary"

# Add a book to your watchlist
python3 {baseDir}/scripts/libby-book-monitor.py watch "Kafka on the Shore" --author "Haruki Murakami"

# Check your watchlist against the API
python3 {baseDir}/scripts/libby-book-monitor.py check

# Show your watchlist
python3 {baseDir}/scripts/libby-book-monitor.py list

Commands

Command	Description
`search <library> <query>`	Search a library catalogue by title/author
`watch <title>`	Add a book to the watchlist
`unwatch <title>`	Remove a book from the watchlist
`list`	Show the watchlist with status
`check`	Check all watchlist books against the API

Options

Option	Commands	Description
`--profile <name>`	all	Separate watchlist per user
`--author <name>`	watch	Specify book author
`--library <code>`	watch	Library code (default: from config)
`--notify`	check	Only print newly found books (for cron)
`--data-dir <path>`	all	Custom data directory

Profiles

Use --profile to maintain separate watchlists for different people:

python3 {baseDir}/scripts/libby-book-monitor.py --profile jane watch "Dune"
python3 {baseDir}/scripts/libby-book-monitor.py --profile bob check --notify

Configuration

Default library is telaviv Israel Digital. Edit ~/.libby-book-monitor/config.json to change:

{
  "default_library": "nypl",
  "libraries": {
    "nypl": "New York Public Library"
  }
}

The library code is the subdomain from your library's OverDrive site (e.g., nypl.overdrive.com -> nypl).

Cron Integration

Run a daily check that only outputs when books are newly found:

python3 {baseDir}/scripts/libby-book-monitor.py --profile jane check --notify

If any new books are found, send the results to the user.

Notes

Works with non-Latin scripts (Hebrew, Arabic, CJK, etc.)
Books are considered "found" when isOwned: true in the API response
1-second delay between API calls when checking multiple books
No external dependencies (Python stdlib only)
Data stored in ~/.libby-book-monitor/ (configurable via --data-dir or $LIBBY_BOOK_MONITOR_DATA)

---name: libby-book-monitordescription: Track book availability on Libby/OverDrive libraries. Search library catalogues, manage a watchlist, and get notified when books are added. Use for "libby", "check libby", "libby watchlist", "is book on libby", "book available", "overdrive", "library catalogue", "ספרייה", "ספרים".--- # Libby/OverDrive Book Monitor Track book availability on Libby/OverDrive libraries. Search catalogues, manage a watchlist, and get notified when books are added to your library's collection. > **Disclaimer**: This is an unofficial tool, not affiliated with or endorsed by OverDrive/Libby. Catalogue data queries APIs that power the website and may not reflect actual availability. This tool does NOT borrow books or place holds. Provided "as is" without warranty of any kind. ## Quick Start ```bash # Search a library catalogue python3 {baseDir}/scripts/libby-book-monitor.py search telaviv "Project Hail Mary" # Add a book to your watchlist python3 {baseDir}/scripts/libby-book-monitor.py watch "Kafka on the Shore" --author "Haruki Murakami" # Check your watchlist against the API python3 {baseDir}/scripts/libby-book-monitor.py check # Show your watchlist python3 {baseDir}/scripts/libby-book-monitor.py list ``` ## Commands | Command | Description | |---------|-------------| | `search <library> <query>` | Search a library catalogue by title/author | | `watch <title>` | Add a book to the watchlist | | `unwatch <title>` | Remove a book from the watchlist | | `list` | Show the watchlist with status | | `check` | Check all watchlist books against the API | ## Options | Option | Commands | Description | |--------|----------|-------------| | `--profile <name>` | all | Separate watchlist per user | | `--author <name>` | watch | Specify book author | | `--library <code>` | watch | Library code (default: from config) | | `--notify` | check | Only print newly found books (for cron) | | `--data-dir <path>` | all | Custom data directory | ## Profiles Use `--profile` to maintain separate watchlists for different people: ```bash python3 {baseDir}/scripts/libby-book-monitor.py --profile jane watch "Dune" python3 {baseDir}/scripts/libby-book-monitor.py --profile bob check --notify ``` ## Configuration Default library is `telaviv` Israel Digital. Edit `~/.libby-book-monitor/config.json` to change: ```json { "default_library": "nypl", "libraries": { "nypl": "New York Public Library" } } ``` The library code is the subdomain from your library's OverDrive site (e.g., `nypl.overdrive.com` -> `nypl`). ## Cron Integration Run a daily check that only outputs when books are newly found: ```bash python3 {baseDir}/scripts/libby-book-monitor.py --profile jane check --notify ``` If any new books are found, send the results to the user. ## Notes - Works with non-Latin scripts (Hebrew, Arabic, CJK, etc.) - Books are considered "found" when `isOwned: true` in the API response - 1-second delay between API calls when checking multiple books - No external dependencies (Python stdlib only) - Data stored in `~/.libby-book-monitor/` (configurable via `--data-dir` or `$LIBBY_BOOK_MONITOR_DATA`)

Frequently asked questions