Library Hacks from the Experts
Posted By: Tina Walker Davis
Date Posted: 6/16/2025
One app to rule them all. Family juggling multiple library cards? Use the “Add a Card” feature in the DPL mobile app to keep all accounts in one place. No more logging in and out—just swipe to switch, renew, hold, or scan your card at checkout. Easy! Plus, the DPL mobile app is helpful if you’re at the library but forgot your library card—your card is always available on the app.
Libby’s hidden bouquet. Ready to get your flowers? Libby has you covered! If you return your title early, tap the bouquet after the return and enjoy a flower explosion. You get your flowers, and the next person in line gets the book! Looking for other Libby hacks? Check out this blog.
Fix your car—with your library card. Chilton Library + YouTube = DIY car repair superpowers. Get torque specs, fluid types, diagrams, and more—all free with your library card. dpl.pub/chiltonautorepair
Taste-test your cookbooks. Cookbook looked great on Instagram, but only one recipe speaks to you? Check it out from the library first, and try it before you buy it! You might just save yourself from buying a dust-collector.
Delay a hold. Not ready for that book you have on hold, but you’re up next? You can pause a hold on a physical book, and defer a hold on Libby. On Libby, if your holds show up at once, you can tap “deliver later” and actually finish your current book first. Game-changer.
Find books like a librarian. Looking for book club picks, cozy mysteries, or Oregon Battle of the Books titles? Search our catalog and in the “Search by” dropdown, select “List” > type in a theme or genre > find curated book lists by librarians and other BiblioCommons users. Pro tip: add “DPL” to your search to see our staff’s custom lists.
Not sure if you want to buy it? Scan it! Thinking about buying a book, but would like to check it out first? With the DPL mobile app, you can scan the bar code of any book and instantly see if it’s in the Deschutes Public Library collection. To scan, open the app and click on the magnifying glass icon at the bottom center, then click on the bar code icon in the upper right. Voila! Scan the bar code and you can see if the library has the book.
Get your hold finger ready: See what’s on order. Keeping libraries stocked with great books means books are ALWAYS on order. Curious about what’s coming soon—or what just got here? Visit www.deschuteslibrary.org and under the “Books, Movies, Music” drop-down menu click “On Order.”
Play NYT Games for free. Play Wordle, Connections, the Crossword and more every day—all you need is your library card. New York Times access remains active for 24 hours, and when you add the library’s NYT link to your toolbar you can quickly renew your access daily.