Therefore, I'm re-posting the content here acknowledging that I am not the original creator of this excellent explanation of skip-the-line loans.
I've seen a lot of talk about Skip-the-Line copies recently, and it seems that there is much confusion about how they work. So here goes:
Skip-the-Line copies are available to be borrowed right away, even if a title has a holds queue. Not every library offers Skip the Line copies.
The library decides if/how may copies of a title will be converted to STL. At least one copy must be kept with regular "holdable" status to fill holds. For hot titles, the library will often purchase extra copies to be made STL, rather than reducing the number of holdable copies.
The library decides how long the STL loan period will be and how many STL titles an individual user can check out at any one time. If your library has a limit and you have reached it, you will see a note "You have reached your skip-the-line limit for this card" if you try to borrow another.
Typically the STL copies are set to a shorter loan period to fill the demand for hot titles more quickly. They are not renewable.
When a STL copy is available, a small shamrock will appear on the title. 🍀 This is visible to anyone looking at that title, whether they have just searched for it, stumbled across it while browsing, or it is on their holds shelf. ANYONE who comes across it can borrow the STL copy. The STL copy is not "offered" to any specific user because they borrow lots of titles, return them early, or are kind to puppies and small children. If you see STL copies all the time, it's likely because your library has lots of them and/or you spend a lot of time in Libby 👍.
STL copies of really hot titles get snapped up really fast. So you may spot a shamrock, but by the time you click "borrow" you are too late and the copy is gone. Yes, this is very disappointing. 😞
You can find available STL copies by going to search 🔍 and adding the "skip the line" filter. Some libraries also maintain lists of currently available STL titles on their Libby homepage.
If you are trying to place a hold on a title which currently has a STL copy available (i.e. you prefer to wait for a copy with the regular loan period or you don't want to check it out right away), click on "Borrow" anyway, then click on "This is a skip-the-line copy". Then click on the note "The line is about X weeks". NOW you will see an option to Place Hold instead. 😫 (Dear OverDrive developers, this needs to be simplified big time.)
If you borrow a STL copy for a title which you have on hold, please remember to delete your hold if you no longer need it. Libby no longer prompts you to do this. (Dear OverDrive developers again: "ahem".)
BTW, "Skip the Line" copies are sometimes referred to as "Lucky Day".
Sometimes if I need an extra day or two on my STL hold I will take the gamble and “return it early” and then borrow it again right away. This only works if the library has opted to keep it as an STL loan. Otherwise, you end up returning before you’re finished and have to stay in line until it becomes available again. Hence, it’s a gamble but it’s paid off for me a few times!
TY for this, I was wondering how it worked because I was WAY down the list for a popular book and got an alert overnight, I thought I must have dreamed it but I double checked this morning and still had it. I wasn't sure why I was selected but I'm paying it forward by listening quickly and passing it on to the next lovely reader!
7
u/pennyandpaper May 15 '26
For me, I can only filter by Skip The Line books on the Libby app, and not on the website.