Overview

As part of a major modernization initiative, NYPL made the decision to move beyond its existing e-reading app, SimplyE, and develop a completely new product from the ground up. Backed by key stakeholders, the project focused on addressing longstanding user pain points, introducing essential features missing from SimplyE, and building a more intuitive, flexible platform for readers.

The new eReader app goes beyond digital borrowing—it reimagines the full reading experience by integrating both print and digital lending into a single, user-friendly ecosystem. The scope spans mobile platforms (iOS and Android), catalog integration, vendor selection, content curation, and rethinking how the library engages patrons in both digital and physical spaces.

My Role

Led the end-to-end design process:

1. Discovery & stakeholder workshops
   
2. Co-leading user research with UX researcher Lily Mathews
   
3. Wireframing & prototyping key flows
   
4. User testing (remote moderated sessions)
   
5. Brand Strategy
6. Designing brand direction & advocating for a new visual identity

Key Team

• Sr. Product Manager - Risa Wolf
  
• Project Manager - Stephanie Mannheim
  
• Front-End Tech Lead - Samantha Andrews
  
• Mobile Lead - Russell Cullen
  
• iOS Engineer - Ettore Pasquini

In the initial phase of the NYPL e-reading app redesign (September to October 2021), we conducted an audit of SimplyE paired with user research. Interviews with 10 readers and 8 recommenders helped identify key issues like onboarding challenges, device compatibility, and a need for a more personalized experience. These insights informed the design of a more user-friendly and intuitive platform, guiding our subsequent sprint planning and design efforts.

   Screenshots of SimyplyE

“The biggest thing is people wanting to read on their phones...a lot of times if you look it up, their device is not compatible. A lot of our patrons have very old technology...The patrons that are not tech savvy...they're the ones that come to the branch. And helping them is obviously going to be a bit more difficult because they do not have that technology.”

- Elissa, Librarian, Kips Bay

The physical checkout process was particularly complex, touching multiple systems and departments. I co-led a 2-hour in-person workshop alongside the Head of Product & Design, Director of Product, and Associate Director.
We invited cross-departmental NYPL staff to co-create solutions, guiding teams through rapid ideation using a “Crazy 8’s” framework. Each group selected and iterated on their strongest idea, presenting workflows for how print lending could be integrated into the app without overloading the user or the system.

You can find a short video of the workshop here.

Head of Product & Design, Jessica Want, and myself presenting the workshop findings to participants.

As part of NYPL’s initiative to integrate print book reservations into the NYPL Reader app, I partnered with Product Manager Risa Wolf, to conduct a listening tour across four library branches. We interviewed seven librarians to map the end-to-end process of placing and managing print holds.

Our research revealed systemic challenges, including manual processing inefficiencies, patron confusion between print and eBook holds, and unclear communication around hold statuses. Despite branch-specific nuances, common themes emerged—particularly around outdated workflows and user misunderstandings.

Key recommendations included enhancing app features with progress tracking, clearer notifications, and visual guidance to better educate patrons. We also identified opportunities to refine physical hold slips and improve language consistency across touchpoints. This work would lay the foundation for user-centered solutions that bridge digital and physical library experiences.

Shelves filled with holds at Jefferson Market Branch Library

The new landing search page allows patrons to search directly or browse genre collections in one place. Tapping the search bar surfaces recent searches—a frequent patron request for tracking book availability. As users type, smart suggestions appear, indicating whether results are authors, titles, or series to streamline the process. Search results include filter and sort options, along with a grid or list view toggle for a more personalized browsing experience.

The audiobook UI didn’t need to be overly complex or stray from familiar audio player patterns. Instead, we focused on subtle enhancements that improve usability, accessibility, and bring the interface to life. A soft, pulsing color—sourced from a blurred version of the book cover—adds a dynamic touch, breaking the static experience while providing a gentle visual cue for play and pause states.

To further support accessibility and precision, we refined the progress marker interaction. Patrons can press and hold the marker, triggering a time indicator above their thumb for accurate navigation to the desired timestamp.

Aesthetic

“It has a really fresh feel to it. Sometimes when I think about libraries, I think old, outdated. But this gives bright and inviting and it seems very easy to navigate, which I think is the most important thing.”

- Bianca, Libby User

Beyond UX, I saw an opportunity to reframe NYPL’s visual and cultural presence. Partnering with Lily Tran, Senior Product Designer for Digital Collections, we curated a shortlist of branding agencies to elevate NYPL’s identity as both the fourth largest library and a forward-thinking cultural institution. My pitch to leadership focused on leveraging design to strengthen ties with New York’s creative communities, leading to a partnership with Linked By Air—whose success with The Book of Hov helped secure buy-in.

Over the course of a year, I worked alongside Linked By Air and internal departments on naming, branding, and component design. I provided key frames from our mid-fidelity prototypes to guide the creation of branded components. This was a pivotal moment, as it marked the first time many teams engaged directly with a design agency. I helped bridge conversations across departments, distilling varied feedback into clear direction that prioritized the app’s true needs. Together, we restructured designs to balance internal input with a cohesive, future-facing product vision.