Library Tablet and iPad Lending: App Restrictions That Work
A lending iPad has three jobs: be useful to the adult who borrows it, be safe in the hands of a child, and come back clean for the next patron. Each job needs a different profile, and every return needs a reset.
Three lending models, three device profiles
Library iPad lending programs usually run one or more of these models. Keep each in its own MDM group, so a kids' tablet never picks up an adult profile by mistake.
In-library use
Catalogue stations, study tables, makerspaces- Who uses it
- Anyone in the building, often without a library card check.
- Profile
- Single App Mode for catalogue kiosks; a light profile for general-use iPads.
- Reset
- Nightly erase, or a scheduled clean-up of browsing data.
Take-home loans
Adults, families, job seekers, telehealth- Who uses it
- A cardholder who signs a loan agreement, for days or weeks.
- Profile
- Curated apps preloaded, App Store off, filter at the level your policy requires.
- Reset
- Full erase on every return, before the next loan.
Kids' area tablets
Early literacy, storytime, homework help- Who uses it
- Children, usually with a parent nearby, inside the library.
- Profile
- An allowlist: only approved apps can open. See kids' tablets and early literacy apps.
- Reset
- Daily, or Shared iPad style temporary sessions.
The loan cycle, step by step
Library iPad lending works when the turnaround is fast. The aim is a device that goes from return bin to shelf with a single action from staff.
Card, loan agreement, a short privacy note
Preloaded apps, filter, no device changes
Check the case, charger and screen
MDM erase with Return to Service
Re-enrolls, apps and profiles return
Charged, checked, ready for the next hold
Return to Service on iPad
- Available from iPadOS 17 through the MDM erase command
- The command carries a Wi-Fi profile, so the iPad can reconnect on its own
- Activation Lock must be off for it to work
- iPadOS 26 adds an option to keep managed apps through the reset, where your MDM supports it
Before the first loan
- Buy iPads through Apple or an authorized reseller, or add them with Apple Configurator
- Assign them to your MDM in Apple Business Manager, which libraries use for apps and devices
- Get app licences and assign them to devices, so no Apple Account is needed
- Supervise every device, or most restrictions will not apply
Apple Business Manager works like the school version for apps: see Apple Business Manager apps.
What a lending iPad should allow and block
Libraries serve adults first and must not over-restrict them. The adult profile protects the device and the next borrower; the kids' profile protects the child.
Adult loan profile
- Safari and the preloaded apps: reading, video, meetings, office and language tools
- Social media, news, email and shopping sites in the browser
- Filtering only at the level your policy requires, with staff able to lift it for an adult on request
- App Store off, so nothing personal needs wiping and no purchases land on the library
- No profile removal, no erase by the patron, no new device management
- Malware, phishing and suspicious apps and sites
Kids and teens profile
- An allowlist of learning, reading and library apps for younger children
- For teens, a category blocklist in place of an allowlist
- Adult, dating and gambling apps, and apps rated 17+ as listed in the App Store
- VPN and proxy apps that route around the filter
- Anonymous chat and random video chat apps
- In-app purchases and the App Store
For the teen profile, the dating apps list and gambling apps list show what each category covers.
Patron privacy on a shared tablet
A lending iPad carries a patron's reading, viewing and messages home and back again. Most US states protect library patron records by law, so treat the device as one of those records.
- Erase on every return, not only when something looks wrong
- Never ask patrons to sign in with a personal Apple Account
- Remind patrons that library app sign-ins, such as their card in Libby, are wiped on return
- Keep MDM location features for lost or stolen devices only, as your policy states
- Limit who can see device reports in the MDM to the staff who need them
- Tell patrons in the loan agreement that the device is managed
- Do not keep browsing logs tied to a borrower
What the MDM can and cannot see
An MDM sees device facts: serial number, installed apps, OS version, storage, and location only if you turn on lost mode features.
It does not see what a patron reads in Libby, watches in Kanopy or types in a browser. Your web filter may log browsing, so set its retention to match your privacy policy.
Check your own state's library confidentiality law before you set retention periods.
Apps to preload on lending iPads
Preload only the services your library subscribes to and the tools patrons ask for. The identifiers below are what your MDM needs to assign each app; age ratings are as listed in the App Store.
| App | Purpose | iOS bundle ID | App Store ID | Android package | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Libby | E-books and audiobooks | com.overdrive.dewey | 1076402606 | com.overdrive.mobile.android.libby | 9+ |
| Hoopla | Books, comics, music, film | com.hoopladigital.hoopla | 580643740 | Use the lookup | 13+ |
| CloudLibrary | E-books and audiobooks | com.mmm.cloudlibrary | 466446054 | Use the lookup | 4+ |
| Boundless | E-books and audiobooks | com.bnt.boundless.mobile.ios | 6449712082 | Use the lookup | 4+ |
| Kanopy | Film streaming | com.kanopy.Kanopy | 1205614510 | Use the lookup | 13+ |
| Zoom Workplace | Video calls, interviews, classes | us.zoom.videomeetings | 546505307 | us.zoom.videomeetings | 4+ |
| Google Meet | Video calls | com.google.Tachyon | 1096918571 | com.google.android.apps.tachyon | 4+ |
| Microsoft Word | Résumés, letters, forms | com.microsoft.Office.Word | 586447913 | com.microsoft.office.word | 4+ |
| Google Translate | Translation | com.google.Translate | 414706506 | Use the lookup | 4+ |
| Microsoft Translator | Translation and conversation mode | com.microsoft.translator | 1018949559 | com.microsoft.translator | 4+ |
| Duolingo | Language learning | com.duolingo.DuolingoMobile | 570060128 | com.duolingo | 4+ |
| Khan Academy | Courses and test prep | org.khanacademy.Khan-Academy | 469863705 | org.khanacademy.android | 13+ |
Check any other app with the bundle ID lookup before you assign it. It shows the developer, age rating, categories and, where one exists, the Android twin.
Android tablets in a lending program
Android tablets cost less per unit, which makes them common in larger collections. Manage them with Android Enterprise, not as consumer devices, or every return becomes a manual factory reset.
Enroll as fully managed
Enroll each tablet as a fully managed Android Enterprise device, for example with a QR code from your MDM at first start. The library owns the whole device, not a work profile.
Managed Google Play only
Publish the approved apps through Managed Google Play. Patrons see only those, with no personal Google Account needed.
Wipe and re-enroll
Use the MDM's wipe on return. Keep the enrollment method ready so the tablet comes back under management on the next start.
Kids' tablets as dedicated devices
For the children's area, a dedicated device in multi-app kiosk mode shows only the allowlisted apps on a locked launcher.
Our Android package lists use the same categories as the iOS lists, so a kids' allowlist or a teen blocklist means the same thing on both platforms.
What to put in the loan agreement
The agreement is where patrons learn how the device is managed. Keep it to one page and read it out at the first loan.
- The device is owned and managed by the library, and settings cannot be changed
- Everything on it is erased when it is returned, including sign-ins and downloads
- Web filtering applies, and adults can ask staff to lift it for research or other lawful purposes
- The library does not keep a record of what the patron reads, watches or browses
- Location features are used only if the device is reported lost or stolen
- Loan period, renewal rules and what happens if the device is late, lost or damaged
- Who to call if the device stops working during the loan
When a return does not go smoothly
Most return problems fall into a few patterns. This table gives desk staff the first check and tells them when to pass the device to IT.
| Problem | Likely cause | First check |
|---|---|---|
| The erase never starts | The iPad is offline, or its battery is flat | Charge it and connect it to library Wi-Fi, then send the erase again |
| Erased but not re-enrolled | No Wi-Fi profile in the erase command, or Activation Lock still on | Check the Return to Service settings in the MDM and the device's Activation Lock status |
| Apps missing after re-provisioning | Not enough app licences for the number of devices | Check licence counts for the location in Apple Business Manager |
| A patron's account is still signed in | The device was not erased, only wiped of apps | Run a full erase; never hand it out until it is done |
| A blocked app is back | The device left its MDM group, or lost supervision | Check group membership and supervision status before the next loan |
Use your MDM's Activation Lock setting so a patron's account can never lock a library device. With the App Store off and no personal sign-in, the risk is already small.
Library iPad kiosk mode
In-library iPads often do one job: search the catalogue, register for a program or check a bus timetable. Kiosk mode keeps them on that job. Details of each lock are in Shared iPads, Guided Access and Single App Mode.
Catalogue kiosk
Single App Mode from the MDM, locked to the catalogue app or to Safari with a web clip in a separate profile. Block auto lock so it stays on.
Kiosk login
When patrons sign in to their account at a kiosk, set a short idle timeout in the catalogue and lock the device to that one site, so the next person cannot open the session.
Quick staff lock
For an event table, Guided Access needs no MDM. Staff open the sign-up form, triple-click and start a session with a passcode.
QR codes
A kiosk locked to one app cannot open the Camera. If patrons need to scan event QR codes, show the link on screen instead, or allow a separate iPad for it.
Library Chromebook lending
Managed guest sessions suit library Chromebook lending programs well: patrons use the device without a Google Account, and their data is wiped when the session ends.
Managed guest sessions
Devices > Chrome > Settings > Managed guest session settings. Choose Allow managed guest sessions or Auto-launch managed guest session. Each device needs an Enterprise or Education Upgrade.
Session length
Set a maximum session length from 1 to 1,440 minutes, plus idle settings. When the session ends, all local user data is wiped.
Printing
Google lists library use as a typical case, with local and network printing set up through CUPS printing settings.
Stay enrolled
Set Forced re-enrollment so a wiped Chromebook re-enrolls by itself. It also disables developer mode.
Apps and extensions
Force-install the extensions and web apps patrons need. Domain-private extensions cannot install in guest sessions, because nobody signs in.
Disclosure
The sign-in screen tells guests the organization may monitor activity. Match it with the wording of your loan agreement.
Chromebook lending event checklist
- Charge every device the night before and confirm it opens the guest session.
- Print the loan agreement with the privacy note and return date.
- Record serial numbers against card numbers in the circulation system, not on paper.
- Show each borrower how to sign out, and what sign-out deletes.
- Hand out chargers and cases with the same label as the device.
Hotspots and laptops in the same collection
Tablet lending rarely runs alone. Hotspots and laptops often sit on the same shelf, with different controls.
Hotspots
App blocklists do not apply to a hotspot: it carries traffic for whatever device connects. Filtering, if your policy needs it, happens on the hotspot's service or through a DNS filter.
Windows laptops
Manage them in your device management tool with a patron account that resets at sign-out, and the same filter policy as public computers.
Chromebooks
Managed guest sessions, as above. Android apps on library Chromebooks follow the same allowlist as your Android tablets.
One policy
Write one lending policy with a section per device type. The library device policy guide has clauses you can adapt.
Measures that show the program is working
Track a few numbers from your circulation system and your MDM. They tell you when to buy more devices, change the app set or fix the return process.
Loans per device
Shows demand. A long hold list with every device out is the case for more units.
Return-to-shelf time
Shows how well the erase and re-provision steps work. Hours mean something is manual that should not be.
Devices out of service
Damage, missing chargers and devices stuck in enrollment. Each one is a loan that did not happen.
App requests
Note what patrons ask for at the desk. Requests repeated by many borrowers belong in the next app set.
Questions patrons and staff ask
These come up at the desk every week. Short answers staff can give, with the admin detail behind them.
What is the App Library on iPad?
The screen that lists every app on the iPad, grouped automatically. Swipe left past the last Home Screen page, or tap the App Library icon at the end of the Dock. Hiding an app from the Home Screen does not remove or block it.
Can patrons install their own apps?
Most programs turn the App Store off and preload a curated set. Library-added apps are assigned to the device, so no personal account is needed.
Can I watch YouTube on a library iPad?
A local choice. Adult loan profiles often allow it; kids' tablets usually block the app and website. See blocking the YouTube app.
How are iPads erased between loans?
The MDM sends an erase with Return to Service, from iPadOS 17. The iPad wipes, rejoins Wi-Fi, re-enrolls and gets its apps back.
Do lending iPads need filtering?
If the library certifies CIPA, yes. An authorized person may disable the filter for an adult's bona fide research or other lawful purpose.
Can I download books to a library iPad?
Yes, through Libby, Hoopla, CloudLibrary or Boundless with a library card. Avoid unlicensed download sites: copyright and malware risks on a shared device.
Writing the rules down? Our library device policy guide covers laptops, Chromebooks, hotspots and kiosks. Choosing between an allowlist and a blocklist per group is covered in app allowlists versus blocklists.
Blocklists for library devices
Category lists of iOS bundle IDs and Android package names for kids' and teen profiles, delivered as files your MDM imports, including .mobileconfig profiles. One plan covers one library.
Apple, iPad, iPadOS, Safari, Apple Business Manager and Apple Configurator are trademarks of Apple Inc. Chromebook, Google Meet, Google Translate and YouTube are trademarks of Google LLC. Microsoft Word is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation. Zoom is a trademark of Zoom Communications, Inc.
Libby is a trademark of OverDrive, Inc. Hoopla, CloudLibrary, Boundless, Kanopy, Duolingo and Khan Academy belong to their owners. Names identify the products discussed only. AppBlockList is not affiliated with, sponsored or endorsed by these companies.