Not a mod, but this came up here: https://beehaw.org/comment/29314 and is linked in the Beehaw FAQ post about downvotes being disabled. The context is in the comment thread linked there.
From what I understand, the main reasoning was that if you want to disagree with someone you have to put some thought and effort into it such as a comment which could be a jumping off point to a discussion.
The Libby app connects with a lot of libraries. There are a few others that are library specific such as cloudreaders, hoopla, and kanopy. If you have a library card, try checking your library’s website for a digital collection or elibrary. Depending on where you live you may have access to more library cards as well. I have one for the county library that uses Libby and one for the public library that uses cloudreaders.