diff --git a/internal/handlers/media.go b/internal/handlers/media.go
index a8812387..a37a04a8 100644
--- a/internal/handlers/media.go
+++ b/internal/handlers/media.go
@@ -654,25 +654,14 @@ func (h *MediaHandler) HandleBulkUpdate(c *echo.Context) error {
 
 // visibleLibrarySet loads the requester's visible libraries — membership
 // map for param checks, id slice for SQL ANY() filters.
+// visibleLibrarySet adapts the media endpoints' identity source (the
+// JWT user object) to the canonical resolver (H4.5).
 func (mh *MediaHandler) visibleLibrarySet(c *echo.Context) (map[string]bool, []pgtype.UUID, error) {
 	user, ok := c.Get("user").(database.Users)
 	if !ok {
 		return nil, nil, echo.NewHTTPError(http.StatusUnauthorized, "invalid user")
 	}
-	libraries, err := mh.libraryService.GetUserVisibleLibraries(c.Request().Context(), user.ID)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, nil, echo.NewHTTPError(http.StatusInternalServerError, "failed to check library access")
-	}
-	set := make(map[string]bool, len(libraries))
-	ids := make([]pgtype.UUID, 0, len(libraries))
-	for _, lib := range libraries {
-		if !lib.ID.Valid {
-			continue
-		}
-		set[uuid.UUID(lib.ID.Bytes).String()] = true
-		ids = append(ids, lib.ID)
-	}
-	return set, ids, nil
+	return mh.libraryService.VisibleLibrarySet(c.Request().Context(), user.ID)
 }
 
 // mediaStorageState reports whether the library storage holding a media
@@ -2517,17 +2506,11 @@ func (mh *MediaHandler) ServeFile(c *echo.Context) error {
 	// Library visibility gate: the library is what grants permission to
 	// see and download media.
 	user := c.Get("user").(database.Users)
-	visibleLibraries, err := mh.libraryService.GetUserVisibleLibraries(c.Request().Context(), user.ID)
+	visibleSet, _, err := mh.libraryService.VisibleLibrarySet(c.Request().Context(), user.ID)
 	if err != nil {
 		return c.JSON(http.StatusInternalServerError, map[string]string{"error": "failed to check library access"})
 	}
-	libraryVisible := false
-	for _, lib := range visibleLibraries {
-		if lib.ID.Valid && lib.ID.Bytes == libraryUUID.Bytes {
-			libraryVisible = true
-			break
-		}
-	}
+	libraryVisible := visibleSet[uuid.UUID(libraryUUID.Bytes).String()]
 	if !libraryVisible {
 		return c.JSON(http.StatusForbidden, map[string]string{"error": "library not accessible"})
 	}
diff --git a/internal/services/library_service.go b/internal/services/library_service.go
index b7b91691..1fb93799 100644
--- a/internal/services/library_service.go
+++ b/internal/services/library_service.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"bookhoard/internal/database"
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"github.com/google/uuid"
 	"log"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
@@ -174,6 +175,30 @@ func (s *LibraryService) SetLibraryVisibility(ctx context.Context, userID, libra
 }
 
 // GetUserVisibleLibraries retrieves all libraries visible to a user
+// VisibleLibrarySet is THE canonical library-visibility resolver (H4.5):
+// every endpoint that asks "which libraries can this user see" funnels
+// here. The family-lens rule itself lives in the
+// GetUserVisibleLibraries SQL (COALESCE(lv.is_visible, true) —
+// default-allow: an admin hides a library, everyone else still sees it).
+// Callers adapt their own identity source (JWT user object, device
+// token, SSR session); this core takes the resolved user id.
+func (s *LibraryService) VisibleLibrarySet(ctx context.Context, userID pgtype.UUID) (map[string]bool, []pgtype.UUID, error) {
+	rows, err := s.GetUserVisibleLibraries(ctx, userID)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to check library access: %w", err)
+	}
+	set := make(map[string]bool, len(rows))
+	ids := make([]pgtype.UUID, 0, len(rows))
+	for _, lib := range rows {
+		if !lib.ID.Valid {
+			continue
+		}
+		set[uuid.UUID(lib.ID.Bytes).String()] = true
+		ids = append(ids, lib.ID)
+	}
+	return set, ids, nil
+}
+
 func (s *LibraryService) GetUserVisibleLibraries(ctx context.Context, userID pgtype.UUID) ([]database.GetUserVisibleLibrariesRow, error) {
 	return s.db.GetUserVisibleLibraries(ctx, userID)
 }