diff --git a/plex/scan-plex-libraries.sh b/plex/scan-plex-libraries.sh
index 2a8fe97..7e0ac1e 100755
--- a/plex/scan-plex-libraries.sh
+++ b/plex/scan-plex-libraries.sh
@@ -57,6 +57,8 @@ readonly RESET='\033[0m'
 
 # 🔧 Configuration
 readonly PLEX_SERVICE="plexmediaserver"
+readonly PLEX_PREFS="/var/lib/plexmediaserver/Library/Application Support/Plex Media Server/Preferences.xml"
+readonly PLEX_API_BASE="http://localhost:32400"
 readonly SCRIPT_NAME="$(basename "$0")"
 readonly SCRIPT_DIR="$(dirname "$(readlink -f "$0")")"
 readonly LOG_DIR="${SCRIPT_DIR}/../logs"
@@ -144,6 +146,55 @@ find_scanner() {
     return 1
 }
 
+# 🚀 Run Plex Media Scanner as the plex user with correct environment
+# Usage: run_scanner [args...]   — runs and returns exit code
+run_scanner() {
+    sudo -u plex \
+        env LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/lib/plexmediaserver \
+            PLEX_MEDIA_SERVER_APPLICATION_SUPPORT_DIR="/var/lib/plexmediaserver/Library/Application Support" \
+        "$SCANNER_PATH" "$@"
+}
+
+# 🔑 Get Plex authentication token from Preferences.xml
+get_plex_token() {
+    local token
+    token=$(sudo grep -oP 'PlexOnlineToken="\K[^"]+' "$PLEX_PREFS" 2>/dev/null)
+    if [[ -z "$token" ]]; then
+        log_verbose "Could not read Plex token from Preferences.xml"
+        return 1
+    fi
+    echo "$token"
+}
+
+# 📡 List library sections via the Plex API
+# Output format: "key|title|type" per line (e.g. "1|Movies|movie")
+api_list_sections() {
+    local token
+    if ! token=$(get_plex_token); then
+        return 1
+    fi
+
+    local xml
+    if ! xml=$(curl -fsS "${PLEX_API_BASE}/library/sections?X-Plex-Token=${token}" 2>/dev/null); then
+        log_verbose "Plex API request failed"
+        return 1
+    fi
+
+    # Parse XML: extract key, title, and type from <Directory> elements
+    echo "$xml" | grep -oP '<Directory[^>]*>' | while IFS= read -r tag; do
+        local key title type
+        key=$(echo "$tag" | grep -oP 'key="\K[^"]+')
+        title=$(echo "$tag" | grep -oP 'title="\K[^"]+')
+        type=$(echo "$tag" | grep -oP 'type="\K[^"]+')
+        echo "${key}|${title}|${type}"
+    done
+}
+
+# 📋 Get just the section IDs from the API (one per line)
+api_list_section_ids() {
+    api_list_sections | cut -d'|' -f1
+}
+
 # 🏥 Function to check Plex service status
 check_plex_service() {
     log_verbose "Checking Plex service status..."
@@ -166,38 +217,24 @@ list_libraries() {
         return 2
     fi
 
-    if ! find_scanner; then
-        return 3
-    fi
-
-    # Set library path for Linux
-    export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/lib/plexmediaserver:${LD_LIBRARY_PATH:-}
-
-    local output
-    if output=$("$SCANNER_PATH" --list 2>&1); then
-        echo ""
-        echo -e "${BOLD}${CYAN}Available Library Sections:${RESET}"
-        echo -e "${DIM}${CYAN}=========================${RESET}"
-
-        # Parse and format the output
-        echo "$output" | while IFS= read -r line; do
-            if [[ "$line" =~ ^[[:space:]]*([0-9]+):[[:space:]]*(.+)$ ]]; then
-                local section_id="${BASH_REMATCH[1]}"
-                local section_name="${BASH_REMATCH[2]}"
-                echo -e "${GREEN}${BOLD}  ${section_id}:${RESET} ${WHITE}${section_name}${RESET}"
-            elif [[ -n "$line" ]]; then
-                echo -e "${DIM}  $line${RESET}"
-            fi
-        done
-
-        echo ""
-        print_status "${CHECKMARK}" "Library listing completed" "${GREEN}"
-        return 0
-    else
-        print_status "${CROSS}" "Failed to list libraries" "${RED}"
-        echo -e "${DIM}${RED}Error output: $output${RESET}"
+    local sections
+    if ! sections=$(api_list_sections) || [[ -z "$sections" ]]; then
+        print_status "${CROSS}" "Failed to retrieve library sections from Plex API" "${RED}"
         return 5
     fi
+
+    echo ""
+    echo -e "${BOLD}${CYAN}Available Library Sections:${RESET}"
+    echo -e "${DIM}${CYAN}=========================${RESET}"
+
+    while IFS='|' read -r key title type; do
+        [[ -n "$key" ]] || continue
+        printf "  ${GREEN}${BOLD}%-4s${RESET} ${WHITE}%-30s${RESET} ${DIM}(%s)${RESET}\n" "${key}:" "$title" "$type"
+    done <<< "$sections"
+
+    echo ""
+    print_status "${CHECKMARK}" "Library listing completed" "${GREEN}"
+    return 0
 }
 
 # 🔍 Function to validate section ID
@@ -209,10 +246,9 @@ validate_section_id() {
         return 1
     fi
 
-    # Get list of valid section IDs
-    export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/lib/plexmediaserver:${LD_LIBRARY_PATH:-}
+    # Get list of valid section IDs via API
     local valid_ids
-    if valid_ids=$("$SCANNER_PATH" --list 2>/dev/null | grep -oE '^[[:space:]]*[0-9]+:' | grep -oE '[0-9]+'); then
+    if valid_ids=$(api_list_section_ids) && [[ -n "$valid_ids" ]]; then
         if echo "$valid_ids" | grep -q "^${section_id}$"; then
             return 0
         else
@@ -237,9 +273,7 @@ scan_library() {
             return 4
         fi
 
-        export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/lib/plexmediaserver:${LD_LIBRARY_PATH:-}
-
-        if "$SCANNER_PATH" --scan --section "$section_id" ${VERBOSE:+--verbose}; then
+        if run_scanner --scan --section "$section_id" ${VERBOSE:+--verbose}; then
             print_status "${CHECKMARK}" "Library section $section_id scan completed" "${GREEN}"
             return 0
         else
@@ -250,16 +284,15 @@ scan_library() {
         print_status "${ROCKET}" "Scanning all libraries for new media..." "${BLUE}"
 
         # Get all section IDs and scan each one
-        export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/lib/plexmediaserver:${LD_LIBRARY_PATH:-}
         local section_ids
-        if section_ids=$("$SCANNER_PATH" --list 2>/dev/null | grep -oE '^[[:space:]]*[0-9]+:' | grep -oE '[0-9]+'); then
+        if section_ids=$(api_list_section_ids) && [[ -n "$section_ids" ]]; then
             local failed_sections=()
 
             while IFS= read -r id; do
                 [[ -n "$id" ]] || continue
                 print_status "${INFO}" "Scanning section $id..." "${YELLOW}"
 
-                if "$SCANNER_PATH" --scan --section "$id" ${VERBOSE:+--verbose}; then
+                if run_scanner --scan --section "$id" ${VERBOSE:+--verbose}; then
                     print_status "${CHECKMARK}" "Section $id scanned successfully" "${GREEN}"
                 else
                     print_status "${CROSS}" "Failed to scan section $id" "${RED}"
@@ -298,9 +331,7 @@ refresh_library() {
             return 4
         fi
 
-        export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/lib/plexmediaserver:${LD_LIBRARY_PATH:-}
-
-        if "$SCANNER_PATH" --refresh $force_flag --section "$section_id" ${VERBOSE:+--verbose}; then
+        if run_scanner --refresh $force_flag --section "$section_id" ${VERBOSE:+--verbose}; then
             print_status "${CHECKMARK}" "Library section $section_id metadata refreshed" "${GREEN}"
             return 0
         else
@@ -311,16 +342,15 @@ refresh_library() {
         print_status "${RECYCLE}" "Refreshing metadata for all libraries..." "${BLUE}"
 
         # Get all section IDs and refresh each one
-        export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/lib/plexmediaserver:${LD_LIBRARY_PATH:-}
         local section_ids
-        if section_ids=$("$SCANNER_PATH" --list 2>/dev/null | grep -oE '^[[:space:]]*[0-9]+:' | grep -oE '[0-9]+'); then
+        if section_ids=$(api_list_section_ids) && [[ -n "$section_ids" ]]; then
             local failed_sections=()
 
             while IFS= read -r id; do
                 [[ -n "$id" ]] || continue
                 print_status "${INFO}" "Refreshing section $id..." "${YELLOW}"
 
-                if "$SCANNER_PATH" --refresh $force_flag --section "$id" ${VERBOSE:+--verbose}; then
+                if run_scanner --refresh $force_flag --section "$id" ${VERBOSE:+--verbose}; then
                     print_status "${CHECKMARK}" "Section $id refreshed successfully" "${GREEN}"
                 else
                     print_status "${CROSS}" "Failed to refresh section $id" "${RED}"
@@ -359,9 +389,7 @@ analyze_library() {
             return 4
         fi
 
-        export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/lib/plexmediaserver:${LD_LIBRARY_PATH:-}
-
-        if "$SCANNER_PATH" $analyze_flag --section "$section_id" ${VERBOSE:+--verbose}; then
+        if run_scanner $analyze_flag --section "$section_id" ${VERBOSE:+--verbose}; then
             print_status "${CHECKMARK}" "Library section $section_id analysis completed" "${GREEN}"
             return 0
         else
@@ -372,16 +400,15 @@ analyze_library() {
         print_status "${SEARCH}" "Analyzing media in all libraries..." "${BLUE}"
 
         # Get all section IDs and analyze each one
-        export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/lib/plexmediaserver:${LD_LIBRARY_PATH:-}
         local section_ids
-        if section_ids=$("$SCANNER_PATH" --list 2>/dev/null | grep -oE '^[[:space:]]*[0-9]+:' | grep -oE '[0-9]+'); then
+        if section_ids=$(api_list_section_ids) && [[ -n "$section_ids" ]]; then
             local failed_sections=()
 
             while IFS= read -r id; do
                 [[ -n "$id" ]] || continue
                 print_status "${INFO}" "Analyzing section $id..." "${YELLOW}"
 
-                if "$SCANNER_PATH" $analyze_flag --section "$id" ${VERBOSE:+--verbose}; then
+                if run_scanner $analyze_flag --section "$id" ${VERBOSE:+--verbose}; then
                     print_status "${CHECKMARK}" "Section $id analyzed successfully" "${GREEN}"
                 else
                     print_status "${CROSS}" "Failed to analyze section $id" "${RED}"
@@ -414,9 +441,7 @@ generate_thumbnails() {
             return 4
         fi
 
-        export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/lib/plexmediaserver:${LD_LIBRARY_PATH:-}
-
-        if "$SCANNER_PATH" --generate --section "$section_id" ${VERBOSE:+--verbose}; then
+        if run_scanner --generate --section "$section_id" ${VERBOSE:+--verbose}; then
             print_status "${CHECKMARK}" "Thumbnails generated for library section $section_id" "${GREEN}"
             return 0
         else
@@ -427,16 +452,15 @@ generate_thumbnails() {
         print_status "${SPARKLES}" "Generating thumbnails for all libraries..." "${BLUE}"
 
         # Get all section IDs and generate thumbnails for each one
-        export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/lib/plexmediaserver:${LD_LIBRARY_PATH:-}
         local section_ids
-        if section_ids=$("$SCANNER_PATH" --list 2>/dev/null | grep -oE '^[[:space:]]*[0-9]+:' | grep -oE '[0-9]+'); then
+        if section_ids=$(api_list_section_ids) && [[ -n "$section_ids" ]]; then
             local failed_sections=()
 
             while IFS= read -r id; do
                 [[ -n "$id" ]] || continue
                 print_status "${INFO}" "Generating thumbnails for section $id..." "${YELLOW}"
 
-                if "$SCANNER_PATH" --generate --section "$id" ${VERBOSE:+--verbose}; then
+                if run_scanner --generate --section "$id" ${VERBOSE:+--verbose}; then
                     print_status "${CHECKMARK}" "Section $id thumbnails generated successfully" "${GREEN}"
                 else
                     print_status "${CROSS}" "Failed to generate thumbnails for section $id" "${RED}"
@@ -473,9 +497,7 @@ show_library_tree() {
         return 4
     fi
 
-    export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/lib/plexmediaserver:${LD_LIBRARY_PATH:-}
-
-    if "$SCANNER_PATH" --tree --section "$section_id"; then
+    if run_scanner --tree --section "$section_id"; then
         print_status "${CHECKMARK}" "Tree display completed for library section $section_id" "${GREEN}"
         return 0
     else