diff --git a/android/app/build.gradle b/android/app/build.gradle
index 7d4314b..bb46007 100644
--- a/android/app/build.gradle
+++ b/android/app/build.gradle
@@ -42,8 +42,8 @@
 }
 
 android {
-    compileSdkVersion 22
-    buildToolsVersion "22.0.1"
+    compileSdkVersion 23
+    buildToolsVersion "23.0.1"
 
     compileOptions {
         sourceCompatibility JavaVersion.VERSION_1_7
@@ -52,8 +52,8 @@
 
     defaultConfig {
         applicationId "io.v.android.apps.reader"
-        minSdkVersion 22
-        targetSdkVersion 22
+        minSdkVersion 23
+        targetSdkVersion 23
         versionCode 1
         versionName "1.0"
         multiDexEnabled true
@@ -82,14 +82,30 @@
 
 dependencies {
     compile fileTree(dir: 'libs', include: ['*.jar'])
-    compile 'com.android.support:design:22.2.1'
-    compile 'com.android.support:appcompat-v7:22.2.1'
-    compile 'com.android.support:cardview-v7:22.2.1'
-    compile 'com.android.support:recyclerview-v7:22.2.1'
-    compile 'io.v:vanadium-android:0.3'
+    compile 'com.android.support:design:23.0.1'
+    compile 'com.android.support:appcompat-v7:23.0.1'
+    compile 'com.android.support:cardview-v7:23.0.1'
+    compile 'com.android.support:recyclerview-v7:23.0.1'
     compile 'com.google.android.gms:play-services-analytics:8.3.0'
     compile 'org.apache.commons:commons-csv:1.2'
-    compile 'io.v:baku-toolkit:0.3.0'
+
+    // To use the local version of vanadium-android library,
+    // use "-DuseLocalVanadiumLib" parameter in the gradle command.
+    if (System.getProperty('useLocalVanadiumLib') != null) {
+        compile project(':android-lib')
+
+        // Since baku-toolkit has a transitive dependency on the public version of vanadium-android
+        // library, it should be explicitly excluded.
+        compile('io.v:baku-toolkit:0.3.0') {
+            exclude module: 'vanadium-android'
+            exclude group: 'io.v'
+        }
+    } else {
+        compile 'io.v:vanadium-android:0.5'
+        compile 'io.v:baku-toolkit:0.3.0'
+    }
+
+    // Required by baku-toolkit.
     apk ('org.slf4j:slf4j-android:1.7.13')
 }
 
diff --git a/android/app/src/main/java/io/v/android/apps/reader/db/SyncbaseDB.java b/android/app/src/main/java/io/v/android/apps/reader/db/SyncbaseDB.java
index ca197d0..2fe4b6e 100644
--- a/android/app/src/main/java/io/v/android/apps/reader/db/SyncbaseDB.java
+++ b/android/app/src/main/java/io/v/android/apps/reader/db/SyncbaseDB.java
@@ -502,7 +502,7 @@
         // TODO(youngseokyoon): check if the same blob is already in the database.
         try {
             BlobWriter writer = sync(mLocalSB.db.writeBlob(mVContext, null));
-            OutputStream out = sync(writer.stream(mVContext));
+            OutputStream out = writer.stream(mVContext);
             out.write(bytes);
             out.close();
 
@@ -532,7 +532,7 @@
 
         try {
             BlobReader reader = mLocalSB.db.readBlob(mVContext, file.getRef());
-            return ByteStreams.toByteArray(sync(reader.stream(mVContext, 0L)));
+            return ByteStreams.toByteArray(reader.stream(mVContext, 0L));
         } catch (VException | IOException e) {
             handleError("Could not read the blob " + file.getRef().toString()
                     + ": " + e.getMessage());
@@ -650,8 +650,8 @@
 
                 // Read existing data from the table.
                 Table table = batch.getTable(mTableName);
-                VIterable<KeyValue> kvs = InputChannels.asIterable(sync(table.scan(
-                        mCancelableVContext, RowRange.range("", ""))));
+                VIterable<KeyValue> kvs = InputChannels.asIterable(
+                        table.scan(mCancelableVContext, RowRange.range("", "")));
                 for (KeyValue kv : kvs) {
                     @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
                     E item = (E) VomUtil.decode(kv.getValue(), mClass);
@@ -672,8 +672,8 @@
         private void watchForChanges() {
             try {
                 // Watch for new changes coming from other Syncbase peers.
-                VIterable<WatchChange> watchStream = InputChannels.asIterable(sync(
-                        mLocalSB.db.watch(mCancelableVContext, mTableName, "", mResumeMarker)));
+                VIterable<WatchChange> watchStream = InputChannels.asIterable(
+                        mLocalSB.db.watch(mCancelableVContext, mTableName, "", mResumeMarker));
 
                 Log.i(TAG, "Watching for changes of table: " + mTableName + "...");
 
diff --git a/android/settings.gradle b/android/settings.gradle
index e7b4def..40ea8da 100644
--- a/android/settings.gradle
+++ b/android/settings.gradle
@@ -1 +1,8 @@
 include ':app'
+
+if (System.getProperty('useLocalVanadiumLib') != null) {
+    include ':lib', ':android-lib'
+
+    project(':lib').projectDir = new File(settingsDir, '../../../java/lib')
+    project(':android-lib').projectDir = new File(settingsDir, '../../../java/android-lib')
+}