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E-books from public libraries? Not from MINE. Only audiobooks available
September 13, 2009 | 10:12 am
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By Paul Biba
After attending the Sony press conference, and hearing all the talk about getting e-books from libraries, I decided to try it for myself. It seems like a great way to read some bestsellers that I certainly don’t want to buy. It’s not easy, however.
My local library here in Bernardsville, New Jersey, only has audio books available. It doesn’t even know that you could get e-books from some libraries! The Bernardsville library told me it dropped Overdrive a couple of years ago. No luck there, and none of the libraries that Bernardsville affiliates with have ebooks.
So, using the Sony library finder I went to the Somerset County library system. Bernardsville is in Somerset County, so I thought I had it made. Not! The Bernardsville Library, in Bernardsville, Somerset County, is not part of the Somerset County library system. That didn’t work. This week I guess I’ll try to go to a library that is part of the system and see if I can get a card. My own library tells me that I probably can’t. I called some of the other New Jersey libraries mentioned in the Finder but was told "residents only".
How about New York, which is the closest other system the library finder mentions. Well, you can only get a 3 month card if you live out of state. Not very practical for me.
Library e-books on my Sony Reader? Looks like it’s not for me.
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Comments:
I’d be very surprised if you could get a non-resident card from NYPL. And if you got a 3-month one, I doubt it’d permit you to borrow eBooks. And if it did, you’d be frustrated anyway, since it looks like 98% of the ePubs are usually borrowed at any one time.
My library also has no e-anything. I showed my cybook at my local branch. I know it didn’t inspire them to start looking into ebooks. More like they thought it was weird, like they think I’m weird for using it and for doing things on the internet.
I can check things out through the baton rouge library if I go all the way to baton rouge and sign up for a library card. They refuse to do it through the mail or through my local library. Not a big deal for many people, but a big deal for me. Not worth the effort when they only have about 100 mobi books for me to choose from anyway.
After that, I started a blog listing free ebooks online, and lived happily ever after.
I’m not surprised at all. My local libraries won’t do anything with ebooks. They don’t have the funds for readers, and they have no interest in the content of the product, much less the market.
We’re pioneers, people. Let’s stop moaning that there’s no town here, and get busy building one.
When Overdrive hit libraries, patron usage went towards e-audiobooks. There was not as much interest from the public for E-books. Libraries with tight budget will only pay for what people will use, or they will just try out a light version of Overdrive, which is just audiobooks.
The change last year to make Sony Readers compatible with Overdrive and this recent announcement will hopefully create more demand on libraries.
In October, I am giving a one hour session at my local library on using ebook readers. I’ll talk about hardware choices, DRM issues, and sources for material.
The libraries are always looking for programming, and this is right up their alley.
However, it may also represent a trojan horse. If you can show them an interest by their patrons in ebook readers you may be able to get them to consider ebooks in their future budgets. Of course, if no one shows up — well it may just be too early in your area
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The bottom line is that you might be able to do something to change the priorities if you invest some time in nurturing the local community.
Well, sign up at Sparta! We were the first library to offer the Kindle, and our patrons have been enjoying them for almost 2 years now, and we’re about to launch the Sony e-reader for our patrons. There are going to be bumps in the road, but better to deal with the bumps than never to travel the road!!
In my library, we just started offering digital materials in July. We’ve got an older population and a great many of them don’t even have computers much less mp3 players or ebook readers. At the regular cost of adding ebooks of any type it just would not have happened. The large library district just over the hill already offered a large selection of digital audio and ebooks, and for a relatively low yearly fee our patrons got access to their collection.
We’re buying things in regular print, large print, and audio on CD, with a shrinking budget. We just flat couldn’t have offered ebooks without getting in on the neighbor’s set up. Money only goes so far.
The Somerset County Library System is pleased to offer patrons an e-collection that includes e-audiobooks, e-books, e-movies and e-music.
Unfortunatly a library card is required to download materials from the e-collection.
In order to qualify for a free library card a person must meet one of the following conditions:
Reside in one of the library system’s member municipalities: Bound Brook, Branchburg, Bridgewater, Green Brook, Hillsborough, Millstone, Montgomery, North Plainfield, Peapack-Gladstone, Rocky Hill, South Bound Brook, Warren Township or Watchung.
Own property in a member municipality.
Be a disabled resident of Somerset County.
Be a Somerset County Library System employee or retiree.
Work in one of the member municipalities.
Work for Somerset County Government.
Volunteer in a Somerset County Library System facility.
Serve as a volunteer fireperson, auxiliary police officer, rescue squad member or emergency medical services member in a member municipality.
Attend school in a member municipality.
Be a literacy volunteer/student using a SCLS facility for tutoring.
Anyone not eligible for a Somerset County Library card may purchase a membership for $165.00.(This fee is reviewed annually and adjusted as necessary to reflect the amount of library tax paid by the owner of an average-priced home in Somerset County.)
For more information, please visit the library at http://www.somerset.lib.nj.us
Happy reading!
So, in other words, the Somerset County Library system is for those who live in Somerset County, except for those who live in Somerset County who aren’t allowed to use it. Thanks a lot!
For $165 I can buy a lot of ebooks, rather than giving it to a library system that doesn’t want me.
I would pay a small yearly fee to have access to an ebook library. Or actually, I’d probably prefer to buy a book or two for the library in lieu of paying a fee. That way I could justify (to myself) spending the money for an ebook I want to read because others would be able to enjoy it too, and I would get access to other books.
I think (hope) eventually there will be online libraries not supported by local taxes, but by member fees. Small, reasonable fees.
No e-books from my library either (Union County, NJ); they just don’t have the money.
Also, I get the feeling that Overdrive is completely overwhelmed and unable to adequately market their product.
Makes me rethink getting the Kindle instead of the Sony reader.