Overdrive Redesign

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by piper28

Odd, with the new system I was able to find a spot to set the default for the checkout period. Course, until I realized that, I started checking books out for a longer time than I wanted because that's what the default was, I'd been used to selecting it as I was checking out.

Same here. I miss that featured having to set it each time and reload the page is a pain. I don't always need to check a book out for 14 days some Harlequins I can read in a matter of hours.

Originally Posted by 4691mls

I have not noticed a problem with the default checkout time changing. I hope that doesn't start happening with the NC library.

Yeah keep an eye out for it. If you start noticing the you can check out the title for x days and it doesn't match what you set the limit at go change it again then reload the page for it to take effect.

[DianNC]

Originally Posted by 4691mls

I have to click on each one to find out if I've read them before, if they're part of a series I decided not to read, or whatever. Just seeing the cover doesn't usually help me - I don't have a very good memory for titles.

When they had the brief description visible while browsing, I could easily recognize books I'd already read, series I'd decided not to read, etc., and quickly move on.

All of that really was the beauty of the old design and made browsing both easy and fun.

Last night I was looking up series by author and trying to do it at BPL was so frustrating! Here's the difference...

Classic View (with title, author, series, series number, availability, brief synopsis, etc.).

With BPL's new design, all I'm able to see is the author, title and book cover -- no series info or series number, no brief description or availability info.

Too much clicking with NextGen!!!!

It's exhausting!!!

[artifact]

This has finally annoyed me enough to add my comment to the thread:

Please, PLEASE let me set a 'preferred file type' to my account so I can set it to epub. Not only is it annoying to have to manually set it every single time I check out a book, I also grumble at the 'free advertising for Amazon Kindle' button. Why are my tax/annual fee dollars supporting vendor lock-in?

(and I second pretty much everyone else's feature requests if the folks from Overdrive are still lurking.)

[Blossom]

I had 6 books come due today on the same library account. I am so tired of having to log in every check out.

Where does one go to complain to them? It's ridiculous!

[new]

Originally Posted by Blossom

I had 6 books come due today on the same library account. I am so tired of having to log in every check out.

Where does one go to complain to them? It's ridiculous!

Yeah yesterday after I already logged in and checked out books on hold it makes you log in each time again!!! It was only a few seconds time delay. I can see it if it is 10-15 minutes or later. Like Amazon does this. But I am not using my cc here at Overdrive. I wish they did not change what already worked.

[pidgeon92]

Originally Posted by Blossom

Where does one go to complain to them? It's ridiculous!

Their Facebook page is pretty active:

https://www.facebook.com/OverDriveInc

USA Phone: +1 (216) 573-6886

[4691mls]

Originally Posted by Blossom

I had 6 books come due today on the same library account. I am so tired of having to log in every check out.

Where does one go to complain to them? It's ridiculous!

I have not had to log in more than once per session at the NC library. It's weird that all libraries are not having the same problems - I thought they all had the same Overdrive software.

The NC library has a "help" link which gave me an email address for my county's library. I have emailed them a couple times and reached an actual helpful person. Does your library have such a link?

[xendula]

Originally Posted by artifact

Why are my tax/annual fee dollars supporting vendor lock-in?

OT, but I felt compelled to reply nevertheless.
I for one am glad that I have a choice, am not locked to Adobe, and do not need to tranfer books via USB from a computer. I also appreciate that lower income patrons who may not have an internet connection or computer at home can borrow books to cheap Kindle devices by using their library's Wifi.

[Fbone]

My little library converted today. It seems faster and the larger covers are nice. I haven't checked any titles out, though. So, I may run into trouble when I do. Also, the public domain titles have new covers that are a big improvement over the previous.

[SteveEisenberg]

I don't mind the new interface, perhaps because I rarely use Overdrive as a book discovery tool. However, the complainers certainly are on to something. There are more clicks than before.

Would it be tin-hat idiocy to hypothesize a need to make sure borrowing from Overdrive was more difficult than purchasing from an on-line vendor? Could some of the publishers (or Amazon) have complained about the old interface being too quick?

My Overdrive frustration is finding that no library, I have membership in, owns the book I want. Sometimes it's that Overdrive doesn't carry it, but, more often, it's because none of my libraries have bought it. I'm aware of this because of just about always starting at search.overdrive.com, where you first see if Overdrive carries the title, and then narrow down the search by country and state/province.

Is there any reason why the history of the bagel is in Seattle, not Brooklyn

So, I vote for dozens of clicks -- and, in return, eBook interlibrary loan

[elemenoP]

Originally Posted by SteveEisenberg

My Overdrive frustration is finding that no library, I have membership in, owns the book I want. Sometimes it's that Overdrive doesn't carry it, but, more often, it's because none of my libraries have bought it. I'm aware of this because of just about always starting at search.overdrive.com, where you first see if Overdrive carries the title, and then narrow down the search by country and state/province.

Yes, I wish there were a mechanism to suggest a title for the library to acquire. Especially if you already know it's available in Overdrive.

eP

[John F]

Originally Posted by elemenoP

Yes, I wish there were a mechanism to suggest a title for the library to acquire. Especially if you already know it's available in Overdrive.

eP

In case you weren't aware... You may be able to do this from the library end. I've done it at two of my libraries.

When you do a search (from your library page), click on "Additional Titles" (on the advanced search page). Then click on the book. Then click on "recommend".

[DianNC]

Sometimes the 'Suggest a Title' feature is on the library's main page (not on the Digital Media page).

Mine even allows one to select the format (book, ebook, audio book, etc.) and further notes...

"Thanks for suggesting an addition to our collection; we will forward it to our Collection Development Committee for consideration. Please remember that items must fit within our Materials Selection Policy and must be available in order to be added to our collection. If the item is added, you may use our Internet catalog to place it on hold and choose your pick-up location from any of our branches.

You must have an email software application on your computer to use this form. You may also visit any one of our branches to make a suggestion."

[Blossom]

Looks like they are at again. READS log in page is really messed up. Doesn't work. I was able to get in by selecting list all libraries. Getting alot of errors though.

BPL & FLP: The new way to select a format is worse than the drop down box.

Okay READS has a new way to select Format too and it's much better. You put a check by the format and then it says confirm. This I like!

[copyrite]

What a mess. I can't log into the Maryland Overdrive system. It looks like it wants a PIN, but at the same time it's like the text input field is overlapping with the log-in info and just not taking it. I've emailed the local library system and Overdrive for help.