Overdrive Redesign

[xendula]

Originally Posted by terendel

Well, it might not be everything you were hoping for, but it sounds like they are going to respond. And you haven't been forgotten.

"Hi Juli-

Thanks for getting in touch. We haven’t forgotten about Mobile Read, but we haven’t had time to circle back of late.

Sometime in the next few days, I’ll be compiling a list of questions/suggestions from Mobile Read users and posting a status update regarding some of the tweaks in the works for our Next Gen sites. Thanks for sending me your list—as you’ve seen, there’s a lot to sift through!

Best,

Mike"

I'm working on the article now, which will feature your list prominently. Should be published in a couple of days.

That's good to know, and the article will hopefully get some traction as well :S

Some ideas for your subtitle:

• Why you should ask users before improving user experience
• Improved user experience gone wrong
• Try to borrow a book before redesigning a library's site
• Why designers should ask users before improving their user experience
• When site redesign goes wrong
• Usability leaves when pretty is in the room
• When it ain't broke, don't friggin' fix it!

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Blossom

I really wish they stop breaking things. Now when you click on New ebooks links it now sorts by Relevancy instead of added to site. Which is really sorting by popular.

This is getting ridiculous...

So now not only do you get sent to Available now instead of Library collection but it sorts wrong!

What I don't like is that when you sort by date added, it sorts all the eBooks added the same day in alphabetical order instead of taking into account the time added.

[xendula]

Last night, I set up my four library sites in an alternative browser in desktop view: in my genre, my libraries have a third of the audiobooks in MP3s and two thirds in WAV.

My request is that Overdrive lets me see all content regardless of the view I have and the device used for browsing. Seriously, there is no reason I shouldn't be able to borrow or even see WAV books when on an iPad. NONE.

Also, all four libraries I have access to defaulted back to "Relevance" sorting while I was browsing a genre.

What does that even mean?!?! Either a book is in that genre or not. Doesn't get any more relevant than that. None of the four libraies could be enticed to sort by any other criteria that they offer from the drop-down box - I was stuck with the nonsense Relevance sorting.

[terendel]

Originally Posted by xendula

That's good to know, and the article will hopefully get some traction as well :S

Some ideas for your subtitle:

• Why you should ask users before improving user experience
• Improved user experience gone wrong
• Try to borrow a book before redesigning a library's site
• Why designers should ask users before improving their user experience
• When site redesign goes wrong
• Usability leaves when pretty is in the room
• When it ain't broke, don't friggin' fix it!

Sorry, didn't see this before I posted, so I didn't use any of the subtitles.

Here's the article

http://www.teleread.com/library/new-...-expectations/

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by terendel

Here's the article

http://www.teleread.com/library/new-...-expectations/

Nice article; and thanks for taking the time to help bring these problems to the attention of OverDrive. It's much appreciated.

[xendula]

Great article, Julie! Thank you for taking the time for this, and let's hope Overdrive will address these issues.

[4691mls]

Thanks for the article, and for keeping us updated!

[hwlester]

Originally Posted by hwlester

I used this at FLP to suggest a couple of books in the Xanth series and about 2 months later, I got a notification that they were available and being held for me. Of the two local libraries that I have access to, only one offers this option. I'm hoping the other might get it with the upgrade.

OK, I just had a quirky issue with this... I got three emails tonight (two from FLP and one from one of my local libraries) along the lines of:

Dear Library Patron,

Per your request, we are notifying you of Free Library of Philadelphia's recent purchase of Ogre, Ogre by Piers Anthony at your recommendation.

Also per your request, we have automatically added you to the waiting list for this title at your library's website.

Please visit http://freelibrary.lib.overdrive.com...D-D2D071637AFA for more information about this title.

Thank you,
Free Library of Philadelphia

What's strange about it is that I already got notified on all of these and checked out the titles mentioned: the FLP ones were from 12/8/12 and 12/9/12 and the local one was from 11/9/12. Even though the email says I was added to the waiting list, I was not on the waiting list for any of the three titles. Looks like the notification system is broken.

[Joykins]

OverDrive needs to test these things before releasing them. OMG. If I have to log in again EVERY TIME I go to check out a book any more, I'm going to run amok.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by Joykins

OverDrive needs to test these things before releasing them. OMG. If I have to log in again EVERY TIME I go to check out a book any more, I'm going to run amok.

I feel the same way! If they would just fix this one thing. I'd be a little less to complain about the other issues. This is the major one.

[xendula]

Also, Fairfax refuses to "remember me", though the box is always checked, and I have to newly log in every time now.

[xendula]

Like hwlester, last night I also got a Fairfax notification about one of the books I requested for purchase being available, but that was the first email I receievd in this respect.

[elemenoP]

Oh, I don't think "remember me" has ever worked for me (Brooklyn Public).

My annoyance: if you are not logged in and you click on "Borrow," you get redirected to the sign in page. But if you are not logged in and you click on "Add to wish list," you get a layer that says "sign in to add this to your wish list" and you have to go there yourself. Why not use the redirect? Even better, why not put the sign in screen in a layer so I don't have to "go" anywhere?

eP

[elemenoP]

Also, I think it's safe to say that most people always want to borrow the book in the same format (epub, kindle, pdf). Most likely the only time they would want a different format is when their preferred format is not available. So why not make that a *user* preference? I could set "I want epubs" in My Account and then I would only see the checkboxes when epub is not available. OR, right by the Download button, it would say "you are downloading: epub. Change" And that would allow me to change to a different format.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by Joykins

OverDrive needs to test these things before releasing them. OMG. If I have to log in again EVERY TIME I go to check out a book any more, I'm going to run amok.

Agree; and if it's not resolved soon, I'm gonna quit using OverDrive until it is. They're not the only source for free books.