can Overdrive/library track books you've read?

[elemenoP]

Now that I have the ability to put my library books in Calibre (ahem) it's a bit of a moral dilemma for me if I want to do that or not. It does solve the problem of "all my library holds came in at once" which seems to happen no matter how much I try to stagger them. But then I need to be a good girl and delete them myself after reading them. Thus the original question of how to keep a list of them.

eP

[SeaBookGuy]

Why don't you try keeping a "books read" list? I have one as an Excel spreadsheet; I also put a written review of most of them at Goodreads. Some folks' lists include several items (dates read, ratings, etc.), but mine is just a running list, with audiobooks in italics.

[thename]

You might look into the "import.log" file in your My Digital Editions directory. It should keep a record of every book you've imported to ADE (along with the dates they were brought in). It only notes title of the file but ... might be of use. With a little effort I'm sure you could write an Excel macro to import the titles/dates to your spreadsheet automatically.

An example of the file is here:

1.7.2.1131 WIN Fri Nov 19 01:34:00 2010 UTC
License Update Starting
Attempt to convert: Eclipse_of_the_Sunnis.epub
Success converting License for restore\books\Eclipse_of_the_Sunnis.epub into Eclipse_of_the_Sunnis.epub

To your original question, though, it is my understanding that Overdrive tracks checkouts anonymously in aggregate for some purpose or other. It seems the data are not accessible to the library in any convenient format (according to correspondence via the Help Desk).

[issybird]

Originally Posted by luqmaninbmore

The policy is there for a good reason: to keep someone from monopolizing the book. It's important that it be on the shelf for a certain amount of time so that browsers can come across it. Not everyone uses the catalogue. My library used have an issue with a gentleman who would check out all the books on resumes and employment and, when the renewals were expired, do as you suggest. We had to institute a waiting period to allow other people to get a crack at the book. Libraries are as much for the browsers and the people who read in the library as for those who check out the books.

Peace. As a long-time user and lover of libraries, I uphold the rights of all. library users. I do take your point. But a librarian should also be able to distinguish between a habitual offender and one who ran out of time, just this once. Or twice.

The waiting period makes me a little uncomfortable, frankly. It means the library is tracking what people are reading. What's their response when Homeland Security comes a-knocking with questions? I'd rather have a seat-of-the-pants judgment from a librarian who knows the patrons and the issue and can enforce an informal policy, "Gee, Mr. Jones, we really do have to let these job-hunting books stay in circulation, so many people are looking for jobs these days. I'm afraid I can't let you check them out again right away." Although I acknowledge the difficulty with that, too, if Mr. Jones decides to create a scene. Sometimes there's no perfect solution.

[SeaBookGuy]

I don't think they "track" it in that sense - Overdrive, I understand, puts a hold on folks' accounts for returning a book "too early" (48 hrs?), which I think isn't kept around as a subpeona-able record.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by SeaBookGuy

I don't think they "track" it in that sense - Overdrive, I understand, puts a hold on folks' accounts for returning a book "too early" (48 hrs?), which I think isn't kept around as a subpeona-able record.

Oh, I wasn't thinking of Overdrive--I assume that anything I do online is retrievable anyway. I was responding specifically to a library policy that won't let patrons take out DTBs after they've returned them.

[SeaBookGuy]

DTB? You mean print books that have reached maximum renewal? I think they've decided that if you haven't finished in it 9 weeks (our maximum circulation period), give it up and get something else.

[Bookworm_Girl]

Originally Posted by SeaBookGuy

There's a review (star) feature, which might serve that purpose for you?

eP, I use the rating feature in my library account to keep track of books as SeaBookGuy suggests. It's quick and easy. I also use the wishlist to keep track of what I want to read. And no matter what I do, of course my holds always become available at the same time!

I have a goodreads account too, and I have labeled one of my shelves as "Borrowed". You can also sort into read, currently reading, to be read and whatever custom categories you can imagine. The website even compiles annual stats for you about your book categories and how many pages you've read. It's more effort than the library rating feature though... Some people prefer librarything. Some people use Amazon Lists too.

EDIT: Goodreads has an iPhone app too.

[SeaBookGuy]

Just remember if you decide to put a hold on a wish list book, or it becomes available (without one), you need to manually remove it from your wishlist, or it stays there forever.

[Bookworm_Girl]

Originally Posted by SeaBookGuy

Just remember if you decide to put a hold on a wish list book, or it becomes available (without one), you need to manually remove it from your wishlist, or it stays there forever.

That's a good tip. It is sort of a pain to have to periodically clean up your list, and I do often forget to remove them right away... I also wish they would let you group them like 20 books to page.

[SeaBookGuy]

Or sort by PDF vs. EPUB and audio vs. e-book

[FF2]

I'm not sure if this has been discussed but can you "RETURN" books early thereby freeing up the book for others as well as allowing new books against the loan limit? Or is the system setup to just let them run the loan-period established by the library.

[SeaBookGuy]

Yes, you can return e-books early, from within Adobe, as an option. However, I have read that you should wait a minimum of 48 hours(?) to do, if you realize right away the book's not for you, or the system freezes your account; I've never done that.

You cannot return audiobooks early.

[FF2]

Thanks, SeaBookGuy. I may give it a try in a day or two.