Overdrive Redesign

[xendula]

Originally Posted by FizzyWater

Oh, I've GOT to try this when I get home for my library! Thanks!

EDIT: Bummer. I misread this entirely. I thought "Classic" would give me the old interface back.

The 40/20 link still looks like the classic on the iPad. Strangely, when I access the link through my iPad, I "get for kindle", but when I access it from my iPod, it tells me that I need to log in from a computer to download the book.
Here, again, is the link that still looks the same as always for me:
http://digitalbooks.brooklynpublicli...en/Default.htm

http://digitalbooks.brooklynpubliclibrary.org/
F0513A92-D8ED-4F30-936E-E4F79105629C/40/20/en/Default.htm

Maybe the other numbers also have some importance.

[xendula]

Originally Posted by 4691mls

Assuming Overdrive hasn't screwed anything up with their latest changes, once you have checked out a book via your PC you can then use the Sony reader to log in to the library site and download the book.

Or you can use the Sony to browse the library and download directly.

There are some nice helpful people in the Sony forum if you want to get more info and opinions.

Thanks for the info. If I see this trend becoming a problem, I may need to get a Sony reader (not too much in love with the company or the look of their devices).

[BearMountainBooks]

My overdrive still looks the same. And the same long line for Dresden files is there...

[BearMountainBooks]

4691mls View Post
Assuming Overdrive hasn't screwed anything up with their latest changes, once you have checked out a book via your PC you can then use the Sony reader to log in to the library site and download the book.

Or you can use the Sony to browse the library and download directly.

There are some nice helpful people in the Sony forum if you want to get more info and opinions.

The sony forum here or is there one over on Sony bookstore?

[4691mls]

The forum here. There are a number of people with T1's and a few that have the newer T2's.

[DianNC]

Originally Posted by FizzyWater

EDIT: Bummer. I misread this entirely. I thought "Classic" would give me the old interface back.

Sorry for the confusion, but I can easily see how you reached that conclusion. Unfortunately, I think the old interface is a thing of the past for those libraries that have already made the switch.

The reason I got so excited about xendula's mobile link is that it more closely resembles the old UI in that it allows us to access all the important info 'at a glance' with the fewest clicks. It also has a working sort function (tres important to me). If browsing on the mobile site from a PC, the main thing to remember is to switch to the new design in order to 'borrow' and download.

[BearMountainBooks]

Originally Posted by 4691mls

The forum here. There are a number of people with T1's and a few that have the newer T2's.

Thanks. I bet I can find the answer to my question there!

[Mike@OverDrive]

Hi-

Just wanted to drop you all a line to say that the feedback you're providing here is extremely helpful to our team here at OverDrive as we work through the pilot launch of the Next Gen library websites. Thanks for taking the time the help improve the user experience.

Here's an update on some of the issues:

Removal of “Cart” feature: To achieve One-Step Checkout, we removed the Add to Cart and Confirm Checkout steps. This reduces the number of steps required to browse and borrow digital titles (even when checking out multiple titles). If a user unintentionally borrows a title, there’s an option on the Bookshelf page to return the borrowed title to the library’s collection. If a user unintentionally downloads a title, in most cases, they have the option to return the title from the respective software.

Search: We’re implementing the filtered search feature across participating sites. Over the last two weeks, we’ve made improvements to search performance and results, and we’re encouraged with the improved stability. We continue to monitor this closely.

Recommendation functionality: We’re testing improvements to the recommendation algorithms to produce more relevant title suggestions.

We're also aware of comments about the appearance of title text in list displays, overall site performance, sort options, and other site features.

Thanks again for your input. We'll continue to monitor feedback on this forum, as well as at www.facebook.com/OverDriveInc and @OverDriveInc.

Best,

Mike Lovett
Public Relations and Social Media Specialist, OverDrive

[JD Gumby]

Originally Posted by Mike@OverDrive

Removal of “Cart” feature: To achieve One-Step Checkout, we removed the Add to Cart and Confirm Checkout steps. This reduces the number of steps required to browse and borrow digital titles (even when checking out multiple titles).

Very bad decision from a usability standpoint - especially for users of touch devices, where you will frequently get accidental checkouts from people just scrolling through the page. I dunno about others, but if something like "Fifty Shades of Grey" comes up in search results and I accidentally click it while trying to scroll, I would be VERY pissed off, especially since it would go on my lending record (which I'm sure you keep in perpetuity, especially with a recommendations system in place, rather than deleting the record the instant the return is confirmed like I'm positive most users would prefer).

EDIT: Oh, wait, you have to go to the book details page first? (from later in the thread) Okay, that would prevent accidents - but it makes it even more inconvenient than a proper cart system would...

Originally Posted by Blossom

or add a popup for this info when hovered or pressed on. Having to open every book detail page is a pain. And the Book Detail page is horrible now!

[DianNC]

^ Ha! Fifty Shades shows up first when I click on "iPod Compatible Audiobooks" at BPL. I know it's an old title so I try to use the 'sort' feature to get to the more recently added titles. Doesn't work, so I try to sort by author, by title, by release date --- none of those options work either.

Oh, and clicking on "iPod Compatible Audiobooks" brings up ebooks ... not audiobooks, so once you're in that category, further filtering is necessary...meaning more clicks. Ah, I so long for the one-click days of old

[4691mls]

I'm glad to see someone from Overdrive is watching this thread.

I hope you will bring back the list view, both when browsing and in the wishlist.

When browsing, I really want to be able to see the basic information that was there in the past- brief description of the book and name of series, etc. so I don't have to click on each book separately to find this info.

[Blossom]

Who wants a one step check out? Not me. One thing we Readers like is Cart features. You will always see people here complaining about Amazon and B&N and Kobo not having this feature. It's nice to be able to review your titles before you check them out. I use to be able to access the cart from any page. Now I have to go to Accounts and scroll through some huge book covers to see what they heck I just added to my bookshelf. It takes a few scrolls to figure out books already downloaded and books not downloaded. I hate it.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by 4691mls

I'm glad to see someone from Overdrive is watching this thread.

I hope you will bring back the list view, both when browsing and in the wishlist.

When browsing, I really want to be able to see the basic information that was there in the past- brief description of the book and name of series, etc. so I don't have to click on each book separately to find this info.

or add a popup for this info when hovered or pressed on. Having to open every book detail page is a pain. And the Book Detail page is horrible now! Having to scroll past an excerpt for info that use to be available at once glance. I want to be able to see publisher, publisher date and so on at first glance. This is important. The whole page needs to be reworked to be more reader friendly. Move excerpts down one at least and bring the title info back up under description. I could care less about the Author info.

[davem2bits]

Originally Posted by 4691mls

I'm glad to see someone from Overdrive is watching this thread.

I hope you will bring back the list view, both when browsing and in the wishlist.

When browsing, I really want to be able to see the basic information that was there in the past- brief description of the book and name of series, etc. so I don't have to click on each book separately to find this info.

Don't forget the most important info, whether the ebook is available or not. My public library hasn't been inflicted with this downgrade yet, but from going to the Brooklyn Library site, I was not impressed. Hopefully availability info will be available without having to click on each cover thumbnail.

[DianNC]

Originally Posted by Blossom

Who wants a one step check out? Not me. One thing we Readers like is Cart features. You will always see people here complaining about Amazon and B&N and Kobo not having this feature. It's nice to be able to review your titles before you check them out. I use to be able to access the cart from any page. Now I have to go to Accounts and scroll through some huge book covers to see what they heck I just added to my bookshelf. It takes a few scrolls to figure out books already downloaded and books not downloaded. I hate it.

It's not a one-step check out, though.

Step 1 - Click on 'Borrow'
Step 2 - Choose format (WMA, mp3/epub, Kindle, etc.)
Step 3 - Confirm format
Step 4 - Download

Old way:

Step 1 - Add to Cart
Step 2 - Proceed to Checkout
Step 3 - Confirm Checkout
Step 4 - Download

Note that 'Choose format' is not an optional step even if there is only one format available so the number of steps to check out a book remains the same under both the new and supposedly improved version and the old (and IMHO, better) version.

Unless I'm missing something. Which is entirely possible