In Section 1, check one answer; Section 2, check one answer.

[chrisarippel]

I am a librarian wanting to know how reading eBooks affects library borrowing.

Please click one answer in section 1 and one answer in section 2.

Thanks,

Chris Rippel
Great Bend, Kansas

[RainingLemur]

I never really liked actually going to the library. I'd go if I needed to look some specific things up to get some sources, or to make some copies of some materials. Since I've gotten into the ereader craze, I do more library browsing for some borrowing as I can do it from the convenience of my own home.

[bhartman36]

I rarely borrowed from libraries before, and I don't do it now.

It's an interesting question, Chris. I think your results are going to be a little bit biased in the Kindle forum, though. Kindle e-books don't support Overdrive technology, so they're not usually used in libraries. Someone who used libraries a lot previously, or uses them a lot now, to borrow books, probably wouldn't be a good candidate for a Kindle. I'd therefore think that the people you find on the Kindle forum would be less likely to have borrowed before (and certainly less likely to borrow now) than someone who used another e-reader (e.g., Sony's Reader).

(Note: I'm not saying you can't use library e-books on a Kindle. It's just that you'd have to go through DRM-stripping and such, and that's a barrier to you if you are looking at e-readers. It can be done, of course, but if your primary reason for getting an e-reader is to borrow from the library, it's less likely that you'll buy a Kindle, I think.)

[ficbot]

Isn't there already a lengthy thread about this?

[sammsmom]

I live in a place where it costs money to have a library card if you don't live in town and I don't live in town so I only went to the library if I really needed something and even then I didn't check anything out I just researched there in the library. Being a kindle owner I don't check out ebooks from the library and definitely don't check out real books as I have been converted over to the ebook world.

[barb2cats]

I use the library extensively for books not available as ebooks.
I visit the library 2 or 3 times each week.
I read extensively.
I use the interlibrary loan service for books that my library does not own.

I do buy ebooks, usually books I know I'll want to read more than once.

I am most anxious for someone / anyone to figure out how to get books which are 'out of print', legally available as ebooks, there must be a way to pay the author or whoever owns the copyright a reasonable fee -- I don't want to 'steal' the books, I just want to be able to read them as ebooks at a reasonable cost, and without having tons of paper books taking over my home.

In addition,I certainly do not want my library to vanish.

Barb

[chrisarippel]

Originally Posted by barb2cats

I am most anxious for someone / anyone to figure out how to get books which are 'out of print', legally available as ebooks, there must be a way to pay the author or whoever owns the copyright a reasonable fee -- I don't want to 'steal' the books, I just want to be able to read them as ebooks at a reasonable cost, and without having tons of paper books taking over my home. Barb

Have you tried?

Inkmesh at http://inkmesh.com/

Addall ebooks at http://ebooks.addall.com/

If you will take a print version, then try your local library's interlibrary loan service. Since you eventually return the books, you will not end up with "tons of paper books taking over your house". WorldCat at http://www.worldcat.org/ indicates the kinds of stuff your local library can borrow. NOTE: Not everything on WorldCat can be borrowed. For some precious stuff, the owning library may allow only use in the library. And, your own local library might not borrow stuff from overseas. You would have to ask them.

Good luck,
Chris Rippel

[DreamWriter]

Before I purchased my Kindle, I used the library every few weeks to every month. I rarely purchased books.

Since getting the Kindle, I'd say that I use the library every month or so. There are some books that I want to read but not purchase, so I borrow those from the library.

I purchase low-priced Kindle e-books (usually less than $3 each), so I don't spend much. I spent about $5 total on e-books last month. I get many (most) Kindle books for free.

I will always use the library. In addition to books, I check out CDs and movies.

[JuniperPearl]

Before I got a Kindle, I borrowed books from the library weekly. Now that I have a Kindle, I borrow books from the library weekly. Buying a Kindle hasn't really changed my library-borrowing habits.

I also borrow from my library's eBook collection. I usually check there first to see if the library has an eBook copy of whatever book I want to read and if they don't or there's a waiting list, I get the paper book from the library. It helps that I can walk to the library - it's right around the corner. I LOVE the library.

[Enola]

I have a deep affection for libraries. When I was in high school, I went to the library at school all the time (even worked in it during my off periods for a few years 10th - 12th) - there were no bookstores in my hometown so the only place I could get books was the school library or the city library (and I always begged my parents to drop me off at the library whenever we went to town). I was so desperate for books that once when I went on a school trip that involved stopping at a mall for a couple of hours, I spent the money my dad gave me for lunch and supper on a few books (my school library had one of the books in a series, and when I saw the others in the mall's bookstore I just had to have them).
But then I left home and moved to an urban area that has lots of bookstores, and I haven't really felt a need to go to a library since. I don't even have a library card now, and even though I could borrow an ebook from a library I haven't explored those options at all. Not sure why, I just don't even think about looking at a library when I decide "hey, I want to read that book" - I just purchase it online (if its not public domain).
Kinda makes me nostalgic, thinking about it... my favorite thing when I was a kid was slowly working my way up and down the bookshelf aisles, scanning the titles to find something interesting to read. It was like hunting for easter eggs. I loved the whispering quiet, the sounds of dozens of pages being turned at any given moment, being surrounded by other people who enjoyed reading, and the ride home with a small stack of books just waiting to be opened.
Do libraries now days (the ones that stock ebooks) have physical download kiosks where you could plug in your own reader and check out a book? I liked being able to consult a librarian if I was looking for something in particular, or needed advice on a topic, and being able to combine a real live person to talk to with the ability to borrow and ebook would be awesome.

[vaughnmr]

My local library in Sherman, TX is refusing to add ebooks. Even when I did use it for DTB, they were usually years behind with technical stuff (many of their astronomy books were from the 1930's to 1950's). They just aren't worth the effort anymore.

[Blossom]

I never used the library until I learn they had ebooks. Now I use it all the time to check out ebooks and audiobooks online. I have discover alot of new authors and genre I would have never normally read. I love this service and my local library adds titles weekly so it's a great service!

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by chrisarippel

I am a librarian wanting to know how reading eBooks affects library borrowing.

Please click one answer in section 1 and one answer in section 2.

Thanks,

Chris Rippel
Great Bend, Kansas

You've put this in the wrong forum. It belongs in General. People who do not read the Kindle forum will not see this and not answer and this being the Kindle section and Kindle's being incompatible with library eBooks, your results will be skewed and thus, incorrect.

[GoSharks]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

You've put this in the wrong forum. It belongs in General. People who do not read the Kindle forum will not see this and not answer and this being the Kindle section and Kindle's being incompatible with library eBooks, your results will be skewed and thus, incorrect.

Perhaps the OP is interested in what Kindle owners think and do... and perhaps the OP is well educated in E-readers, enough to see through the fluff and understand that Kindle owners do read library books on their Kindles... and perhaps the OP understands that people who have E-readers also still check out actual physical books from the Library. I for one find the poll interesting. Maybe you should go back to the Sony forum and see if there is someone polling you there!

EDIT: Oh, and you already know this poll has a thread in the General Forum because you posted in it there yesterday!

[barb2cats]

Originally Posted by chrisarippel

Have you tried?

Inkmesh at http://inkmesh.com/

Addall ebooks at http://ebooks.addall.com/

If you will take a print version, then try your local library's interlibrary loan service. Since you eventually return the books, you will not end up with "tons of paper books taking over your house". WorldCat at http://www.worldcat.org/ indicates the kinds of stuff your local library can borrow. NOTE: Not everything on WorldCat can be borrowed. For some precious stuff, the owning library may allow only use in the library. And, your own local library might not borrow stuff from overseas. You would have to ask them.

Good luck,
Chris Rippel

Chris,
thank you for your suggestions. I had not known about Addall, and will add it to my resource list. I do regularly check Inkmesh.

My library system limits Interlibrary loan to 5 items on request an any one time. I do use it, and have locate many books through it.

Thank you, Barb