Overdrive Redesign

[holymadness]

Originally Posted by xendula

And while we are talking about Brooklyn, who else thinks the new 3M catalog and software are ridiculous?

There are only four books in the entire history section.

[xendula]

And only one in some other sections

[SteveEisenberg]

And the number of titles, while always pitiful, has actually gone down.

And 3M's software and/or server is so slow that if the libraries purchased a substantial number of titles, I think it would be unusable.

And here's what we were promised in June:

According to Penguin vice president of online sales and marketing Tim McCall, Penguin’s entire catalog, which is more than 15,000 books, will be made available to the libraries’ patrons through the deal.

McCall told The Wall Street Journal that libraries will most likely pay around what regular customers would for the e-books.

If that was true, the 3M system would be a bargain for libraries compared to Overdrive, redesigned or otherwise.

Maybe 3M needs to stick to its core business of coatings.

[xendula]

True, right now, libraries pay so much more for ebooks than regular customers that they would probably take advantage of it. I kind of hope they won't, because you can't read 3M titles on eink readers, AFAIK. You need a tablet and have to read in the app. I'd rather libraries spend the budget they have on Overdrive, even though there are a few Penguin titles I'd like to read, which I refuse to buy because I hate Penguin... But that's a whole diffent story.

[xendula]

Originally Posted by SteveEisenberg

Maybe 3M needs to stick to its core business of coatings.

I thought the name was coincidence!

[glendalekid]

You can read the 3M books on e-ink. They work just fine on my Sony 505. You can download the books to your PC via ADE.

3M doesn't seem to send a notification when a book on hold becomes available - i.e., via an e-mail. I had to keep checking until it showed up as available.

[xendula]

Originally Posted by glendalekid

You can read the 3M books on e-ink. They work just fine on my Sony 505. You can download the books to your PC via ADE.

3M doesn't seem to send a notification when a book on hold becomes available - i.e., via an e-mail. I had to keep checking until it showed up as available.

I did not know that, because it only lets me check out a book, but does not offer any download or send to kindle link. Of course, the other problem is that they are disregarding all the Kindle users out there by only offering ePub.
I hate Penguin.

[Katel]

Originally Posted by xendula

I did not know that, because it only lets me check out a book, but does not offer any download or send to kindle link. Of course, the other problem is that they are disregarding all the Kindle users out there by only offering ePub.
I hate Penguin.

I'm finding the reverse at Brooklyn today - with Overdrive though. When I go to download an Adobe ePub book they only give me the choice of Kindle. I've written to them about it . Really frustrating as 2 books I particularly wanted have become available but I can't download them.

[jhowell]

It looks like the rollout is continuing. The Orange County (Florida) library system is now using the new design.

[xendula]

Originally Posted by Katel

I'm finding the reverse at Brooklyn today - with Overdrive though. When I go to download an Adobe ePub book they only give me the choice of Kindle. I've written to them about it . Really frustrating as 2 books I particularly wanted have become available but I can't download them.

They are doing some work on the site. I see a few broken image links and what in the world is "Overdrive Read"? I got this as an option next to ePub and Kindle for the book I just downloaded.

Are you sure you did not select "Kindle ebook" instead of "ePub" when you placed a hold/if you placed a hold? I know some titles are only available in ePub, but I have never seen it the other way round. Hope this is going to get resolved for you!!

[glendalekid]

With the "new and improved" Overdrive design, it has become more complicated to check out books.

First you click on "borrow". This gives you a pop-up that tells you the book is now on your bookshelf. Close that. Click on the "go to bookshelf" link.

The book you just checked out will be in the upper left-hand corner. Next to the cover photo there maybe a green link - it will say Kindle or Read. Under that is a drop-down, click on that. This is where you can choose epub, PDF, etc. If there is no Kindle or Read option, there will just be the drop-down. Choose epub, open epub, etc., then they will ask you to confirm. After confirming your choice, a "download" button will appear.
Download as you usually do.

What nincompoop designed this? Sheeesh!!!

[xendula]

Oh wow, I just browsed the Fantasy/SciFi category and ordered by added to site, the latest ones are only available in ePub. I want to cry!!!!!!!! Why oh why isn't there an ePub eink reader that can download library content directly without having to connect to a computer?!? So mad

[glendalekid]

Overdrive Read appears to be a way to read the book on a browser. Would this be for tablets or phones?

Whatever it is for, it is not a necessary part of the "new" design. It was available at the Orange Co. FL site before the change.

[DianNC]

Originally Posted by glendalekid

What nincompoop designed this? Sheeesh!!!

The same nincompoop that designed Windows 8?

[4691mls]

Originally Posted by xendula

Oh wow, I just browsed the Fantasy/SciFi category and ordered by added to site, the latest ones are only available in ePub. I want to cry!!!!!!!! Why oh why isn't there an ePub eink reader that can download library content directly without having to connect to a computer?!? So mad

Sony PRS-T1 or T2 can download epubs directly from the library if you have a wifi connection.