Best reader for library e-books?

[librarian17]

I am looking into the Sony and Kindle and I am trying to figure out which one would be best. The most important feature that I want is to have the reader be compatible with e-books from my library. My library puts out e-books in the Adobe pdf e-book format. Any help/recommendations/avdice is greatly appreciated!

[wallcraft]

The Kindle can't read PDF library books because a) they have Adobe DRM (encryption), and b) the Kindle only reads MOBI format (DRM-free PDFs can be converted off-line to MOBI for the Kindle).

Both the Sony PRS-505 and PRS-700 include Adobe Digital Editions and can read PDF library books. You need a Windows PC or a Mac to download the library books which are copied to the device via USB.

Some other EInk Reader vendors have announced their intent to support Adobe Digital Editions, but today only Sony's can read your library ebooks.

[AbFabGab]

Have you checked out this link yet?
http://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/EBook_Lending_Libraries

Libraries usually offer two formats:
1) adobe digital editions (pdf)
2) mobi (prc)

*A third format is growing in popularity with libraries: epub

Sony reads the ADE pdf format.
Cybook reads the MOBI prc format.
I'm not sure but Bebook may also read the drm mobi at this point?

I know some Kindle people were using a special program to
be able to convert the mobi books from library to a Kindle format
but not sure if that is still available (due to Amazon changes/policies/etc).

[DDHarriman]

Hi

You want the Sony - 505 or 700 - as these are the ones who let you read your Library eBooks.

Best regards,

[Alisa]

Originally Posted by AbFabGab

I know some Kindle people were using a special program to
be able to convert the mobi books from library to a Kindle format
but not sure if that is still available (due to Amazon changes/policies/etc).

The scripts to do that are not available here but they are likely still available somewhere on the interwebs. Kindlepid.py and Kindlefix.py do not circumvent any DRM so there should be no legal issue with them.

People also read library books through stripping the DRM off of them, either PDF or Mobi and converting formats if needed. Stripping the DRM off is possibly illegal. Redistributing the books is definitely actionable (and IMO not a very nice thing to do to the nice folks at the library).

[kelly1010]

I have the prs-505 ...I've only had it a few weeks and I've already checked several ebooks out. It works great! And I love that it's FREE! I even drove 2 1/2 hours to another library to get a library card so I could have access to their collection.

[Justy]

Originally Posted by AbFabGab

Have you checked out this link yet?
http://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/EBook_Lending_Libraries

Libraries usually offer two formats:
1) adobe digital editions (pdf)
2) mobi (prc)

*A third format is growing in popularity with libraries: epub

Sony reads the ADE pdf format.
Cybook reads the MOBI prc format.
I'm not sure but Bebook may also read the drm mobi at this point?

The BeBook and Cybook both read DRM Mobi now, and both have 'fixes' to allow for legal reading of library eBooks. I've used both fixes and they work very well.

• Cybook fix
• BeBook fix

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by Justy

The BeBook and Cybook both read DRM Mobi now, and both have 'fixes' to allow for legal reading of library eBooks.

Has the BeBook (Hanlin) fix been mentioned on the MobileRead Forums before? If not, this is worth making a thread for. I have been telling people that the Hanlins don't read library ebooks, and there has been a work around available for months!

[Justy]

Originally Posted by wallcraft

Has the BeBook (Hanlin) fix been mentioned on the MobileRead Forums before? If not, this is worth making a thread for. I have been telling people that the Hanlins don't read library ebooks, and there has been a work around available for months!

I haven't seen the fix mentioned before, I just found it a few weeks ago myself on the BeBook forum. I'll start a thread for it in the "HanLin eBook" section.

[GraceKrispy]

Wanted to add my support for a 505. I use that (along with my blackberry) to read library books and it works beautifully. It's easy to figure out and you can return the books early and check out more. I have already read probably a hundred library books this way since I got my 505 this past November.

[kelly1010]

Originally Posted by GraceKrispy

Wanted to add my support for a 505. I use that (along with my blackberry) to read library books and it works beautifully. It's easy to figure out and you can return the books early and check out more. I have already read probably a hundred library books this way since I got my 505 this past November.

How do I return the books early? I think I tried this before and it wouldn't let me. Maybe I was doing something wrong.

Thanks!

[Justy]

Originally Posted by kelly1010

How do I return the books early? I think I tried this before and it wouldn't let me. Maybe I was doing something wrong.

Thanks!

I don't think there is a way to return eBooks early.

The only option I know of would be to 'borrow' it for just the amount of time you need. Some libraries let you pick 1 week, 2 weeks, up to their limit. This way if it 's a short book, or one you know you will be 'powering through' you can choose to have it for less time.

[dreams]

Originally Posted by kelly1010

How do I return the books early? I think I tried this before and it wouldn't let me. Maybe I was doing something wrong.

Thanks!

Kelly, I think you can return some books early. I found this thread and this answer.

http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38942

Originally Posted by Leep

With U.S. public libraries, the number of books that you can have on your "borrowed bookshelf" varies as does the number of days. The ones I'm familiar with range from a 7 to 21 day checkout period, and allow from 5 to 20 items (which includes audio books) at any one time. This is individual library specific and a couple of libraries lets you choose your own expiry period within their limits.

Once you have "checked out" your limit, you must wait until something expires before you can check out additional items. One exception to this is Adobe ADE ebooks which allow you to "return" them early at which time they come off your account and you can checkout additional items.


After the checkout period expires, your checkout ebook simply won't open on your ereader . An exception to this is that ebooks on the Kindle do not expire until you reconnect your Kindle to either whispernet or to your computer.

cheers

[AbFabGab]

Originally Posted by kelly1010

How do I return the books early? I think I tried this before and it wouldn't let me. Maybe I was doing something wrong.

Thanks!

The Adobe pdf books can be returned early but the Mobi books cannot.
The way I have been doing it is to open my ADE, find the book I'm returning, click on the arrow to bring up drop down menu. There will be option there.

HTH

[JSWolf]

If your library has a great deal of PDF and little in the way of Mobipocket and no ePub, then go with the 505 or 700.

If your library has a lot of Mobipocket and no ePub, go with a Gen3.

If your library has lots of PDF and ePub, go with the 505 or 700.

The 505/700 can display DRMed PDF and ePub. The Gen3 can display DRMed Mobipocket.

If your library does not support ePub, ask them if they plan to because if they do, then the 505 or 700 would be your best choice in the long run.