MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Librarybox

Adoby · 09-30-2014, 11:45 AM

Fun tech for ebook lover that wants to share their books on the go.

My Librarybox is a small battery powered wifi router, TP-Link TL-MR3040. It is the size of a 2.5" HD. It has a 32GB USB memory. And it runs on the internal battery for 4-5 hours. Or from a powered USB-port or charger.

The TL-MR3040 costs about $35. A SanDisk Cruzer Fit 32 GB USB memory costs around $17.

And it has been reprogrammed to become a small open access point with a built in web-server that any mobile device can connect to over wifi. It runs a version of Linux, OpenWRT. And if you know Linux you can do a lot of fun things with the device, as long as you keep the extreme limitations regarding memory and processing power in mind.

LibraryBox is still rather primitive, but with some work it is possible to share a static calibre library. And everything is opensource, so it is possible to change things if you have the skills... There are reports that it is possible to share a calibre library using a LibraryBox using COPS.

It is based on PirateBox, but uploads are disabled in LibraryBox, so the owner of the LibraryBox has full control over what is shared, and can make sure that there are no problems with copyright infringement.

One possible use is for an author or book publisher to offer free books or samples on a convention. Anyone passing nearby can connect to the device and download a book. Another use is in education. Teachers can share a library over wifi with a class. It is also possible to share media files and photos. So a band that has a live performance can share free music files and other media. By the entrance to a public event digital versions of the program can be shared to any that pass near the entrance. A restaurant can share the meny in PDF-format for patrons to download. And on and on...

LibraryBox is at version 2.0. Working fine. But not very elegant...

Development is under way. Update via "mesh" is possible. You can carry a "master" LibraryBox near a "slave" LibraryBox and the slave is automatically updated from the "master". So you can update several LibraryBoxes simply by strolling past them. How cool is that!

And some tech-skills are helpful. It is perfectly possible to make mistakes and brick the wireless router.

I am experimenting with a "WikiBox". Instead of a fixed webpage as interface, I would like to use a simple wiki as the interface. It would make it possible for anyone to personalize the looks of the 'Box and adapt it for different purposes. Also it would be possible to use it for collaborative writing. Or to share the protocols of a meeting during the meeting. Or make the previous protocols and other documents available for the whole meeting. Or publish photos from the party during the party...

09-30-2014, 11:45 AM	#1
Adoby Handy Elephant Posts: 1,737 Karma: 26785684 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Southern Sweden, far out in the quiet woods Device: Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra	Librarybox - Share books over open wifi. Fun tech for ebook lover that wants to share their books on the go. My Librarybox is a small battery powered wifi router, TP-Link TL-MR3040. It is the size of a 2.5" HD. It has a 32GB USB memory. And it runs on the internal battery for 4-5 hours. Or from a powered USB-port or charger. The TL-MR3040 costs about $35. A SanDisk Cruzer Fit 32 GB USB memory costs around $17. And it has been reprogrammed to become a small open access point with a built in web-server that any mobile device can connect to over wifi. It runs a version of Linux, OpenWRT. And if you know Linux you can do a lot of fun things with the device, as long as you keep the extreme limitations regarding memory and processing power in mind. LibraryBox is still rather primitive, but with some work it is possible to share a static calibre library. And everything is opensource, so it is possible to change things if you have the skills... There are reports that it is possible to share a calibre library using a LibraryBox using COPS. It is based on PirateBox, but uploads are disabled in LibraryBox, so the owner of the LibraryBox has full control over what is shared, and can make sure that there are no problems with copyright infringement. One possible use is for an author or book publisher to offer free books or samples on a convention. Anyone passing nearby can connect to the device and download a book. Another use is in education. Teachers can share a library over wifi with a class. It is also possible to share media files and photos. So a band that has a live performance can share free music files and other media. By the entrance to a public event digital versions of the program can be shared to any that pass near the entrance. A restaurant can share the meny in PDF-format for patrons to download. And on and on... LibraryBox is at version 2.0. Working fine. But not very elegant... Development is under way. Update via "mesh" is possible. You can carry a "master" LibraryBox near a "slave" LibraryBox and the slave is automatically updated from the "master". So you can update several LibraryBoxes simply by strolling past them. How cool is that! And some tech-skills are helpful. It is perfectly possible to make mistakes and brick the wireless router. I am experimenting with a "WikiBox". Instead of a fixed webpage as interface, I would like to use a simple wiki as the interface. It would make it possible for anyone to personalize the looks of the 'Box and adapt it for different purposes. Also it would be possible to use it for collaborative writing. Or to share the protocols of a meeting during the meeting. Or make the previous protocols and other documents available for the whole meeting. Or publish photos from the party during the party... Last edited by Adoby; 10-02-2014 at 05:17 PM.