Overdrive's Recommend a Title

[elemenoP]

I love Overdrive's "recommend a title" feature: if your library doesn't have the book you're looking for, you can search Overdrive's full catalog and if it's available, you can recommend that your library purchase it and even put yourself at the top of the hold list, if they ever do. I think it's a smart feature.

There's just one problem. I have recommended 5 or 6 titles to Brooklyn Public Library over the last few months, and they have not purchased any. These are not obscure books: one was a popular Bill Bryson title, another was a series where the library had all but the first book.

Have you used this feature and did your library purchase any books you recommended? I know there are some of you out there who use BPL; have they ever picked up your recommendations?

Just wondering.
eP

[meeera]

I've used this feature, and my library has bought most of the ebooks I've recommended so far, sometimes within a week of me requesting them. I'm not in Brooklyn, though!

[tubemonkey]

Never used the feature. If my libraries don't have what I want, I find something else to read.

[Venus]

Good morning elemenoP. I actually have used this feature but I think it was with the NYPL. I am registered with a few libraries so I am not sure which one I tried. I do know that it took almost a year and then I got a notice. By that time I had already gotten the book.

[MartyTX]

Some Texas cities allow free library membership if you are a state resident; you don't have to reside in a specific city or county. This can easily expand Overdrive selections and reduce hold list waiting time. I have to check more than one library for a book, but it's worth it.

Have recommended about a dozen books ... about half of them have been purchased. Several were "series" books with a gap in the series that needed to be filled.

Check if NYC allows free library membership if you live in any of the boroughs. Running around the city for "real" library books isn't practical, but Overdrive is as close as your keyboard. Joining a few NYC libraries would give you MANY books to choose from.

[elemenoP]

I'm not complaining about BPL's selection, I think it's fantastic. I just wish they would look at the titles that people recommend, it would be nice. I have twice tried to get a NYPL card and I had the wrong documentation with me, then I never bothered again. I have over 140 titles on my BPL "wish list" so I have no shortage of books to read.

It's nice to see that other libraries look at the recommendations. Maybe BPL will, it will just take a really long time.

[PurpleStar]

I have requested a ton of e-books from my local library.(Through the library's website, not Overdrive.) As long as it's something the publishers let them purchase, they will usually purchase it. Also, if I request the first book in a series, they usually buy the rest of the series too. My library is pretty good!

[mycurlylocks]

I've not had any luck with the recommend a title feature. I have a couple of libraries. One never has bought a recommendation, the other library bought all books that I recommended by email. Unfortunately the books were already six months old and I had bought them.

I've given up on recommendations. If it's not available, I'll just buy it.

[FizzyWater]

Yes, I've used this feature occasionally. The one library I'm on, you can only recommend one book at a time (until they either decide to buy it or deny it), which I thought was odd.

I also like that you can ask to be put on the "wait list" immediately if they purchase it when you request the book.

[xendula]

I always assumed that they probably have such long recommendation lists that they won't ever get to mine. I didn't know you could do it through Overdrive - where is that feature?
I only recommended one book once to Fairfax through the old website before the Overdrive redesign, and they did end up purchasing it about 2 months later.

[FizzyWater]

It's under Advanced Search, if you library participates. I think of the 5 Overdrive libraries I have access to, only 2 participate in allowing requests via this tool.

[Plumadona]

Of the three NYC libraries, historically BPL has had the least amount of available funds, so cost may well be the issue. It may be worth your while to get the NYPL card as well as the Queens card. All three are available to NYC residents. I found a Queens branch one subway stop and a short walk away from Manhattan, got a card, and found that they often have ebook titles NYPL and BPL don't have. Sometimes, though, I just end up getting a print version or buying it. Unfortunately, libraries in general are just too strapped for cash to buy everything. We're extremely fortunate in NYC to have three systems, any one of which would be the envy of many other places. Good luck!

Plumadona

[John F]

I've had much, much better results using email vs recomend. My local library suggested using "recommend" as the funding comes out of a different budget.

[DianNC]

Originally Posted by FizzyWater

The one library I'm on, you can only recommend one book at a time (until they either decide to buy it or deny it), which I thought was odd.

Very odd, but it's exactly my experience, too. As far as I can tell, that part isn't mentioned up front.

[Croptop]

Originally Posted by elemenoP

Have you used this feature and did your library purchase any books you recommended? I know there are some of you out there who use BPL; have they ever picked up your recommendations?
eP

I used the feature to recommend to my local library a number of books that I was interested in reading. The library ended up buying all of them. I was chuffed to bits.