Content Frustrated With Overdrive? This app makes it easy.

[ckim06]

I love Overdrive and the service that it provides, but I find the interface a little difficult to use. If you are also frustrated with Overdrive, I've created an app to work as an overlay.

Currently its in the process of being approved on the Amazon App Store, but Google approved it in its Play almost 2 hours after I uploaded it.

Here is the Google Play link:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...rarybooksearch

Its currently in review at the Amazon App Store, if you can't wait here is the APK to side load:
http://www.badluckdonkey.com/LibraryBookSearch.apk

Just select a metro, (currently only Los Angeles, New York, or Chicago), then search for a book.


Click the name of your library that you are a cardholder of and enter your library card number.


When you get redirected to Amazon, log in and checkout your book! Afterwords it will show up on your Kindle or Kindle App.

[Skydog]

Very nice concept but in the huge L.A. metro area one must scroll through too many libraries, most of which require different accounts -- something most patrons probably do not have. Also, the search function brings up dozens of listings that have nothing to do with the title or author being searched.

[ckim06]

Hey Skydog! Thanks for taking the time to download and try out my app. Also thanks for the helpful comments.

I actually live in Los Angeles. Within a 10 mile radius of my house there are five different Overdrive systems, so I have 5 library cards.

So with Library to Kindle, if I wanted to check out Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, I can see which of my five libraries has that book. If it is checked out, I can quickly compare the libraries to see which one has the shortest wait.

WITHOUT Library to Kindle, I would have to go to each of the five different Overdrive sites, search for Harry Potter and see if the book is available or not. If they are all checked out, I cannot quickly compare waiting times. For example, if there are 3 patrons on a waiting list, and one library copy, this will be a longer wait than if there were 30 patrons on a waiting list, but 30 library copies.

I also don't really like the shopping cart, and find it unnecessary. I not quite smart enough to keep track of reading more than one book at a time.

The app also remembers your library card number, so you don’t have to keep reentering the number, so there are fewer steps involved to check out a book.

As for searching, Library to Kindle is using the same search results from Overdrive. I find it to be pretty accurate if you search for something specific, like an Author’s name or title. Searching for something ambiguous like ‘candy’ or ‘salt’ will give you poor results. What did you search for?

[Skydog]

Well, it is nice that you are centrally located in the metro area. But with your app the list of libraries will include Orange, Riverside, and possibly Ventura, counties in addition to Los Angeles -- not necessarily applicable to residents in the outlying counties. And the wait times, whether through your UI or the individual library's site, are guesses at best since checkout durations vary and there is the ability to return books early.

I did not have a particular title in mind when searching, so I picked one from the home page of a library, Jackie After O, and a large list of titles appeared that were not related whatsoever. Nice idea and UI, however.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by ckim06

Just select a metro, (currently only Los Angeles, New York, or Chicago), then search for a book.

Is Seattle metro in the works?

[Dazrin]

Very nice. Would love to see a Portland Metro.

[ckim06]

I'm working on new cities... Stay tuned. I created a Facebook page to make announcements on.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Librar...82068261884884