Classic library ebooks?

[fictionfan]

I have not owned an ereader before but am very interested in possibly picking up the Nook when it comes out. Will I be able to download ebooks from my local library and put them on the Nook? Or is the Nook exclusively for B&N purchases.

If not, could someone recommend another reader that would allow me to do this.

[abookreader]

They finally answered this question over on the Barnes and Noble message board. This is from Phil_K an administrator.

Re: Library ebooks on nook or not?
Options

posted an hour ago

Thanks for the question, love-ebooks: unfortunately, nook will not be able to support borrowing from the local library at this time. If this changes in the future, we'll be sure to let everyone know.

As for what devices can download directly with no manipulation of the Adobe Adept DRM, my understanding is that it has to be a device which can be registered to Adobe Digital Editions. This is their webpage on supported eBook devices. My guess is the Sony Daily Edition when it is released will be added.

http://www.adobe.com/products/digitaleditions/devices/

[lisreed]

This is wrong. While the nook's ereader format won't support library borrowing, the nook will support drm epub & pdf which you will be able to take out from the library without any problem just like the sony reader. Someone from adobe even posted on this forum saying from day 1 the nook would support drm epub & pdf.

[Jim Lester]

B&N answered the question correctly if not completely.

You won't be able to borrow library books directly from the library on the Nook.
(ie "nook will not be able to support borrowing from the local library at this time" )

As lisread mentioned, you will however be able to use ADE to copy library books from your computer onto the Nook and read them (just as you can currently do with other RMSDK devices - Sony, COOL-er etc...).

[French]

I find this whole adobe thing very confusing. If you are saying it's simply a matter of borrowing the book on my computer (directly from the library with specific software to do so) and then transferring it to the Nook, I can live with that. But is this PDFs only, or ePubs only, or both? I'm not removing protection and running scripts and a bunch of other stuff just to get the book on the Nook, am I (ha, that sounded funny).

And ADE is available and free?

I just need some clarification. The library thing is a deal breaker for me. I don't mind paying for some books, but my reading historically has been go to the library, check out 7 or 8 books, read, return. If I can supplement some of the buying with borrowing that would be what it takes to get me to (gladly) convert over.

ETA: some of the things I've read from the forums have made it seem like B&N is actually working on a proprietary DRM with Adobe...so there is the existing standard DRM Adobe has, but that B&N is doing something to their version to make it different. If that's the case, then it could very well mean no borrowed books period (if the ability on the reader is only to read their "proprietary" DRM).

Again...I find it all very confusing.

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by French

I find this whole adobe thing very confusing. If you are saying it's simply a matter of borrowing the book on my computer (directly from the library with specific software to do so) and then transferring it to the Nook, I can live with that. But is this PDFs only, or ePubs only, or both? I'm not removing protection and running scripts and a bunch of other stuff just to get the book on the Nook, am I (ha, that sounded funny).

And ADE is available and free?

It is confusing. The Nook fully supports "sideloading" standard Adobe DRMed ePubs and PDFs. In other words, you copy these to the Nook using USB, rather than wireless. This includes Adobe lending library ebooks. At least, we assume so - it won't be certain until someone actually gets this to work on a Nook.

This is the way all current EInk readers get access to Adobe ebooks, because none has wireless. Three devices with wireless and ADE are coming (the Nook, the Sony Daily Edition and the iRex DR800SG) but none will be able to download wirelessly from a lending library - they will all be sideloading such ebooks. You download the ebooks from the library using desktop ADE (Windows or Mac, both free). If your EInk device has been registered to your AdobeID, then these same ebook files will work on the Reader and you just need to copy them over. Desktop ADE can copy them for you, or you do this yourself via the USB filesystem (which works like a USB memory stick).

[French]

Originally Posted by wallcraft

It is confusing. The Nook fully supports "sideloading" standard Adobe DRMed ePubs and PDFs. In other words, you copy these to the Nook using USB, rather than wireless. This includes Adobe lending library ebooks. At least, we assume so - it won't be certain until someone actually gets this to work on a Nook.

This is the way all current EInk readers get access to Adobe ebooks, because none has wireless. Three devices with wireless and ADE are coming (the Nook, the Sony Daily Edition and the iRex DR800SG) but none will be able to download wirelessly from a lending library - they will all be sideloading such ebooks. You download the ebooks from the library using desktop ADE (Windows or Mac, both free). If your EInk device has been registered to your AdobeID, then these same ebook files will work on the Reader and you just need to copy them over. Desktop ADE can copy them for you, or you do this yourself via the USB filesystem (which works like a USB memory stick).

This was a GREAT response...thank you so much. I now understand much better. Sounds like I shouldn't rule it out just yet...but that, as you stated, we will really need to wait until someone has it in hand and successfully loads a book which can be opened and read on the device.

Again, many thanks. This was clear and helpful.

[abookreader]

Oh man, I'm glad somebody understands because I sure don't.

So Adobe says it will work but Barnes and Noble says no?

I'm with the "I'm just going to wait and see" crowd. I would really like a device that I don't have to run Python scripts to get my library eBooks on. I'm getting really frustrated with that Barnes and Noble help forum ... I alternate between getting angry with them because they don't seem to have answers and kind of feeling sorry for them because they seem to be trying to do their jobs without the resources to do it accurately.

Maybe by Mid-December or so they'll have all this worked out.

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by abookreader

Oh man, I'm glad somebody understands because I sure don't.

So Adobe says it will work but Barnes and Noble says no?

I'm with the "I'm just going to wait and see" crowd. I would really like a device that I don't have to run Python scripts to get my library eBooks on. I'm getting really frustrated with that Barnes and Noble help forum ... I alternate between getting angry with them because they don't seem to have answers and kind of feeling sorry for them because they seem to be trying to do their jobs without the resources to do it accurately.

Maybe by Mid-December or so they'll have all this worked out.

Adobe says yes and it will work if you go through a PC.

Barnes and Noble says no it will not be directly supported by the Nook by itself.

these are not conflicting statements.

Dale

[kindlekitten]

Originally Posted by fictionfan

I have not owned an ereader before but am very interested in possibly picking up the Nook when it comes out. Will I be able to download ebooks from my local library and put them on the Nook? Or is the Nook exclusively for B&N purchases.

If not, could someone recommend another reader that would allow me to do this.

you can get library books on the Kindle. you have to load them to your computer, and there are a few steps, but it is doable

[kezza]

Originally Posted by abookreader

Oh man, I'm glad somebody understands because I sure don't.

So Adobe says it will work but Barnes and Noble says no?

It *is* very confusing. B&N has been saying that things are "incompatible" when what they really mean is "you can't do that directly from the device, but the files are readable when transferred from a computer." It's misleading and probably turning people away from their product unnecessarily.

[jasonkchapman]

Originally Posted by kezza

It *is* very confusing. B&N has been saying that things are "incompatible" when what they really mean is "you can't do that directly from the device, but the files are readable when transferred from a computer." It's misleading and probably turning people away from their product unnecessarily.

Part of the problem with all of this is that the B&N folks on their forums are answering questions as if all of this were new. Thus the situation above. I suspect it's because this is all new to them. They don't have the expertise (or assume the audience doesn't) for a full, detailed answer, so rather than give a misleading answer, they fall back to "no".

Once the device is out, believe me, MR will have the technical ins, outs, cans, and can'ts in short order. There's enough knowledge and expertise around to clear up all of the question marks, including whether or not you can port Google Maps to the thing. (I'm just saying....)

[kezza]

Originally Posted by jasonkchapman

Once the device is out, believe me, MR will have the technical ins, outs, cans, and can'ts in short order. There's enough knowledge and expertise around to clear up all of the question marks, including whether or not you can port Google Maps to the thing. (I'm just saying....)

You're absolutely right. I plan to be here helping answer questions when my nook comes, and people on the B&N boards are already sending folks over here to get help.
It's a blessing to have such a community to help out when those making the device can't be arsed to give a straight answer.

[Jim Lester]

Originally Posted by kezza

It's a blessing to have such a community to help out when those making the device can't be arsed to give a straight answer.

I thought I had given a relatively straight answer above

[Musicman]

Originally Posted by jasonkchapman

Part of the problem with all of this is that the B&N folks on their forums are answering questions as if all of this were new. Thus the situation above. I suspect it's because this is all new to them. They don't have the expertise (or assume the audience doesn't) for a full, detailed answer, so rather than give a misleading answer, they fall back to "no".

You are absolutely right!

The folks answering questions don't have a clue to the what is being asked, let alone the ability to answer it correctly.

If the nook support adobe ADE, then it will support library book lending on Epub and PDF. There is only one version of Adobe ADE as far as I know, and Adobe is incorporating Ereader DRM into it (that's what I read). It would make absolutely no sense to confuse the issue of ADE even more by adobe supporting some features and not others based on a version of ADE.