Thinking About a kindle - But What Of My Existing Library

[Doc333]

I've had a Sony reader for the last couple of years, but last night it crashed yet again. I've managed to do a couple of 'soft re-boots' in the past but last time I had to do a 'hard re-boot' which caused massive problems, as my reader wouldn't allow me to read my own books due to DRM. Last nights episode will probably need a complete 'hard re-boot', so I'm sick of it.

So I'm thinking about buying a Kindle, but I imagine my library isn't going to transfer and if it does I'll need to reformat it in Calibre, but will still have the DRM problem. Or am i totally wrong or confused.

Thanks

[ghostyjack]

You're not wrong.

You will need to get the DRM stripped and then get your ePub files converted to Mobi as the Kindle doesn't recognise the format.

[HarryT]

You need to remove the DRM; you'll then be able to convert your books. Apprentice Alf is your friend.

[wallcraft]

If you have DRMed ePub files on your PC or Mac that can be read by Adobe Digital Editions, then it is possible to strip the DRM using a 3rd party plugin to Calibre. See Apprentice Alf's Blog for more on DRM.

The conversion of DRM-free ePub to MOBI (for the Kindle) by Calibre works very well. Some advanced formatting is lost (e.g. embedded fonts, text to the right or left of images, etcetera), but this isn't significant for most ebooks.

If you downloaded the ePubs directly to your Reader, it should still be possible to read them with Adobe Digital Editions. I'm not sure if this requires a redownload from the ebook retailer or not.

[pidgeon92]

... and let's face it... Stripping the DRM and keeping liberated backups of all of your ebooks is the safest way to make sure they are always available for your use. No matter what device you want to read on.

[calibrated]

Originally Posted by pidgeon92

... and let's face it... Stripping the DRM and keeping liberated backups of all of your ebooks is the safest way to make sure they are always available for your use. No matter what device you want to read on.

Exactly.

[cfrizz]

You could also get a Sony PRS-T1 and not have to worry about stripping the drm. The latest Sony reader is terrific!

[abookreader]

Originally Posted by pidgeon92

... and let's face it... Stripping the DRM and keeping liberated backups of all of your ebooks is the safest way to make sure they are always available for your use. No matter what device you want to read on.

+1 and then some.

It isn't a question of device. It is a question of you always being able to access your content.

I think of it this way. A digital library IS a library and over the course of years you will likely spend what - hundreds? thousands? of dollars on books. I don't know about you but I know for me I over the years since I've been buying eBooks, I've spent in excess of $1000 on ebooks. Publishers I think want us to view these these as throw away purchases. We'll keep them for you but if we don't or if you can't read it on whatever device if you wanted to ..... well you could always buy it again - right? And we'll probably have some new improved format (read in blu ray 3D!) to try and convince you to buy the same content, again.

You need to protect your library. Not just for right now when you are considering switching to another brand of eReader, but for years from now too.

[Joykins]

I did as advised above in Jan. when I switched most of my reading from my s l o w 1st gen nook to the Kindle 4 NT. The Calibre conversion from epub to mobi has been very smooth (i.e. worked like a charm), and I had already taken the advice of our friend Apprentice Alf. Of course, I only converted the books I hadn't read yet or wanted to reread for my first go-round, since I still have the nook and it still works. But it seems that any formatting problems in the converted files are simply perpetuated from epub formatting issues, not introduced in the conversion.

[tecweston]

I used to only strip the DRM off of books that I purchased from Amazon, in order to put on my Nook, but after hearing stories of books disappearing from peoples' accounts, I do it for everything. Now I strip the DRM off all new purchases and put them on my SD card. This also means that moving my library from one device to another is as simple as popping out the SD card and placing it in my new device.

[pidgeon92]

Originally Posted by abookreader

You need to protect your library. Not just for right now when you are considering switching to another brand of eReader, but for years from now too.

And beyond. If I keel over dead, someone just needs access to my iMac, and they can load any of my ebooks in Calibre onto the ereader of their choice.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by tecweston

Now I strip the DRM off all new purchases and put them on my SD card. This also means that moving my library from one device to another is as simple as popping out the SD card and placing it in my new device.

A good practice.

However, you do back-up that SD card, right?
Ideally, you want to have a copy on your main PC, a separate on-site back-up (say on an external HDD or a set of DVD-ROMs) and at least one off-site back-up at a relative's house. Updated every few months.

Stuff happens.
To devices, to companies, and to people.

Back-up, back-up, back-up...
Paranoia is a survival trait.

[Kumabjorn]

Once you get your new e-Reader, be it a Kindle or a Sony TR-1, you might want to consider some Cloud solution for your e-books. Loading them to Dropbox is way better than Ambien.

[faithbw]

Originally Posted by Kumabjorn

Once you get your new e-Reader, be it a Kindle or a Sony TR-1, you might want to consider some Cloud solution for your e-books. Loading them to Dropbox is way better than Ambien.

I keep my e-books on Dropbox as well as my hard drive. I should probably back them up to my external hard drive as well. Dropbox could always fold, so I think it's better 1) to have one more than one backup option 2) not rely solely on Cloud storage for backup.

[CommonReader]

Originally Posted by Kumabjorn

Once you get your new e-Reader, be it a Kindle or a Sony TR-1, you might want to consider some Cloud solution for your e-books. Loading them to Dropbox is way better than Ambien.

I do not really get these recommendations of storing e-books in the cloud. I can easily put thousands of books on my reader with a SD-Card. Otherwise I backup all my e-books just like all my other files e.g. mp3s, photos etc.
I have recently bought a 2 TB harddisk that serves as an off-site backup and for this purpose it is locked securely at my office. Cloud storage solutions are so limited in size and the upload takes so much time that I don't know how this can work for most people.