Kindle Library Books for dummies, please!

[FF2]

I just went looking at links for epubs and found the Overdrive site:

http://www.overdrive.com/resources/drc/

[abookreader]

Originally Posted by JSWolf View Post
What you really need is to get a reader that works with library eBooks.

I don't know why people don't research library eBooks before buying a Kindle.

I think JSWolf that not everybody is an obsessive compulsive researcher and planner and not everybody is going to research all their purchases to the nth degree. Lots of people just see something and think. Shiny.I.Want. I'm a tech gadget freak so I read a bunch about kindles and digital readers before I bought one and handed to my DH to give to me for Mother's Day.

But I'm a lousy cook who yesterday decided we could use a new soup pot that would hold up over years instead of needing to be replaced in 3. I went to Amazon, found the category, sorted by "bestselling" and then bought the top of the list. I really don't have a bunch of interest in pots and pans and decided to just go along with what everybody else buys.

Who knows what will show up in a couple of days and whether or not I'll discover in a week that I need something different?

[Barty]

I'm probably more tech savvy than 98% of people out there but I did not know about DRM stripping until after I bought my k3. I was resigned to being locked in with amazon (except for public domain books and a few smaller publishers), so it was a pleasant surprise.

So how did I find out about DRM stripping? I was looking for a way to install my own font and found this site, something I was motivated to do after having used it for a bit.

Just b/c you put in some effort with research, you are not going to find out all the nuances of owning and using a product. For ex, if you read a mainstream reviewer like say, Walter Mosberg of the WSJ, he'll tell you the kindle can't read library books, but he's not going to tell you pssst, there's a way you can get around it if you are competent with computers, know where to look, and don't mind breaking the law.

[chamekke]

My local library is actually about to make several ereaders available for borrowing, as well as the ebooks themselves.

Not quite sure how that's going to work (and unless you're a prodigious reader, how this will really be an advance beyond borrowing the individual hard-copy books!), but perhaps other libraries are already doing this? It would be a brilliant solution when going on holiday...

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by JaneD

I think most people just assume that because Kindle is one of the most popular readers, libraries will have a format that can be read by a Kindle. Then they buy one and find out it can't.

That actually sounds very logical and most likely true. But it is sad that a lot of people do not do their homework before buying a reader and end up with the wrong one.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by speedlever

I think that's only reasonable from an informed perspective.

How do you get an informed perspective? You buy an EBR and then discover this is not like emusic. You can't just buy any ebook and read it on just any EBR. That's only common knowledge among the informed.

I mean if I can just walk in my library and walk out with any available book, I should be able to check out any ebook and read it on my brand new EBR, right? What's the difference? And aren't all library books available in eformat? What? They're not? And there's a waiting line too? !!!

I wonder how many people do like me and research almost everything before jumping in? How many people give up on EBRs and leave them gathering dust when they discover it's not quite what they thought it was going to be like when they bought it or received it as a gift?

I've also found that even after my research, it's sometimes hard to replace experience with just book learnin'.

It's kinda like the brand new co-pilot on his first trip with a veteran captain:

"Captain? How did you develop such good judgment?"

"Experience, son," the captain replied.

"Well how did you get that experience, sir?" the new co-pilot asked.

"Bad judgment," the captain replied.

I do suppose people jump in and get a Kindle because others say how good it is and then after find out it's the wrong one for library eBooks.

[mdovell]

I do have to admit I have to wonder how much Amazon reads into some of the forums like this. What I mean by this is they obviously know in being a linux based system that there'd be more things going on..

Calibre alone but also in another thread it states in the latest one that streaming audio has been accomplished.

then there's doukan...

I suspect by the time the year is over some significant updates or upgrades ifa new one is released.

[GoSharks]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I do suppose people jump in and get a Kindle because others say how good it is and then after find out it's the wrong one for library eBooks.

Funny, no problems with library books here.....

[speedlever]

Originally Posted by GoSharks

Funny, no problems with library books here.....

Either you have a mobi local library or you know how to deal with the DRM infestation.

[GoSharks]

Originally Posted by speedlever

Either you have a mobi local library or you know how to deal with the DRM infestation.

The second....but I'm not an advocate. However, I enjoy my Kindle and ALL of it's capabilities and feel people should know what's possible. They can then make up their own minds as to what is right for them.

[desertblues]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

That actually sounds very logical and most likely true. But it is sad that a lot of people do not do their homework before buying a reader and end up with the wrong one.

That is easily said, but one has to know where to look. It is difficult to realize digital books are protected ( by what?.....some other digital thingie;in fact several of them ) and some not. And then the research for the best ereader for one's money ( saved dollar per dollar).

And then one's library has books that cannot be read on it!
That would drive me crazy or get me down, but this OP tries to solve the problem.
Removing DRM is legal in my country for my own use. But it took me till last week, before I finally got it, by re-re-reading 'I love appr. Alf' . I mean, I have a degree, a masters.

I wish the OP good luck with the librarybooks and I don't think she is a sad case at all.

[speedlever]

Originally Posted by GoSharks

The second....but I'm not an advocate. However, I enjoy my Kindle and ALL of it's capabilities and feel people should know what's possible. They can then make up their own minds as to what is right for them.

And I am in agreement (and in function) with you.

[FF2]

Originally Posted by GoSharks

The second....but I'm not an advocate. However, I enjoy my Kindle and ALL of it's capabilities and feel people should know what's possible. They can then make up their own minds as to what is right for them.

That! I have a kindle. I have a library card. I pay my taxes. I am entitled to borrow and read library books. I am even allowed borrow epub books. Is it a stretch to think that I might be able to read library books I borrow from a library on my kindle? Perhaps.

[FF2]

Originally Posted by desertblues

Removing DRM is legal in my country for my own use. But it took me till last week, before I finally got it, by re-re-reading 'I love appr. Alf' . I mean, I have a degree, a masters.

I wish the OP good luck with the librarybooks and I don't think she is a sad case at all.

Hmmm... What country? I would imagine that if one visits someplace it is not illegal, one could do it THERE and be done with it!!!

It does take a reading or two to figure out what's what with various readme files and scripts. I then had a bit of trouble with B&N's necessary info.

[chyron8472]

One would think that, since Amazon has the largest market share on ebooks and ebook readers, that those who are in the business of lending out books to the public (ie. libraries) would do well to make ebooks available in the format which the most popular device uses.