A free e-books service is proving popular

boxcorner · 01-21-2011, 07:53 AM

Warwickshire Libraries e-books prove popular

"E-books can be borrowed for up to three weeks with books automatically recalled at the end of the loan period."

Warwickshire County Council: Library and Information Service:"E-books Are Here"

paganpete · 01-22-2011, 03:51 AM

Sadly, you have to be resident in that county to join - same as Leeds and York do - in Hull there is no chance, still trying to work out what this 'gutenberg' thing is!

DMB · 01-22-2011, 03:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paganpete

Sadly, you have to be resident in that county to join - same as Leeds and York do - in Hull there is no chance, still trying to work out what this 'gutenberg' thing is!

http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page

winspiration · 02-12-2011, 07:21 AM

I just discovered this through a snippet in my local paper - I've sent off for a library card (as I couldn't find my old one

) so will look forward to seeing what there is. 188 isn't that many to start with, but hopefully it will grow over time, and the trial made permanent

SameOldStory · 02-13-2011, 08:55 AM

Here, in the US, we run the full gamut from "no out of area lending" to VERY high priced "out of area lending".

In the state of Pennsylvania we have a program where, if you have a library card from one participating Penn. library you can get a free card from another participating Penn. library.

As the libraries receive some of it's money from the state of Pennsylvania this works out well.

How? Well the more library subscribers they have, the more money they receive. The more money they receive the longer they can stay open (in business).

astra · 02-13-2011, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boxcorner

Warwickshire Libraries e-books prove popular

"E-books can be borrowed for up to three weeks with books automatically recalled at the end of the loan period."

Warwickshire County Council: Library and Information Service:"E-books Are Here"

So, only residents of Warwickshire can use the service?

boxcorner · 02-13-2011, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by astra

So, only residents of Warwickshire can use the service?

When I clicked on the Join link, it took me to a Log in page. When I clicked on the Register link it took me to a Create an account page. On that page it says "If you live in Warwickshire, Choose your address". It doesn't say you have to be a resident of Warwickshire. In fact, the form even enables you to select a country. However, I haven't tried to join, so this is all guesswork on my part. If you're interested, perhaps you'd like to try joining and let us know!

Addendum
I decided to give it a try, just to see what would happen. So I applied to join and filled in various forms on-line, answered a bunch of silly questions, including ones about race and sexual orientation! At the end of the procedure, I received a message saying, "Your application has been submitted successfully and the details are listed below. You should receive your library card within seven working days". It will be interesting to see whether I actually receive a card, as I live in France. The card number and a separate PIN are required to borrow e-books. To be candid, downloading free e-books from MR, or Project Gutenberg, is a heck of a lot easier. At least all they ask is what my preferred format is!

BookCat · 02-13-2011, 09:17 PM

I've just signed up. I'm not in Warwickshire either, but very close, in the West Midlands. The hardest part of filling the form was choosing "my local library" from the list which didn't contain a library anywhere near me. It wouldn't allow just writing in the name, you have to select from the drop-down. Ho hum.

boxcorner · 02-14-2011, 05:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BookCat

I've just signed up. I'm not in Warwickshire either, but very close, in the West Midlands. The hardest part of filling the form was choosing "my local library" from the list which didn't contain a library anywhere near me. It wouldn't allow just writing in the name, you have to select from the drop-down. Ho hum.

I received two e-mails: (1) verification from WCC (2) thanking me for submitting an application to join the library. Both links in the 1st e-mail work fine. When I click on the View form details link, in the 2nd e-mail and enter my user name and password, I get Error - Case not found. The problem seems to be that the reference number is not being recognised. Assuming you received a similar e-mail, does the link work for you?

winspiration · 02-17-2011, 12:44 PM

I've only had one email so far, saying that I should receive my card within 7 days. No card as yet, but the 7 days isn't up. I do live in Warwickshire.

I mentioned it to a friend as I knew their daughter in law (also in Warks) has a Sony Reader too, apparently she signed up and downloaded an ebook without any fuss, but I don't know any more than that. She is obviously much more organised than me and could find her library card!

The eligibility rules for full membership are on this page of the site:

Quote:

Full membership of Warwickshire libraries is open to anyone who lives, works or studies in Warwickshire or lives in a neighbouring county and will do so for more than eight weeks from the date of joining.

If you are visiting the county for between eight days and eight weeks you can join as a temporary member.

Namekuseijin · 02-17-2011, 01:19 PM

sounds quite unpopular to me.

boxcorner · 02-18-2011, 04:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by winspiration

... I do live in Warwickshire ...

That's cheating.

winspiration · 02-18-2011, 06:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boxcorner

That's cheating.

Still no card though, so it isn't doing me much good so far

winspiration · 02-19-2011, 08:21 AM

Well my card arrived today, so I've been able to log in and have a look. There isn't a huge selection as yet, looks like they are still on the original 188, which is a mixture of mostly autobiographies, children's books and contemporary adult fiction.

The good news is that there are quite a few books that I'd like to read, the bad news is that almost all of them seem to be reserved so it was hard to find something to *actually* read. I only came across one book that was available to download straightaway, but of course I didn't fancy the look of that one

Some of them are reserved as far ahead as April.

The maximum number of books that you can take out on either loan or reserve is 3 in total, so you can't have lots on your reserve list (which of course works both ways, as otherwise there could be even longer waiting lists).

Hopefully if the service does prove popular in practice, they will increase the number of titles. In the meantime I guess I will just have to plan ahead & be a bit patient - but it's good to have a new and free source of contemporary e-books

boxcorner · 02-20-2011, 04:02 AM

You might like to let feenix1363 know, in their UK libraries thread, if you haven't done so already.

01-21-2011, 07:53 AM	#1
boxcorner »(°±°)« Posts: 826 Karma: 775629 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: divisive reader	A free e-books service is proving popular Warwickshire Libraries e-books prove popular "E-books can be borrowed for up to three weeks with books automatically recalled at the end of the loan period." Warwickshire County Council: Library and Information Service:"E-books Are Here" Last edited by boxcorner; 02-13-2011 at 01:10 PM.

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01-22-2011, 03:51 AM	#2
paganpete Member Posts: 19 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: Binatone Readme Daily	Sadly, you have to be resident in that county to join - same as Leeds and York do - in Hull there is no chance, still trying to work out what this 'gutenberg' thing is!

02-12-2011, 07:21 AM	#4
winspiration Connoisseur Posts: 59 Karma: 1305 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: UK Device: Sony Reader PRS-505, Kindle Fire HD	I just discovered this through a snippet in my local paper - I've sent off for a library card (as I couldn't find my old one ) so will look forward to seeing what there is. 188 isn't that many to start with, but hopefully it will grow over time, and the trial made permanent

02-13-2011, 08:55 AM	#5
SameOldStory My True Self Posts: 3,126 Karma: 66242098 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Trantor, Galactic Center Device: Galaxy Tab 2 7.0	Here, in the US, we run the full gamut from "no out of area lending" to VERY high priced "out of area lending". In the state of Pennsylvania we have a program where, if you have a library card from one participating Penn. library you can get a free card from another participating Penn. library. As the libraries receive some of it's money from the state of Pennsylvania this works out well. How? Well the more library subscribers they have, the more money they receive. The more money they receive the longer they can stay open (in business).

02-13-2011, 09:17 PM	#8
BookCat C L J Posts: 2,911 Karma: 21115458 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Birmingham UK Device: Sony e-reader 505, Kindle PW2, Kindle PW3, Kobo Libra2	I've just signed up. I'm not in Warwickshire either, but very close, in the West Midlands. The hardest part of filling the form was choosing "my local library" from the list which didn't contain a library anywhere near me. It wouldn't allow just writing in the name, you have to select from the drop-down. Ho hum.

02-17-2011, 01:19 PM	#11
Namekuseijin affordable chipmunk Posts: 1,290 Karma: 9863855 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Brazil Device: Sony XPeria ZL, Kindle Paperwhite	sounds quite unpopular to me.

02-19-2011, 08:21 AM	#14
winspiration Connoisseur Posts: 59 Karma: 1305 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: UK Device: Sony Reader PRS-505, Kindle Fire HD	Well my card arrived today, so I've been able to log in and have a look. There isn't a huge selection as yet, looks like they are still on the original 188, which is a mixture of mostly autobiographies, children's books and contemporary adult fiction. The good news is that there are quite a few books that I'd like to read, the bad news is that almost all of them seem to be reserved so it was hard to find something to actually read. I only came across one book that was available to download straightaway, but of course I didn't fancy the look of that one Some of them are reserved as far ahead as April. The maximum number of books that you can take out on either loan or reserve is 3 in total, so you can't have lots on your reserve list (which of course works both ways, as otherwise there could be even longer waiting lists). Hopefully if the service does prove popular in practice, they will increase the number of titles. In the meantime I guess I will just have to plan ahead & be a bit patient - but it's good to have a new and free source of contemporary e-books

02-20-2011, 04:02 AM	#15
boxcorner »(°±°)« Posts: 826 Karma: 775629 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: divisive reader	You might like to let feenix1363 know, in their UK libraries thread, if you haven't done so already.