Snarky LA Times article about Kindle Library Lending

carld · 09-21-2011, 04:04 PM

I was really surprised and disappointed by the tone and content of this article from the LA Times. Clevnet has the "Girl with..." books for Kindle, but only has "Freedom" as an audio book. Plus, did they have to pick those particular books as examples of what is available. Really, it's all around just terrible reporting.

Kindle books are at 11,000 libraries -- but any you want to read?

markdek · 09-21-2011, 04:19 PM

What a duche......LA Times, that is.

DiapDealer · 09-21-2011, 04:48 PM

Why would they target Kindle? Don't the numbers they're presenting represent the titles available through the OverDrive Lending system as a whole? Amazon didn't choose the titles that the libraries would have available. That whole article makes no sense. It should have been about ebook lending in general. Did ebook lending suck before Kindle jumped in? I think it must have if the article can be believed.

abookreader · 09-21-2011, 04:52 PM

What - surely you didn't expect a reporter to research and gain a true understanding about Publisher controlled eBook availability via Overdrive before writing an article about eBook availability via Overdrive?

What do you think this is? The old days when journalists were actually......journalists?

RainingLemur · 09-21-2011, 04:58 PM

Sounds like someone has a little sand in their vajayjay.

davem2bits · 09-21-2011, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Why would they target Kindle? Don't the numbers they're presenting represent the titles available through the OverDrive Lending system as a whole? Amazon didn't choose the titles that the libraries would have available. That whole article makes no sense. It should have been about ebook lending in general. Did ebook lending suck before Kindle jumped in? I think it must have if the article can be believed.

Yes, ebook lending sucked before Kindle jumped in!! The Libraries, Overdrive, and Amazon added a bunch more people looking for ebooks without adding anymore copies. The long wait lists are mostly folks that use EPUB or PDF versions of ebooks not the handful of Kindle owners that have found kbooks at their libraries. IT IS ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE.

Part of the problem, as I see it, is that the default is to check the ebook out for 21 days. Not enough people know how to change that or how to return the ebook after they finish it. The default check out length should be 7 days or a group of buttons where the person has to select the number of days, so they know there is an option.

Read this:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/custom...deId=200747550

Notice that Amazon doesn't have anything about how to return an ebook. I complained out that and others should also.

Just my 2 cents.

I agree the reporter is a numb skull.

markdek · 09-21-2011, 05:46 PM

Max is 14 days for my library (7 days is an option too).

DiapDealer · 09-21-2011, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Part of the problem, as I see it, is that the default is to check the ebook out for 21 days. Not enough people know how to change that or how to return the ebook after they finish it. The default check out length should be 7 days or a group of buttons where the person has to select the number of days, so they know there is an option.

My default is 21 days. And that's my only choice for Kindle books. I'd shorten it to 14 if I could, but it's not an option for Kindlebooks at my library... only for epub's and pfdf's. I'll definitely make sure to return them manually before the 21 days is up. But hopefully, my library will allow me to change that setting in the future.

tubemonkey · 09-21-2011, 07:22 PM

Publishers love 21 day checkouts. That means fewer people get the books, which might lead some to purchase them instead of waiting.

DiapDealer · 09-21-2011, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Publishers love 21 day checkouts. That means fewer people get the books, which might lead some to purchase them instead of waiting.

So is it 21 days for Kindle books across the board that everyone is seeing?

RDaneel54 · 09-21-2011, 07:48 PM

At my library it's 14 days. Or if I want it could be 14 days. That was the only selection.

davem2bits · 09-21-2011, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

So is it 21 days for Kindle books across the board that everyone is seeing?

I'd check but every Kindle version is already checked out at my library.

I am able to select 7, 14, or 21 days at my library. If I was you I would complain to someone (Don't ask me who) at your library. These are probably options that the someone at the library sets when they sign up to use OverDrive; like whether the thing you put your ebooks in before you check out is called a book bag, or a cart.

carld · 09-21-2011, 07:50 PM

Clevnet allows a 7/14/21 day selectable loan period with a 21-day default. It's easy to change from a drop down menu on the checkout screen, but I doubt many people bother.

tubemonkey · 09-21-2011, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

So is it 21 days for Kindle books across the board that everyone is seeing?

My libraries default to 21 days, but give you the option to change it to 7 or 14 days.

DiapDealer · 09-21-2011, 08:00 PM

I have the 7/14/21 day selectable loan period for every format except Kindle. Ah well, maybe they'll add the option later.

09-21-2011, 04:04 PM	#1
carld Wizard Posts: 2,698 Karma: 4748723 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	Snarky LA Times article about Kindle Library Lending I was really surprised and disappointed by the tone and content of this article from the LA Times. Clevnet has the "Girl with..." books for Kindle, but only has "Freedom" as an audio book. Plus, did they have to pick those particular books as examples of what is available. Really, it's all around just terrible reporting. Kindle books are at 11,000 libraries -- but any you want to read?

09-21-2011, 04:48 PM	#3
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 28,891 Karma: 207182180 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	Why would they target Kindle? Don't the numbers they're presenting represent the titles available through the OverDrive Lending system as a whole? Amazon didn't choose the titles that the libraries would have available. That whole article makes no sense. It should have been about ebook lending in general. Did ebook lending suck before Kindle jumped in? I think it must have if the article can be believed. Last edited by DiapDealer; 09-21-2011 at 04:51 PM.

09-21-2011, 05:46 PM	#7
markdek Addict Posts: 202 Karma: 1015348 Join Date: Apr 2011 Device: Kindle 3	Max is 14 days for my library (7 days is an option too). Last edited by markdek; 09-21-2011 at 06:23 PM.

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09-21-2011, 04:19 PM	#2
markdek Addict Posts: 202 Karma: 1015348 Join Date: Apr 2011 Device: Kindle 3	What a duche......LA Times, that is.

09-21-2011, 04:52 PM	#4
abookreader Wizard Posts: 1,516 Karma: 2567610 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Kindles - Keyboard, Fire, 2-US, iPhone, iPAD	What - surely you didn't expect a reporter to research and gain a true understanding about Publisher controlled eBook availability via Overdrive before writing an article about eBook availability via Overdrive? What do you think this is? The old days when journalists were actually......journalists?

09-21-2011, 04:58 PM	#5
RainingLemur Spork Connoisseur Posts: 2,355 Karma: 16780603 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Nook Color	Sounds like someone has a little sand in their vajayjay.

09-21-2011, 07:22 PM	#9
tubemonkey monkey on the fringe Posts: 45,858 Karma: 158733736 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Seattle Metro Device: Moto E6, Echo Show	Publishers love 21 day checkouts. That means fewer people get the books, which might lead some to purchase them instead of waiting.

09-21-2011, 07:48 PM	#11
RDaneel54 Aging Positronic Brain Posts: 633 Karma: 2155452 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Aurora (when off-Earth) Device: Amazon Oasis; iPhone, iPad Mini	At my library it's 14 days. Or if I want it could be 14 days. That was the only selection.

09-21-2011, 07:50 PM	#13
carld Wizard Posts: 2,698 Karma: 4748723 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	Clevnet allows a 7/14/21 day selectable loan period with a 21-day default. It's easy to change from a drop down menu on the checkout screen, but I doubt many people bother.

09-21-2011, 08:00 PM	#15
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 28,891 Karma: 207182180 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	I have the 7/14/21 day selectable loan period for every format except Kindle. Ah well, maybe they'll add the option later.