Public Libraries and Digital Services

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Have you tried using myaccount@gmail.com vs. my.account@gmail.com? For gmail, at least, both will go to the same account, but since that isn't part of the email specifications, I don't know of any services that will recognize them as the same. It's pretty handy, for lots of things including setting up gmail filters.

Sorry, I missed this post. Thanks, that's a good tip. I'll try it out soon.

[elemenoP]

Thanks for doing this! I love Overdrive but it's important for them to have competitors so that they keep their fees in check!

eP

[peachiekene]

I hope this is alright to ask here:
Has anyone used Freading?
There is one library in my area that uses it. It's not too far, but a bit out of the way in an area I'm not super familiar with.

I have no issues with OverDrive, I was just debating on whether it was worth adding a 4th library to my card collection.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Sorry, I missed this post. Thanks, that's a good tip. I'll try it out soon.

Tell us if it works out!

Originally Posted by peachiekene

I hope this is alright to ask here:
Has anyone used Freading?
There is one library in my area that uses it. It's not too far, but a bit out of the way in an area I'm not super familiar with.

I have no issues with OverDrive, I was just debating on whether it was worth adding a 4th library to my card collection.

I've used it a little. It's pretty hard to actually find anything I'm interested in. They don't seem to have a very wide selection.

But take a look at the catalog and see if you find anything interesting.

All Freading libraries have the same selection, so you can just take a look at http://freading.com

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by peachiekene

I hope this is alright to ask here:
Has anyone used Freading?

It's definitely alright to do so. Anything dealing with libraries and their digital content is on topic; even if I haven't formally introduced that provider yet.

I've never used Freading. None of my libraries have it.

[SteveEisenberg]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

They don't seem to have a very wide selection.

You mean Overdrive?

They offer approximately a million titles. The problem for impecunious readers is that no one library can afford to buy, or lease, more than a small portion of them.

Overdrive is, for me, the best of these services, both for selection and user interface. Second-best may be Axis 360, to judge by the one collection I can access (Bucks County Pennsylvania). I found a biography there two days ago that I couldn't get via Overdrive or 3M.

Anyone in New York State can access a larger Axis 360 collection than the one I use by joining the Queens Library.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by SteveEisenberg

You mean Overdrive?

No, Freading.

[Synamon]

I've used Freading a little. I found some Poisoned Pen Press and other small publisher's books available, but no blockbuster bestsellers if that's what you are looking for. They let you re-download the books once after you've used your tokens on them, so that's a plus.

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

All Freading libraries have the same selection, so you can just take a look at http://freading.com

I have found that just searching at www.freading.com does not show all of the books available. For example, a search by title for the word buffalo returns only 4 results there, but a search at the library-specific Freading site ocls.freading.com returns 19 results.

[tdonline]

So I checked out Zinio. It seems the Zoom options are Small and Even Smaller. That's it it, at least on my laptop. If I use Zinio on a tablet (which I don't have...yet), will I be able to adjust page sizes with more variety? I'm thinking along the lines of how sizing can be adjusted on phones. For context, I basically have my browser set to 150-175% zooming as I just can't deal with small print/fonts anymore.

[danicca]

Does anyone use One Click? I like to browse overdrive to see if they got something new. But to browse One Click, I have to login first (which overdrive doesn't ask). I'd like to avoid it if possible.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by danicca

Does anyone use One Click? I like to browse overdrive to see if they got something new. But to browse One Click, I have to login first (which overdrive doesn't ask). I'd like to avoid it if possible.

I don't use it because the selection is too small and the audiobooks take forever to download. I pretty much stick with OverDrive; but I'm giving Hoopla a shot for audiobooks.

Having to login first is up to the library. I just tried four libraries that I'm not a member of and two let me in to browse. But then, that does no good if yours won't.

[danicca]

I did find a couple of books I'm interested in. But I couldn't find what format are they and I wasn't overly happy with having to create account. If I keep adding apps I'll need a device exclusively for use with library applications.

[Joykins]

My county library just added 3M Cloud Library. I checked it out but since they only have about 12 books in my favorite genre (most of which I've already read) and they can't be read on my Kindle, I'm going to stick with OverDrive (provided through the state).

[wawasteele]

Originally Posted by danicca

Does anyone use One Click? I like to browse overdrive to see if they got something new. But to browse One Click, I have to login first (which overdrive doesn't ask). I'd like to avoid it if possible.

I use OneClick, but only when I can't find the book at Overdrive. I never go there to just browse, only to check for a specific book.

If you use Calibre you can get the Overdrive plugin. It will search through One Click for you too, if you set it up to do so. Thank you, jhowell! (the creator the of plugin)