Library dropped Overdrive for 3M. You could be next! - Page 5

Bookworm_Girl · 12-01-2014, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Make a purchase suggestion. Tell them to purchase 66,000 ebooks that matched what the consortium carries and to do so before Spring of 2015.

Ha ha. In all seriousness, I will make some suggestions to them. They say they usually respond within a day or two and typically buy what people ask for. I am glad that they posted the instructions on how to make a suggestion because it is not at all intuitive that you have to turn on a search filter to do so! The 3M software is confusing.

BearMountainBooks · 12-01-2014, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bookworm_Girl

I noticed that as more people start to notice the change they are voicing their opinions on the library Facebook page. Only one person has said I like it! Everyone else is pretty similar to my opinion that it's harder to use, poor selection, bad software, no Kindle integration, etc. Several people have posted what other city libraries they've now joined to be back in the Overdrive consortium. That's sad as I'm sure most like me would rather support your own city. The library's only response to people seems to be give it a try and help us build our collection by making suggestions for purchases.

Take them seriously on the purchase suggestion--that likely means they have a grant or money set aside to buy books! Ask for some books! Never hurts to ask and if you want to take time, you can try requesting books that you can't get from overdrive!

(Some books are available on axis360, but not overdrive and vice versa--this is true of indie books or trad published books).

Bookworm_Girl · 12-01-2014, 06:42 PM

I read that the 3M catalog has over 40 publishers and 100,000 books. I ought to be able to find something to suggest. I can start with my Amazon wishlist to see if any are in the 3M catalog.

eschwartz · 12-01-2014, 07:21 PM

How does recommending a book on 3M match up to OverDrive?

I know most of my libraries have disabled OverDrive Recommend books.

JSWolf · 12-01-2014, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Make a purchase suggestion. Tell them to purchase 66,000 ebooks that matched what the consortium carries and to do so before Spring of 2015.

But none of them would be Kindle compatible.

eschwartz · 12-01-2014, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

But none of them would be Kindle compatible.

TBH the absolute ridiculousness of the situation would sorely tempt me to DeDRM so I could read my freaking loan -- except it hasn't really come to that, because OverDrive also has a better selection and the OverDrive catalogs thus far are more extensive than the one Axis360 catalog I can access.

Bookworm_Girl · 12-01-2014, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eschwartz

How does recommending a book on 3M match up to OverDrive?

I know most of my libraries have disabled OverDrive Recommend books.

They are pretty similar. You search and then click a button to recommend. I picked 3 books that aren't in my Overdrive library to recommend for purchase at the 3M library. Although they are in the Overdrive catalog, and I could have asked them to purchase too. With 3M if the library makes the purchase it automatically goes to your holds list for download. With Overdrive you have the option to get email notification if the library buys it and whether or not you want it on your holds list. With Overdrive you can also see a list of your recommendations but 3M doesn't have that. Those are examples of how 3M is pretty basic and has fewer features than Overdrive.

Bookworm_Girl · 12-01-2014, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by library addict

I have found them to be much longer. For example, one book showed it would be available in 108 days. Then I got an email stating it was available a week later.

Even if the email notification is not working, it will show a message in the 3M system when a book becomes available for checkout. So as long as you remember to sign in once a week you shouldn't miss any of your books. I had to do that for a year or so until my library got the email notifications working.

I just discovered that you have to setup an email address in Settings and then receive an email from them to confirm it. Good thing I went hunting around the app. Thanks for the advice.

BearMountainBooks · 12-02-2014, 09:16 AM

Just another side note: Even though libraries turn off the "request" button in overdrive doesn't mean they don't accept requests. For various reasons (they don't want overdrive pestering, they have a different process for requests, they don't want the entire consortium to see the requests) they may turn that off. However, there is usually a process in place for making those requests. Ask at your local library how best to request a book and make sure you specify whether you want to request it for overdrive versus in-house.

eschwartz · 12-02-2014, 11:10 AM

Har har har.

The libraries that accept recommendations through OverDrive (Houston is a consortium, Brooklyn isn't) actually purchase them. The form on the Dallas Library main website seems to be emailed to a black hole.

I asked, they said OverDrive suggestions could be submitted through there, just specify that I want the OverDrive ebook. They still haven't bought one, although they do buy pbooks I ask for (sometimes it takes the better part of a year...).
Still, they do have a pretty good collection even without my suggestions. Better than the one where I live, that's for sure...

kennyc · 12-02-2014, 11:14 AM

That totally sucks! Mount a social media campaign. Send emails complain to high heaven!!!

covingtoncat73 · 12-02-2014, 11:15 AM

Wow! I hope this doesn't happen to me. My public library has a quite good Overdrive collection and I do utilize it.

Hampshire Nanny · 12-02-2014, 11:23 AM

My librarian tells me that it was Kindle compatibility that led her to add Overdrive.

covingtoncat73 · 12-02-2014, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hampshire Nanny

My librarian tells me that it was Kindle compatibility that led her to add Overdrive.

Yep. When I got my first eReader, I didn't get a Kindle. I got a Kobo because there weren't Kindle-compatible eBooks even on Overdrive then. Now there are tons of them and I love it. I don't want that to go away for me like it did for the OP.

DuckieTigger · 12-02-2014, 11:45 AM

Just looked at my consortium (Ohio digital library) and counted 171 member libraries in it.

Is that a typical amount for a consortium? I suppose if my county decides to ditch Overdrive, I would have to drive to the next county over to get a card there. Financially I can't imagine that happening - I doubt any of the smallish members could stand on their own.

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12-01-2014, 06:42 PM	#63
Bookworm_Girl E-reader Enthusiast Posts: 4,873 Karma: 36536965 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Southwest, USA Device: Kindle Oasis 3; Kobo Aura One; iPad Mini 5	I read that the 3M catalog has over 40 publishers and 100,000 books. I ought to be able to find something to suggest. I can start with my Amazon wishlist to see if any are in the 3M catalog.

12-01-2014, 07:21 PM	#64
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85400180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	How does recommending a book on 3M match up to OverDrive? I know most of my libraries have disabled OverDrive Recommend books.

12-02-2014, 09:16 AM	#69
BearMountainBooks Maria Schneider Posts: 3,746 Karma: 26439330 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Near Austin, Texas Device: 3g Kindle Keyboard	Just another side note: Even though libraries turn off the "request" button in overdrive doesn't mean they don't accept requests. For various reasons (they don't want overdrive pestering, they have a different process for requests, they don't want the entire consortium to see the requests) they may turn that off. However, there is usually a process in place for making those requests. Ask at your local library how best to request a book and make sure you specify whether you want to request it for overdrive versus in-house.

12-02-2014, 11:10 AM	#70
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85400180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	Har har har. The libraries that accept recommendations through OverDrive (Houston is a consortium, Brooklyn isn't) actually purchase them. The form on the Dallas Library main website seems to be emailed to a black hole. I asked, they said OverDrive suggestions could be submitted through there, just specify that I want the OverDrive ebook. They still haven't bought one, although they do buy pbooks I ask for (sometimes it takes the better part of a year...). Still, they do have a pretty good collection even without my suggestions. Better than the one where I live, that's for sure...

12-02-2014, 11:14 AM	#71
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,897 Karma: 119230421 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	That totally sucks! Mount a social media campaign. Send emails complain to high heaven!!!

12-02-2014, 11:15 AM	#72
covingtoncat73 Wizard Posts: 2,745 Karma: 83407757 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Lenovo Duet Chromebook, Moto e	Wow! I hope this doesn't happen to me. My public library has a quite good Overdrive collection and I do utilize it.

12-02-2014, 11:23 AM	#73
Hampshire Nanny Guru Posts: 615 Karma: 8064562 Join Date: Aug 2009 Device: Sony PRS-505, Kindle 3 KB, iPad2	My librarian tells me that it was Kindle compatibility that led her to add Overdrive.

12-02-2014, 11:45 AM	#75
DuckieTigger Wizard Posts: 4,763 Karma: 246906703 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: USA Device: Oasis 3, Oasis 2, PW3, PW1, KT	Just looked at my consortium (Ohio digital library) and counted 171 member libraries in it. Is that a typical amount for a consortium? I suppose if my county decides to ditch Overdrive, I would have to drive to the next county over to get a card there. Financially I can't imagine that happening - I doubt any of the smallish members could stand on their own.