Libraries, e-books, and jurisdiction

[elemenoP]

I think are also different licensing fees based on what area (how many potential patrons?) your library serves. So that state-wide libraries would pay more than county libraries. Didn't I read that on another thread? I'm not a librarian, but I am somehow fascinated with the inner workings of Overdrive.

eP

[CrayWolf]

Originally Posted by Fbone

Crazywolf, where in NJ do you live? There are three major Overdrive ebook accounts that cover most of NJ. And you can pay to use the others if you want more access.

I'm in Ocean Country. Looking through the OC library's ebooks, though, the selection seems sparse at best. Then again the search interface is terrible, so maybe I'm just not coming up with what I want?

I tried searching for Dean Koontz, Michael Crichton, and Stephen King to see what would come up, and they had maybe 1-2 books by each.

P.S. I may be crazy, but there's no 'z' in my name

[Kitabi]

Originally Posted by CrayWolf

I'm in Ocean Country. Looking through the OC library's ebooks, though, the selection seems sparse at best. Then again the search interface is terrible, so maybe I'm just not coming up with what I want?

I tried searching for Dean Koontz, Michael Crichton, and Stephen King to see what would come up, and they had maybe 1-2 books by each.

P.S. I may be crazy, but there's no 'z' in my name

A lot of library systems in NJ are hooked up to Overdrive through listennj.com. That includes Ocean County Library. Check it out.

[Fbone]

Some of Stephen King books are published by Simon & Schuster so they won't be available through Overdrive.

You can also pay to join the South Jersey Overdrive group. It's $30/yr and they have about 2600 books.
http://sjrlc.lib.overdrive.com/FCC42...en/Default.htm

Sorry about the "z"

[CrayWolf]

Originally Posted by Fbone

Some of Stephen King books are published by Simon & Schuster so they won't be available through Overdrive.

Interesting, and good to know. On a second look, I actually found the Koontz books I was looking for in my local library's selection. The search is kinda awful. =/ Maybe I'll just poke around at that some more.

You can also pay to join the South Jersey Overdrive group. It's $30/yr and they have about 2600 books.

My local library isn't one of the participating ones there, how did you find the info about joining for $30? I couldn't find it on the site. Is it through one of the member libraries?

[dordale]

Originally Posted by elemenoP

NYPL used to have an out-of-state sign up for $100, and they stopped the program when they started Overdrive. I don't know what happened to existing out-of-state cardholders. Maybe someone on here does?

eP

I had an active NYPL non-resident card when they quit offering them. My card actually should have expired August of that year--and I figured I just wouldn't be able to renew it when August came around. But, for some reason, I was still able to use it until December or so. So I actually got a few extra months out of the deal.

dordale

[CrayWolf]

Originally Posted by CrayWolf

On a second look, I actually found the Koontz books I was looking for in my local library's selection.

(2.5 hours later...) Nope. Those were audiobooks. I remember now, that's the problem with my local library's OverDrive collection. The vast majority is audiobooks. If I search just for ePub, there are only four books by Koontz, and two of them are books #3 and #4 in the Frankenstein series. (Notice #1 and #2 are absent.)

By Terry Pratchett, there is book #33 of the Discworld series (no others). There are only three books by Stephen King. One book by Neal Stephenson (Snowcrash). One by Kurt Vonnegeut.

There is nothing by Douglas Adams, Oscar Wilde, Orson Scott Card, Robert Louis Stevenson, Philip Pullman, Isaac Asimov, Robert Heinlein, J.R.R. Tolkien, Anne McCaffrey, Larry Niven, Madeleine L'Engle... (you can see what genres I'm after, eh?)

Philadelphia appears to have the whole Discworld series (Pratchett) and the whole Golden Compass series (Pullman), both things I want to read, so it's worth the $15 right there. Has some stuff by most of those other authors too.

Part of the problem, I guess, is that I'm not just looking for Oprah's book of the month. They seem to have plenty of those locally.

[Fbone]

Originally Posted by CrayWolf

My local library isn't one of the participating ones there, how did you find the info about joining for $30? I couldn't find it on the site. Is it through one of the member libraries?

Yes, you would have to apply in person at one of the participating libraries in the South Jersey group. It looks like Atlantic City, Mays Landing and perhaps Somers Point are the libraries closest to Ocean County. If you visit the casino on occasion, a side trip will do it. Make sure the South group has more of what you are looking to read.

I live in Monmouth County and have access to listennj also.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by SeaBookGuy

I was rather horrified to see that my library has Overdrive "download here!" enabled computers. I asked the librarian if he thought that meant there would be no more remote-downloading, which horrified him to reply (paraphrased): "Oh no! Some people prefer doing it here, rather than setting up their computers at home (and in case they run into difficulties) ...."

How can they have Overdrive enabled computers? if i was to bring in my 650, the only way I could get DRMed ePub onto my reader would be to authorize ADE on one of those computers and then authorize my 650. That just won't work. So I see Overdrive enabled computers as silly.

[SeaBookGuy]

They do not support ebook downloads, but here is the information:

OverDrive Download Station