Overdrive and Calibre: Does it work for you?

[Eugenie]

Originally Posted by Bookworm_Girl

Eugenie, do you by chance have a Mac? ADE for Mac does not recognize the 650 as an attached device. The PC version should recognize the 650 and should be a viable option to transfer library books.

Yes, I do in fact have a Mac. Thank you for pointing this out! I extensively searched Sony's support site for the Reader and the Reader Store, and I never came across any mention of this.

If others had replied to this forum and said, "ADE works with my Sony just fine," I would have been spinning my wheels wondering what I was doing wrong -- not even thinking that we might have different operating systems. I'm glad you thought of it.

[Bookworm_Girl]

I have a Mac too so that's why I thought of it. There's not any mention of it on the Sony site that I've seen, but you can find several threads about it on the Adobe support forums.

I have read other posts in the past from people that they have not been able to transfer Overdrive library books from calibre to their 350/650's. I think it has something to do with the way the time expiration works. It seems that in previous posts most people recommend to use ADE to transfer library books. However, for a Mac user, ADE is not an option, and the Sony Reader software is what you should use.

[Eugenie]

Originally Posted by Bookworm_Girl

...most people recommend to use ADE to transfer library books. However, for a Mac user, ADE is not an option, and the Sony Reader software is what you should use.

Yes, for Overdrive (and purchases from Sony Reader Store, I'm assuming) we Mac users with Sony Readers have no choice. If we want to get the ebook onto our device, we have to transfer it there with the Sony Reader software. Fortunately, rmkoske posted a great tip that still lets us get the book into our Calibre Library.

Originally Posted by rmkoske

If you load the book to the reader using Sony/ADE software, then connect the reader to Calibre, you can copy the book from the reader to your Calibre library.

I tried it and it works!

Before you shared this tip, I was disappointed that I couldn't have an entry in my Calibre library for Overdrive books. Then I employed an inferior workaround: With the book in my reader device, I opened Calibre and copied the epub file from my hard drive into the Calibre Library. Although I now made the book appear in my Calibre Library, the book wouldn't sort properly on my device as per my Calibre preferences.

With your method (transfer from the device, not from the HD), the book sorts properly on the device. Perfect solution!

Originally Posted by rmkoske

If you delete the book from the reader at that point, you can re-add it from Calibre and it will work fine, but you lose the countdown to expiration in the book list.

I tried this too, and it operates just as you describe. Also a good tip to know. (BTW, it still sorts properly on the device when you re-add it.)