Have you read an ebook from the public library? - Page 2

poshm · 11-08-2009, 03:39 PM

Limited selection but a fantastic concept.

Have been Reading library books on Sony 600 which works fantastically well and audiobooks on my iPod touch. I am loving Eragon the audibook, excellent narration!

BuddyBoy · 11-08-2009, 03:46 PM

All the time! My local BC library has an OK if limited selection, but I'm a New York State property tax payer (bless that old cottage, from when we lived in Montreal!) so I get access to the NYPL which has a great selection.

poshm · 11-08-2009, 04:08 PM

Love your avatar BuddyBoy - cute cat!

fugazied · 11-08-2009, 05:15 PM

Depending upon where you live some libraries have pretty decent collections already. Unfortunately for me, I'm relatively lazy and I can log onto my local libraries website and check the books out via the website (remotely) I won't be using it much (as I understand it I have to physically visit the library at the moment). Who knows, maybe some libraries already have remote checkout..
I only tend to read books I know I'll like, so have no problem paying for them!

khalleron · 11-08-2009, 05:18 PM

Not yet, but apparently the statewide library consortium has voted to add ebooks in the near future, so you can be sure that I will as soon as I'm able to.

That is, as long as they have more than just best-selling crap.

rjfarrell · 11-08-2009, 06:08 PM

I regularly check out books from my local library. My whole family does.

I also have recently been checking out the audio books to my iphone to augment my Audible.com service.

The library books are a very large selection of every genre. Very pleased with the Greater Phoenix Area Consortium. Very pleased.

kindlekitten · 11-08-2009, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

Your state lends wives? How progressive!!!

just kidding........

oh my! that was quite a typo!

Quote:

Originally Posted by KarenH

Nope, there's no statewide system here. A lot of the counties have reciprocal lending agreements, but they don't all include ebooks and audiobooks. And here in Skagit county we don't even have a couny-wide system so if you're in one of the unincorporated areas (most of the county) you're pretty much out of luck. You can buy a library card for one of the small local libraries (I think about $50/year) but they are all so small they don't offer downloads, so if you're looking for ebooks that doesn't help much. If you're in an area that has a reciprocal agreement (that includes downloads) with either Seattle or King County, you're in good shape - from what I've been able to tell they are both among the better libraries in the nation as far as ebook selection. King County doesn't offer ePub yet, but Overdrive shows they have purchased ePub books, so it must be coming soon!

huh... weird. I'm in Kitsap. I know when I was working on my Master's I could get books from any library in the State through my library. I just haven't checked ebooks yet.

pwarren · 11-08-2009, 06:15 PM

My local library (Australian Capital Territory), has a small selection of ebooks, as well as a larger selection of audio books.

After 2 checkouts of 4 books each, I've pretty much exhausted the Sci-Fi section, I might have to branch out into other genres to continue my library patronage!

mgrunk · 11-08-2009, 06:27 PM

I drove an hour to another county to get an out of county library card. It's ok - but the selection is quite limited for epub and most of those are .pdf and the formatting (page breaks) make them pretty much unreadable. For the non .pdf, the selection is limited to a couple of genre's - Danielle Steele and the J.D. Robbs - not a lot of just mainstream books and no sci-fi. Now they do have many more audio books available, and I don't know about mobi format since I exclude those in my search.

vivaldirules · 11-08-2009, 06:50 PM

I voted no because my county library does not offer ebooks. But I have read books from the DC public library on my Sony before that library cancelled all nonresident priveleges for that purpose.

JuniperPearl · 11-08-2009, 07:03 PM

I borrow eBooks from the library all the time and have for almost a year now. I read them both on my computer (occasionally) but mostly on my Sony 505. My county has only an okay selection, but I'm also a NY resident and the NYPL collection is pretty damn good, to me at least.
A lot of the eBooks are PDF, and while that's not preferable, I'll take it for now. I'd rather read a poorly formatted but free eBook on my reader than pay for one. I just want to read the book. I hope they expand their ePub selection though.

BeccaAnn · 11-08-2009, 07:05 PM

I would love to read ebooks from my library but they don't offer them. The closest (and only library in SD that offers ebooks) is in Sioux Falls, on the other side of the state. Hopefully they will soon have enought money to get Overdrive books but whether they'll be ebooks or audiobooks is unknown.

mgrunk · 11-08-2009, 07:39 PM

Free is great - but for me the .pdf formats were just unreadable and sucked all the pleasure out of a book. Maybe if it were a book that I simply had to read it would be worth it but the selection is quite limited and not really in genre's I like a lot.

DixieGal · 11-08-2009, 07:47 PM

I voted "other" because I'm listening to "Hyperion" on my iPod, but checked it out from the library. It expires tomorrow, and I'm not going to be able to finish it. Got it on reserve to re-check out.

pagansoul · 11-08-2009, 09:40 PM

I do have a library card and have looked on line for what they have to offer but I have so much stuff on my computer from years of collecting freebies, ebay, fictionwise, freebooks, and a small amount off Amazon...I have enough to last me for years even if I read one a day.

View Poll Results: Have you read ebooks from your public library?
No; library books do not interest me	3	1.99%
No; my library does not offer this service	49	32.45%
Yes; on a desktop or notebook computer	8	5.30%
Yes; on a Sony or other mobile device	81	53.64%
Other	10	6.62%
Voters: 151. You may not vote on this poll

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11-08-2009, 03:39 PM	#16
poshm Fanatic Posts: 581 Karma: 1003580 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Cambs, UK Device: PocketBook 360, Sony Reader Touch, Ipod touch & Kindle 2	Limited selection but a fantastic concept. Have been Reading library books on Sony 600 which works fantastically well and audiobooks on my iPod touch. I am loving Eragon the audibook, excellent narration!

11-08-2009, 03:46 PM	#17
BuddyBoy eBookin' Fool Posts: 310 Karma: 1008360 Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Vancouver, BC Device: Kindle Paperwhite, KK, iPad (Ex Prs 505, 500, Reb1100-2150, Rocket)	All the time! My local BC library has an OK if limited selection, but I'm a New York State property tax payer (bless that old cottage, from when we lived in Montreal!) so I get access to the NYPL which has a great selection.

11-08-2009, 04:08 PM	#18
poshm Fanatic Posts: 581 Karma: 1003580 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Cambs, UK Device: PocketBook 360, Sony Reader Touch, Ipod touch & Kindle 2	Love your avatar BuddyBoy - cute cat!

11-08-2009, 05:15 PM	#19
fugazied Wizard Posts: 1,305 Karma: 1958 Join Date: Jan 2009 Device: iPod Touch	Depending upon where you live some libraries have pretty decent collections already. Unfortunately for me, I'm relatively lazy and I can log onto my local libraries website and check the books out via the website (remotely) I won't be using it much (as I understand it I have to physically visit the library at the moment). Who knows, maybe some libraries already have remote checkout.. I only tend to read books I know I'll like, so have no problem paying for them!

11-08-2009, 05:18 PM	#20
khalleron Kate Posts: 1,700 Karma: 3605799 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Oregon, United States Device: MeeBook, Kobo Libra Colour	Not yet, but apparently the statewide library consortium has voted to add ebooks in the near future, so you can be sure that I will as soon as I'm able to. That is, as long as they have more than just best-selling crap.

11-08-2009, 06:08 PM	#21
rjfarrell Zealot Posts: 111 Karma: 142 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Arizona (USA) Device: Sony PRS-505, Iphone, Ipad	I regularly check out books from my local library. My whole family does. I also have recently been checking out the audio books to my iphone to augment my Audible.com service. The library books are a very large selection of every genre. Very pleased with the Greater Phoenix Area Consortium. Very pleased.

11-08-2009, 06:15 PM	#23
pwarren Connoisseur Posts: 95 Karma: 186186 Join Date: May 2009 Location: Canberra, Australia Device: Irex Iliad (Dead), EcoReader (Smashed screen), Kobo Touch	My local library (Australian Capital Territory), has a small selection of ebooks, as well as a larger selection of audio books. After 2 checkouts of 4 books each, I've pretty much exhausted the Sci-Fi section, I might have to branch out into other genres to continue my library patronage!

11-08-2009, 06:27 PM	#24
mgrunk Zealot Posts: 130 Karma: 96 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: metro Atlanta, GA Device: Sony Reader PRS-505	I drove an hour to another county to get an out of county library card. It's ok - but the selection is quite limited for epub and most of those are .pdf and the formatting (page breaks) make them pretty much unreadable. For the non .pdf, the selection is limited to a couple of genre's - Danielle Steele and the J.D. Robbs - not a lot of just mainstream books and no sci-fi. Now they do have many more audio books available, and I don't know about mobi format since I exclude those in my search.

11-08-2009, 06:50 PM	#25
vivaldirules When's Doughnut Day? Posts: 10,059 Karma: 13675475 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Houston, TX, US Device: Sony PRS-505, iPad	I voted no because my county library does not offer ebooks. But I have read books from the DC public library on my Sony before that library cancelled all nonresident priveleges for that purpose.

11-08-2009, 07:03 PM	#26
JuniperPearl Enthusiast Posts: 38 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: New York Device: Sony PRS-505, Kindle 2, Kindle Fire, iPhone 5, Kindle Voyage	I borrow eBooks from the library all the time and have for almost a year now. I read them both on my computer (occasionally) but mostly on my Sony 505. My county has only an okay selection, but I'm also a NY resident and the NYPL collection is pretty damn good, to me at least. A lot of the eBooks are PDF, and while that's not preferable, I'll take it for now. I'd rather read a poorly formatted but free eBook on my reader than pay for one. I just want to read the book. I hope they expand their ePub selection though.

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11-08-2009, 07:05 PM	#27
BeccaAnn Groupie Posts: 188 Karma: 660 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Spearfish, SD, USA Device: Sony PRS-505	I would love to read ebooks from my library but they don't offer them. The closest (and only library in SD that offers ebooks) is in Sioux Falls, on the other side of the state. Hopefully they will soon have enought money to get Overdrive books but whether they'll be ebooks or audiobooks is unknown.

11-08-2009, 07:39 PM	#28
mgrunk Zealot Posts: 130 Karma: 96 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: metro Atlanta, GA Device: Sony Reader PRS-505	Free is great - but for me the .pdf formats were just unreadable and sucked all the pleasure out of a book. Maybe if it were a book that I simply had to read it would be worth it but the selection is quite limited and not really in genre's I like a lot.

11-08-2009, 07:47 PM	#29
DixieGal Hi There! Posts: 7,473 Karma: 2930523 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ft Lauderdale Device: iPad	I voted "other" because I'm listening to "Hyperion" on my iPod, but checked it out from the library. It expires tomorrow, and I'm not going to be able to finish it. Got it on reserve to re-check out.

11-08-2009, 09:40 PM	#30
pagansoul Fanatic Posts: 509 Karma: 1098204 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Earth Device: iPhone5, iPad Gen3, Kobo, Kindle Fire, Kobo Vox. Samsung Galaxy Tab 7	I do have a library card and have looked on line for what they have to offer but I have so much stuff on my computer from years of collecting freebies, ebay, fictionwise, freebooks, and a small amount off Amazon...I have enough to last me for years even if I read one a day.