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

[Bookworm_Girl]

Originally Posted by Catlady

My library stopped adding Overdrive books earlier this year in favor of Axis 360. It basically ended my use of the library.

How is the selection on Axis 360? My library had it before, and I just ignored it. Didn't see the point when the Overdrive catalog was so big.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by Bookworm_Girl

How is the selection on Axis 360? My library had it before, and I just ignored it. Didn't see the point when the Overdrive catalog was so big.

I mostly used my library for audiobooks. Axis 360 had a lot of the new-ish mysteries and thrillers, but since I could only listen with their app on a tablet or smart phone, which I didn't have at the time, it was completely useless to me.

[SteveEisenberg]

Originally Posted by Bookworm_Girl

When you say the wait times on 3M are wildly inaccurate, do they trend a direction? Are they more likely to be longer or shorter than estimated?

Shorter.

Originally Posted by Bookworm_Girl

Is there a way to search on audiobooks and ebooks independently within the 3M app?

I don't have access to a 3M collection with audiobooks.

[library addict]

Originally Posted by SteveEisenberg

Shorter.

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.

[Bookworm_Girl]

I finally found a Christmas-themed book to borrow. I don't like reading in the 3M app. It has bizarre margins. Nothing on top, a little on left and lots on bottom. The worst is that there's too much space on the right because they show you the page number like you used to see on EPUB files on my early-model Sonys. There are no customization options in the app for margins or line spacing. Therefore there is too little text on my iPhone and too much text on my iPad Mini to read comfortably. Overdrive app is much better experience.

I don't have the energy yet today to download the desktop app and then sideload. I suppose I'm getting sufficiently motivated now though!

[eschwartz]

Heh, one of the libraries I have access to (Queens, NY) stopped purchasing new OverDrive books quite a while backand switched to Axis360 -- I remember ranting about it here months ago. Fortunately, none of my other libraries have gone to the dark side.

3M and Axis360 will be Digital Library collections worthy of the name as soon as they offer Kindle checkout, and not a moment before.

[Bookworm_Girl]

There is a button to change margins. Don't know how I missed it before. That is much better now, although I wish it were evenly distributed top/bottom and left/right.

[BearMountainBooks]

Originally Posted by Bookworm_Girl

I am positively livid today. I just discovered that my library has unexpectedly and without warning or public input dropped Overdrive in favor of 3M! Ugh!

Has this happened to anyone else? Does anyone use 3M that can offer any postive input to make me less depressed? Is there any reason to like 3M over Overdrive?

My library was one of the early adopters of ebooks. I had access to over 70,000 ebooks and one of the largest Overdrive libraries in the US. The library had the audacity to put out a public statement that says they thought very hard about their decision to drop Overdrive. They believe that 3M offers more choices and less wait times. They are very excited about their collection of 3500 books.

Seriously! We went from 70,000 books to 3,500 books. Bye bye Kindle or Sony/Nook borrowing and now you have to read via a tablet app. I can't find anything to borrow because the selection is so poor that anything decent has waits now. All of this is better how?

Did I mention how angry I am?

Overdrive is a HUGE expense for libraries. My library had to go in with 3 other libraries to afford it on a grant. I was chatting with one of the librarians the other day (I used to work there) and she mentioned they were constantly trying to figure out how to budget for it because it's extremely popular, but the most expensive program at the library after the actual licensing of checkout software.

As a member, you can certain express your interest in Overdrive, but to really have an impact, you might have to go to whatever board funds the library (be it county or city or state). In my area, it's city funded, but next door in Austin, it's city and state. If I want to impact the budget I can attend a city council meeting and express my opinion (and they are very condescending, believe me. I've gone there, done that and been laughed at.)

Overdrive is very popular, but they are also very expensive. There are many libraries trying out different programs (including buying direct from authors--Houston, and buying direct from other sources).

I'm sure others have mentioned, you can take your business elsewhere these days. You'll have to pay out of state yearly fees, but many libraries will welcome you for 50 dollars a year on average!!!

[Barty]

Librarians must have mixed feelings about a program that takes so much out of the budget and at the same time is putting them out of business

[BearMountainBooks]

Originally Posted by Barty

Librarians must have mixed feelings about a program that takes so much out of the budget and at the same time is putting them out of business

We talked about that some, actually. Someone still has to select the books, rotate the selection, investigate reader requests and very often fill out a catalog profile for books. But I can totally see a small city having an online only library without the building expense and one part-time employee. My library is currently staffed with two children's librarians and about 4 adult librarians with various specialties. The library provides computer services, some printing services and a bunch of other things like children's reading time and book clubs. All of those will probably go away someday and be replaced by online checkouts. It's vastly cheaper. My city already won't hire any additional full-time employees--it's all moving to part-time to keep costs down.

The problem I have with overdrive is that it's so expensive, the selection of books at my library is actually pretty poor. We talk about that all the time too. I don't read best sellers very often and since that is the most sought after, that is what often gets ordered for the catalog.

It's interesting, how times are changing.

[Catlady]

When my library dropped Overdrive, it neatly cut off digital access for all Kindle users and for anyone who didn't own a tablet or smart phone. Libraries ought to be trying to increase access, not limit it.

[Bookworm_Girl]

Originally Posted by Barty

Librarians must have mixed feelings about a program that takes so much out of the budget and at the same time is putting them out of business

Excellent point. I'm sure the library did honestly think hard about their decision. I tried to be constructive and not too mean in my feedback, although I probably could have been more sympathetic.

Originally Posted by BearMountainBooks

We talked about that some, actually. Someone still has to select the books, rotate the selection, investigate reader requests and very often fill out a catalog profile for books. But I can totally see a small city having an online only library without the building expense and one part-time employee. My library is currently staffed with two children's librarians and about 4 adult librarians with various specialties. The library provides computer services, some printing services and a bunch of other things like children's reading time and book clubs. All of those will probably go away someday and be replaced by online checkouts. It's vastly cheaper. My city already won't hire any additional full-time employees--it's all moving to part-time to keep costs down.

The problem I have with overdrive is that it's so expensive, the selection of books at my library is actually pretty poor. We talk about that all the time too. I don't read best sellers very often and since that is the most sought after, that is what often gets ordered for the catalog.

It's interesting, how times are changing.

I was able to join one of the other members of my consortium for free so I have access to my old catalog again. My consortium has one of the largest collections in the US so it was quite the shock to lose it suddenly! My biggest concern is that my city on their own with a smaller catalog will focus on popular items and thus not have the eclectic selection that is more to my taste.

Your comments made me research my city's budget, and I found the annual statistics for cardholders, visits, circulations, etc. Fascinating! I also looked at the data for surrounding cities in comparison. My city's numbers are very similar to other suburbs. I noticed another major suburb has also gone out on their own like mine. They went with Overdrive (just not part of the consortium) rather than 3M. I could also join that city's library for free with my county residency.

My city is big enough to have multiple physical branches. I can see how in the future that the number of branches could decrease. I was surprised by how many online visits my library's website gets annually! The annual report commented how fewer reference requests are made since patrons can search independently now. My branches have remodeled to adapt to technology and add more computers as well as coffee and gift shops.

Originally Posted by Catlady

When my library dropped Overdrive, it neatly cut off digital access for all Kindle users and for anyone who didn't own a tablet or smart phone. Libraries ought to be trying to increase access, not limit it.

Agree!

[BearMountainBooks]

For our city and funding ONLY patrons who come in count--the city does not count overdrive checkouts. It's crazy because that is a growing part of the use. The computers in my library are funded by grants--not the city budget. So some things you see in a library are not even funded by the city. Grant givers can specify how money is to be used. For example, Dell was a big grantor--duh--that is where we got out computers. A few years ago when I worked there, we got a grant that HAD to be spent on books. Not audio, not computers, not children's programs. So looking at the funding can be a very incomplete picture.

I don't quite understand why "online" visits don't count, but they don't and it's hurting the possible funding for online books.

As always, the politics involved are complicated. Stop in and ask someone why it was cancelled. It may not have had support by the City for some reason. It may have originally been funded by a grant that ran out. Or it may be that there was temporary funding to see if was going to be used.

My library has to make certain numbers to receive funding for certain areas. The library fines do not stay with the library--it goes into a city "General" fund. This means that when someone pays for a lost book, that book may not be replaced--because that money goes into a pocket somewhere and then when ordering books, it's completely up to the discretion of the librarian whether to use those funds for the same book or a different one. Our patrons often ask if they can just buy the replacement book for the one they lost (answer: No.) It's cheaper for them to buy a replacement, usually, but that's not allowed.

Every little thing is over-organized...

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by BearMountainBooks

My library has to make certain numbers to receive funding for certain areas. The library fines do not stay with the library--it goes into a city "General" fund. This means that when someone pays for a lost book, that book may not be replaced--because that money goes into a pocket somewhere and then when ordering books, it's completely up to the discretion of the librarian whether to use those funds for the same book or a different one. Our patrons often ask if they can just buy the replacement book for the one they lost (answer: No.) It's cheaper for them to buy a replacement, usually, but that's not allowed.

Every little thing is over-organized...

Hmm, here in Dallas it is much the same -- except they can accept replacement books. Better for the library and better for us.

[BearMountainBooks]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Hmm, here in Dallas it is much the same -- except they can accept replacement books. Better for the library and better for us.

I know--but in my library they charge a 7 to 10 dollar FEE for the lost book on TOP of the price of the book. So if you lose a hardback, it's 25 plus 7. You do NOT want to lose or destroy a book in my library. It's worse for audio. Those things are 50 and 75 dollars. And they still leverage the 7 dollar fee...plus any late fees...