OverDrive Hold Redelivery

[FizzyWater]

Originally Posted by issybird

And, I bet it's a lot of books that get returned unread and OverDrive knows this. So not only are readers held up as loans languish until they expire of their own accord it also eats up a loan for books where the license is only good for 26 loans and the same effect is felt when losing two unread weeks on a book that expires in a year. It seems to me, quite simply and logically, that OverDrive is trying to cut way down on the unread problem that chews up licenses as well as time. Good for them. Frankly, this is a case of score one for the reader.

I've been thinking along the same line. I thought there was a quote in one of the linked articles that actually mentioned there were a lot of books that were borrowed and never read.

[dmacmart]

I don't use auto-borrow. I'm not usually ready to start reading a new book, so I often wait the full lead time to borrow it. That way I will have it longer.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by rcentros

Auto checkout is a nice feature. I wonder if I'll still get an email from my library (or is it Overdrive?) when my book becomes available for borrowing? Currently I get an email that informs me the book has been automatically borrowed. If I still get the email that the book is available (and have three days to borrow it) with this new scheme, that's not that big of a change (since I have to the Overdrive to download it anyhow). The only thing that worries me in the article is that it mentions the notification will come through Libby (which I don't have). I hope there's still an email notification as well.

Auto checkout is a horrible nasty feature. It means longer on the wait list when the person borrowing the eBook isn;t going to read it. It just sits there wasting time. Either you deal with the hold manually, or let it go to the net person in line.

Also, if I've gotten the book from a different library, I go in and cancel the hold. I can manage the eBooks on hold a lot better without Auto checkout. So I'm glad this feature is going away.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Auto checkout is a horrible nasty feature. It means longer on the wait list when the person borrowing the eBook isn;t going to read it. It just sits there wasting time.

Except that it means longer on the waitlist when the borrower uses up the full three or four day grace period before checking the book out; that can add more than 25% to the total time of that borrow than if autocheckout had been activated.

I do agree that redelivery will help a lot with the problem of books that get checked out and never get read and also help borrowers who have a bunch of books land at once, but it will also add time to borrows as people wait for the first in line to get around to checking out the book. I think the most important factor is not using up the book licenses, though and I see the new policy as a win.

[4691mls]

Originally Posted by rcentros

Auto checkout is a nice feature. I wonder if I'll still get an email from my library (or is it Overdrive?) when my book becomes available for borrowing? Currently I get an email that informs me the book has been automatically borrowed. If I still get the email that the book is available (and have three days to borrow it) with this new scheme, that's not that big of a change (since I have to the Overdrive to download it anyhow). The only thing that worries me in the article is that it mentions the notification will come through Libby (which I don't have). I hope there's still an email notification as well.

Surely they will have to also continue with the emails. There must be plenty of Overdrive users who use desktop computers and not tablets or other devices with Libby.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by issybird

Except that it means longer on the waitlist when the borrower uses up the full three or four day grace period before checking the book out; that can add more than 25% to the total time of that borrow than if autocheckout had been activated.

I do agree that redelivery will help a lot with the problem of books that get checked out and never get read and also help borrowers who have a bunch of books land at once, but it will also add time to borrows as people wait for the first in line to get around to checking out the book. I think the most important factor is not using up the book licenses, though and I see the new policy as a win.

What I would like to see is that if the book is not downloaded after 2 days in the loan section, it goes back without any cost. Meaning it would not count against those books that do have a certain number of loans and if the person does not download, it goes to the next in line. That means auto checkout can still be. I think auto checkout only if the loan period is 14 days or less. If the loan period is 21 days, then everything has to be done manually.

Some libraries have a 10 item loan. So if auto Checkout was enabled, all 10 slots could be taken up with checked out books and sit there for up to 3 weeks with some not being downloaded. And if you are on vacation were you don't have Internet access, you'll not be dealing with the books. And then you'll come home and put them on hold again. Not good. I've been on vacation where I only had limited Internet access.

Anyway, I'm hoping this new hold system will make the wait list shorter.

[4691mls]

Normally I don't select auto checkout. I just wait for the library email telling me the book is available.

The only time I have turned on auto checkout was if I was going to be on vacation with limited internet access (this has happened only once or twice) so that if any of my holds became available while I was away I would get the book(s) and be able to read when I got home. I didn't want to lose my turn and have to start over with a book that had a long waiting list.

I belong to only one library so I don't have multiple copies of the same book on hold.

Usually when I receive the email that my book is available I download it the same day. There have been a few times when I had no remaining checkouts available so I had to finish up another book first, and therefore didn't download the new book for a day or two.

[4691mls]

What Issybird said about the libraries and their limited licenses makes sense.

I recall someone on Mobileread once saying that since their library allowed a large number of holds, they put anything that looked possibly interesting on their hold list (this is what I use the wish list for). I guess when the hold became available this person then decided whether or not to read it.

Although I sometimes find it frustrating that my library allows only 6 holds, I guess this may help encourage people to put on hold only books they are likely to actually read.

[Tomk2]

First thing I do after I put a book on hold is suspend the hold for 6 months. When I am number 1 on the wait list I will see how many copies the library has. If one copy, I un suspend 7 days before I want it. If two copies, 5 days. If 3 or more copies, 2 or 3 days before I expect to start reading it. I get more of the books a day earlier than expected than a day later. No auto check out for me, I might be number 1 on 3 books at the same time and need to chose one.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Auto checkout is a horrible nasty feature. It means longer on the wait list when the person borrowing the eBook isn;t going to read it. It just sits there wasting time. Either you deal with the hold manually, or let it go to the net person in line.

Also, if I've gotten the book from a different library, I go in and cancel the hold. I can manage the eBooks on hold a lot better without Auto checkout. So I'm glad this feature is going away.

It's always worked well for me. I get the book automatically, I read it and usually return it within 5-8 days.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by 4691mls

Surely they will have to also continue with the emails. There must be plenty of Overdrive users who use desktop computers and not tablets or other devices with Libby.

I guess so. They just didn't mention it in the announcement so I get paranoid. I do know that every time I go to Overdrive they harangue me to download Libby.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by rcentros

It's always worked well for me. I get the book automatically, I read it and usually return it within 5-8 days.

But what about all the people out there who let the book get borrowed and do nothing with it until it gets returned? That's 2-3-weeks waisted. Also, they might not get to it until some time after it was borrowed and again it's a waste of time. When you get a long wait list, this waste of time is not good. And if it's a book that has a limit, then that wasted borrow is again not good. So for everyone who is able to use auto checkout responsibly, there are many more who haven't a clue and screw it up.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by rcentros

I guess so. They just didn't mention it in the announcement so I get paranoid. I do know that every time I go to Overdrive they harangue me to download Libby.

But how on Windows and OS X will Libby be able to give us notifications without some part of it (at least) running all the time? That's not good. email works now and works well. So I see no need to stop.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

But what about all the people out there who let the book get borrowed and do nothing with it until it gets returned? That's 2-3-weeks waisted. ...

But it doesn't follow that getting rid of auto-checkout will fix this problem. I'm guessing most folks who don't read their books will still borrow them... and not read them for them for the same two or three weeks. Only difference is, now the book could be in limbo for three days while they decide, so you could be adding three days to each borrower's time. (I realize that some won't borrow, so it should work out a little better.) Personally I don't really care so long as I get an email notice that my book is available. I only have a couple books on hold at a time and I always check them out and read them. (If I don't like what I'm reading, a book it can be returned within hours.)

[CWatkinsNash]

Originally Posted by rcentros

I guess so. They just didn't mention it in the announcement so I get paranoid. I do know that every time I go to Overdrive they harangue me to download Libby.

It was down toward the bottom.

Email notifications: Hold notification emails will be updated to reflect the new options.

So the emails will still exist, they're only adding info to let people know that they have the option to check out the book or place a hold.