Renting/Borrowing EBOOKS

lcole · 04-05-2011, 02:48 PM

I am a new member, and this is my first post.

I have a Kindle, and almost all of my content has
come from downloading (free) material from sites
other than Amazon. I have also spent a little time
with the Calibre software, but I have not yet
mastered that program.

Although I regularly use my local library (system)
to borrow books and videos, I have only just learned
that my library also offers EBOOKS, but I don't
understand the idea of EBOOK borrowing/rental. A
quick perusal of the books offered seems to
indicated that to receive an EBOOK from/through my
library, I must download it from some other source.
Some of the sources are Amazon, Adobe, and one or
more sources that offer the EPUB format.

Can I assume that if I download an EBOOK through my
library that I will receive a book with a code that
will cause the book to self destruct at the end of
the rental period? I know that with WiFi connected,
Amazon can/will remove a book under certain
circumstances. Is that also true of Adobe and other
EBOOK sources will have access to my Kindle and
remove EBOOKS too? Is it therefore true that all
books download through my library will have time
limits built into the rentals?

As of today, I do not look fondly at "the cloud" and
prefer to have my software, data, and books secure
in my own computer system.

Pleas tell me what you know or think of
borrowing/renting EBOOKS.

rogue_librarian · 04-05-2011, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lcole

... I have only just learned that my library also offers EBOOKS, but I don't understand the idea of EBOOK borrowing/rental.

I am sorry to have to break this to you, but you don't have to worry about it. In all likelihood it won't with a Kindle.

Quote:

I will receive a book with a code that will cause the book to self destruct at the end of the rental period?

In a manner of speaking that would be the idea, yes. But this usually requires epub, which the Kindle doesn't support (and probably never will, sorry).

kiwipippa · 04-05-2011, 03:56 PM

Which library are you referring to? Most public libraries use Overdrive for their ebook lending. This requires you to use ADE to download the books onto your PC or the Overdrive Media console for other devices. Most books are in epub format which means they can't be read on a kindle. Some are in PDF - not sure if these work on a kindle.

The DRM in the book includes some tricky coding that means the book will lock on expiry and you will no longer be able to read it.

Hellmark · 04-05-2011, 04:01 PM

Just so you know, no need to capitalize "ebook". It isn't an acronym.

Basically, how ebook lending works, is that you're given a copy of the book with an expiration date (normally 2 weeks from date of checkout). After the expiration date, you cannot read the book. The library buys so many copies of each ebook, just like with paperbooks, and when ever a book is checked out, a record is kept as to who checked it out (just like a paper book).

Most ebooks that libraries offer are in the ePub format with Adobe Adept DRM, which is not compatible with Kindles (Blame Amazon, they're the ones that put the restriction). If you strip the DRM, you'll also break the expiration date, and quite possibly be breaking the law depending on where you live (also, we won't tell you how to do that).

elemenoP · 04-05-2011, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hellmark

Just so you know, no need to capitalize "ebook". It isn't an acronym.

Electronic Book-like Object Of Knowledge?

eP

Hellmark · 04-05-2011, 04:17 PM

Typically, words like "the" and "of" are not included in acronyms. Althought EBOOK does sound better than EBOK, if you are to try and make an acronym of it.

elemenoP · 04-05-2011, 04:21 PM

ok, let's hear yours, then!

eP

FF2 · 04-05-2011, 06:25 PM

By the way, the Seattle Public Library does loan books in mobi format - BUT you need to determine your pid which is not something you automatically come by.

G J Lau · 04-05-2011, 06:29 PM

Overdrive seems to be the primary source for e-book lending among libraries. PDF is available on most titles and as far as I know that will work on Kindle, or at least more recent models.

Work on the Calibre thing. It is extremely useful and could solve most of your issues.

Hellmark · 04-05-2011, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by G J Lau

Overdrive seems to be the primary source for e-book lending among libraries. PDF is available on most titles and as far as I know that will work on Kindle, or at least more recent models.

Work on the Calibre thing. It is extremely useful and could solve most of your issues.

DRM Free PDFs will work on Kindles, BUT not ones from Libraries. They will require Adobe ADE.

AlexSno · 04-06-2011, 06:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hellmark

DRM Free PDFs will work on Kindles, BUT not ones from Libraries. They will require Adobe ADE.

Isn't any other way without Adobe ?

JeremyR · 04-06-2011, 06:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlexSno

Isn't any other way without Adobe ?

Nope. Despite all the hating you see here for Amazon, it's actually Adobe that has a monopoly on the ebook business. Or would, if Amazon didn't exist...

jbcohen · 04-06-2011, 08:35 AM

Greaat information so far and I would like to add one thing to the dicussion, since it has been firmly established that lcol is out of luck in terms of borrowing books I think that lcol should have an understanding of the mechanics behind electronic book borrowing if locl obtains a different reader that is capable of borrowing books from the local library, thus here is a short discussion of the mechanics behind the topic.

First it is necessary to understand what Digital Rights Management (DRM) is. DRM is code that is added to the book to permit the publisher, or in this case the library, to restrict what you can do with the books. The DRM can prevent you from sharing the book with others and copying the book in any way. DRM has also other no desireable aspects, by not leeting you store the book for future reading or not allowing you to read the book at all.

What does this have to do with books from the library is exactly this DRM is the method by which libraries use to prevent you from reading the electronic book that you have borrowed past the date that you need to return it to the library. After the return date the book becomes unreadable due to the DRM.

As stated in earlier posts most lending is done via Overdrive. One thing that can be done with electronic library books if you have the knowledge and the free software to acomplish it is to download an electronic library book, strip the DRM, return the book to the library then read the book.

abookreader · 04-06-2011, 08:51 AM

Welcome to mobileread lcole

Come on down to the Kindle Forum and we'll be happy to help you with any Overdrive/format conversion/Calibre questions you might have in regards to your Kindle.

04-05-2011, 02:48 PM	#1
lcole Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2011 Device: Kindle	Renting/Borrowing EBOOKS I am a new member, and this is my first post. I have a Kindle, and almost all of my content has come from downloading (free) material from sites other than Amazon. I have also spent a little time with the Calibre software, but I have not yet mastered that program. Although I regularly use my local library (system) to borrow books and videos, I have only just learned that my library also offers EBOOKS, but I don't understand the idea of EBOOK borrowing/rental. A quick perusal of the books offered seems to indicated that to receive an EBOOK from/through my library, I must download it from some other source. Some of the sources are Amazon, Adobe, and one or more sources that offer the EPUB format. Can I assume that if I download an EBOOK through my library that I will receive a book with a code that will cause the book to self destruct at the end of the rental period? I know that with WiFi connected, Amazon can/will remove a book under certain circumstances. Is that also true of Adobe and other EBOOK sources will have access to my Kindle and remove EBOOKS too? Is it therefore true that all books download through my library will have time limits built into the rentals? As of today, I do not look fondly at "the cloud" and prefer to have my software, data, and books secure in my own computer system. Pleas tell me what you know or think of borrowing/renting EBOOKS.

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04-05-2011, 03:56 PM	#3
kiwipippa Fanatic Posts: 578 Karma: 613022 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: New Zealand Device: kobo glo, kobo touch (dead), kindle touch, android phone	Which library are you referring to? Most public libraries use Overdrive for their ebook lending. This requires you to use ADE to download the books onto your PC or the Overdrive Media console for other devices. Most books are in epub format which means they can't be read on a kindle. Some are in PDF - not sure if these work on a kindle. The DRM in the book includes some tricky coding that means the book will lock on expiry and you will no longer be able to read it.

04-05-2011, 04:01 PM	#4
Hellmark Wizard Posts: 2,549 Karma: 3799999 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: O'Fallon, Missouri, USA Device: Nokia N800, PRS-505, Nook STR Glowlight, Kindle 3	Just so you know, no need to capitalize "ebook". It isn't an acronym. Basically, how ebook lending works, is that you're given a copy of the book with an expiration date (normally 2 weeks from date of checkout). After the expiration date, you cannot read the book. The library buys so many copies of each ebook, just like with paperbooks, and when ever a book is checked out, a record is kept as to who checked it out (just like a paper book). Most ebooks that libraries offer are in the ePub format with Adobe Adept DRM, which is not compatible with Kindles (Blame Amazon, they're the ones that put the restriction). If you strip the DRM, you'll also break the expiration date, and quite possibly be breaking the law depending on where you live (also, we won't tell you how to do that).

04-05-2011, 04:17 PM	#6
Hellmark Wizard Posts: 2,549 Karma: 3799999 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: O'Fallon, Missouri, USA Device: Nokia N800, PRS-505, Nook STR Glowlight, Kindle 3	Typically, words like "the" and "of" are not included in acronyms. Althought EBOOK does sound better than EBOK, if you are to try and make an acronym of it.

04-05-2011, 04:21 PM	#7
elemenoP Wizard Posts: 1,717 Karma: 3790058 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: NYC Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Sony 650	ok, let's hear yours, then! eP

04-05-2011, 06:25 PM	#8
FF2 Wizard Posts: 1,105 Karma: 1025784 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: WiFi Kindle3	By the way, the Seattle Public Library does loan books in mobi format - BUT you need to determine your pid which is not something you automatically come by.

04-05-2011, 06:29 PM	#9
G J Lau Zealot Posts: 126 Karma: 415116 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Frederick MD Device: Nook	Overdrive seems to be the primary source for e-book lending among libraries. PDF is available on most titles and as far as I know that will work on Kindle, or at least more recent models. Work on the Calibre thing. It is extremely useful and could solve most of your issues.

04-06-2011, 08:35 AM	#13
jbcohen Wizard Posts: 3,025 Karma: 11196738 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Piper College Device: Samsung A21	Greaat information so far and I would like to add one thing to the dicussion, since it has been firmly established that lcol is out of luck in terms of borrowing books I think that lcol should have an understanding of the mechanics behind electronic book borrowing if locl obtains a different reader that is capable of borrowing books from the local library, thus here is a short discussion of the mechanics behind the topic. First it is necessary to understand what Digital Rights Management (DRM) is. DRM is code that is added to the book to permit the publisher, or in this case the library, to restrict what you can do with the books. The DRM can prevent you from sharing the book with others and copying the book in any way. DRM has also other no desireable aspects, by not leeting you store the book for future reading or not allowing you to read the book at all. What does this have to do with books from the library is exactly this DRM is the method by which libraries use to prevent you from reading the electronic book that you have borrowed past the date that you need to return it to the library. After the return date the book becomes unreadable due to the DRM. As stated in earlier posts most lending is done via Overdrive. One thing that can be done with electronic library books if you have the knowledge and the free software to acomplish it is to download an electronic library book, strip the DRM, return the book to the library then read the book.

04-06-2011, 08:51 AM	#14
abookreader Wizard Posts: 1,516 Karma: 2567610 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Kindles - Keyboard, Fire, 2-US, iPhone, iPAD	Welcome to mobileread lcole Come on down to the Kindle Forum and we'll be happy to help you with any Overdrive/format conversion/Calibre questions you might have in regards to your Kindle.

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