Ebook readers and library books - Page 2

JSWolf · 07-30-2010, 04:57 PM

I have access to three libraries in Massachusetts. One of them is very good about requests. I've recently signed up to the Philadelphia Free Library. I just sent in the form yesterday.

Purple Lady · 07-30-2010, 05:41 PM

I borrow books from my library whenever I can, but the selection wasn't very good when I first got my ereader earlier this year. It's getting a little better now, but I am number 11 out of 15 on the waiting list for one! It seems more and more people are borrowing now.

jswinden · 07-30-2010, 05:48 PM

I've never tried borrowing an ebook from a library. I'm kind of surprised to hear so many people talking about waiting lists. I just assumed that they would have an unlimited supply due to the books being digital. But now that I think about it it makes sense. They probably have to purchase each copy (just like us) and can only lend out as many copies at a time as they purchased. What about out of copyright books? Is there a waiting list on them too?

GA Russell · 07-30-2010, 06:12 PM

Only a few county libraries have eBooks here in North Carolina, and neither my old nor my new are among them.

AJ Starr · 07-30-2010, 06:19 PM

Being truthfully honest, I chose Seldom. BUT ONLY because my local Overdrive Library JUST started carrying ebooks, (like early July 2010), and I've already checked out a couple. Their selection is not a lot yet, but they are adding daily.

So hopefully, it will be REGULARLY, soon.

AJ

jswinden · 07-30-2010, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I have access to three libraries in Massachusetts. One of them is very good about requests. I've recently signed up to the Philadelphia Free Library. I just sent in the form yesterday.

Do they allow people from other states to sign up?

diokdin · 07-30-2010, 07:18 PM

I do, but there's not that much choices. The ones I do get to borrow are old books, are out or it's not available yet, there's just not much new ebooks available to borrow. Those that just came out, so in the end, I buy it.

Or if I'm patient I wait in line to borrow it...

carld · 07-30-2010, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theducks

No vote category:

I would use my Public Library e-books, if the book I wanted was available when I wanted it

Every title (not front list titles) I wanted, was checked out (are the readers, just letting them time out instead of checking the back in?).

I think so. I've been waiting for weeks for the 4th Sookie Stackhouse book. I want smack the person holding it. "You read too slow!"

Skydog · 07-30-2010, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jswinden

Do they allow people from other states to sign up?

Yes, and they must have been inundated from MR readers alone! The wait lists there are very long.

julia103 · 07-30-2010, 07:55 PM

I've borrowed five or six books from the Maryland Public Library. Most of the titles are PDF rather than epub, and I got really frustrated with how the reflow messes up the paragraphs and dialogue. They do seem to be getting more titles as epub, so I'll probably borrow more as that happens.

texasnightowl · 07-30-2010, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GA Russell

Only a few county libraries have eBooks here in North Carolina, and neither my old nor my new are among them.

I don't know if Wake County is your old or your new county, but Wake County will start making ebooks available (thru Overdrive) on Monday - at least according to the statement on their website. New York Times bestseller lists as first.

aagstn · 07-31-2010, 02:52 AM

With the exception of some Rex Stout's I've been buying I have almost exclusively been checking out books from the library. I can almost always finish a book in the 21 day time period and since I got the nook I have probably saved a couple hundred dollars by checking books out instead of buying them.

However, people around here are catching on to it and waiting lists can get up over 10 people now for popular titles. I have the day down now that overdrive adds new books so I can usually check out the newest major titles before anyone else has a chance at them.

banjobama · 07-31-2010, 02:57 AM

The library I currently have access to has a very poor selection of ebooks, and I have such a backlog of free or inexpensive ones that I haven't bothered trying to get a card anywhere else. So I have never read a library book on my Reader.

Marcy · 07-31-2010, 03:22 AM

I read library books all the time. I paid out-of-state fees to join the Philadelphia and Fairfax libraries. The Philadelphia library recently has added a *ton* of books. Every time I check there are 10-20 new books on the site.

And my local library just started offering ebooks! Yipee! They currently only have 44 fiction books and 5 non-fiction books, but it's a start.

-Marcy

bookwerm · 07-31-2010, 03:37 AM

I only read library books, but mainly because I have access to 3 large collections. I have access to 6 libraries altogether, and it's rare that overdrive offers a book and none of them have it. if it is the case, i just request a purchase to one or two of the libraries and it's typically available in a week or so.

View Poll Results: Do you read ebooks borrowed from a library?
I regularly read ebooks borrowed from a library	94	58.02%
I seldom read ebooks borrowed from a library	18	11.11%
I never read ebooks borrowed from a library	42	25.93%
I would but my reader does not support this function	8	4.94%
Voters: 162. You may not vote on this poll

07-30-2010, 07:18 PM	#22
diokdin Groupie Posts: 187 Karma: 46 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: TN, US Device: iPhone 4, Astak EZ Pocket Pro, Kindle 3 3G	I do, but there's not that much choices. The ones I do get to borrow are old books, are out or it's not available yet, there's just not much new ebooks available to borrow. Those that just came out, so in the end, I buy it. Or if I'm patient I wait in line to borrow it... Last edited by diokdin; 07-30-2010 at 07:26 PM.

07-31-2010, 02:52 AM	#27
aagstn Evangelist Posts: 422 Karma: 1004351 Join Date: Jun 2007 Device: Kindle Paperwhite 3, iPad mini 2	With the exception of some Rex Stout's I've been buying I have almost exclusively been checking out books from the library. I can almost always finish a book in the 21 day time period and since I got the nook I have probably saved a couple hundred dollars by checking books out instead of buying them. However, people around here are catching on to it and waiting lists can get up over 10 people now for popular titles. I have the day down now that overdrive adds new books so I can usually check out the newest major titles before anyone else has a chance at them. Last edited by aagstn; 07-31-2010 at 02:55 AM.

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07-30-2010, 04:57 PM	#16
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 74,037 Karma: 129333114 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	I have access to three libraries in Massachusetts. One of them is very good about requests. I've recently signed up to the Philadelphia Free Library. I just sent in the form yesterday.

07-30-2010, 05:41 PM	#17
Purple Lady Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,698 Karma: 16542228 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Pennsylvania Device: Huawei MediaPad M5, LG V30, Boyue T80S, Nexus 7 LTE, K3 3G, Fire HD8	I borrow books from my library whenever I can, but the selection wasn't very good when I first got my ereader earlier this year. It's getting a little better now, but I am number 11 out of 15 on the waiting list for one! It seems more and more people are borrowing now.

07-30-2010, 05:48 PM	#18
jswinden Nameless Being	I've never tried borrowing an ebook from a library. I'm kind of surprised to hear so many people talking about waiting lists. I just assumed that they would have an unlimited supply due to the books being digital. But now that I think about it it makes sense. They probably have to purchase each copy (just like us) and can only lend out as many copies at a time as they purchased. What about out of copyright books? Is there a waiting list on them too?

07-30-2010, 06:12 PM	#19
GA Russell Montreal wins Grey Cup! Posts: 7,583 Karma: 31484197 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Raleigh, NC Device: Paperwhite, Kindles 10 & 4 and jetBook Lite	Only a few county libraries have eBooks here in North Carolina, and neither my old nor my new are among them.

07-30-2010, 06:19 PM	#20
AJ Starr Guru Posts: 815 Karma: 1029784 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Nebraska, USA Device: PEZ, Color Libre, 2@Sony T1, Onyx i62HD	Being truthfully honest, I chose Seldom. BUT ONLY because my local Overdrive Library JUST started carrying ebooks, (like early July 2010), and I've already checked out a couple. Their selection is not a lot yet, but they are adding daily. So hopefully, it will be REGULARLY, soon. AJ

07-30-2010, 07:55 PM	#25
julia103 Connoisseur Posts: 71 Karma: 212 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Baltimore MD Device: Sony PRS-505	I've borrowed five or six books from the Maryland Public Library. Most of the titles are PDF rather than epub, and I got really frustrated with how the reflow messes up the paragraphs and dialogue. They do seem to be getting more titles as epub, so I'll probably borrow more as that happens.

07-31-2010, 02:57 AM	#28
banjobama Busy Read'n Posts: 980 Karma: 5039283 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Auburn, WA Device: Pocketbook Touch Lux 5	The library I currently have access to has a very poor selection of ebooks, and I have such a backlog of free or inexpensive ones that I haven't bothered trying to get a card anywhere else. So I have never read a library book on my Reader.

07-31-2010, 03:22 AM	#29
Marcy Guru Posts: 893 Karma: 950683 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Kobo Libra2	I read library books all the time. I paid out-of-state fees to join the Philadelphia and Fairfax libraries. The Philadelphia library recently has added a ton of books. Every time I check there are 10-20 new books on the site. And my local library just started offering ebooks! Yipee! They currently only have 44 fiction books and 5 non-fiction books, but it's a start. -Marcy

07-31-2010, 03:37 AM	#30
bookwerm Zealot Posts: 112 Karma: 430 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Studio City, CA Device: B&N Nook	I only read library books, but mainly because I have access to 3 large collections. I have access to 6 libraries altogether, and it's rare that overdrive offers a book and none of them have it. if it is the case, i just request a purchase to one or two of the libraries and it's typically available in a week or so.

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