joining usa libraries from outside of USA ?

[cybmole]

I have been locked out for 3 days
Also I checked old email and it has been a year since I began asking for an account. It took 3 - 4 weeks as I recall
There is no account history or status screen , that I can check.
I will post back if I get a librarian response

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by Geralt

I wasn't referring specifically to libraries when I said bad business. I was talking about people who actually sell books ie publishers! As it was noted in the post above me out of state service was abolished because of the complaint of geo restrictions by those same publishers.
If the laws were more inline with the globalized world and the was no such thing as geo restrictions publishers could make a hell of a lot more money.
Similarly libraries could collect more funds from out of state members and those funds could be used for buying more books.
As I said bad business because of outdated laws.

The only business sense that libraries make to a publisher is increased exposure. I am sure they would rather out-of-state individuals so obsessed with books that they pay for the opportunity to join a library, to buy direct instead.

TBH out-of-state library cards amount to unsanctioned subscription services.

[Froide]

Originally Posted by Ripplinger

I have a free library card there in my husband's name when they were issuing them for seniors free of charge, so not sure it will be the same situation in your case. Occasionally when I try to log in it will say invalid card, or can't find card, or card and PIN don't match, but it seems to be either a glitch in their system or they run maintenance and the messages just don't reflect that. When I try logging in again later, it will successfully log me in.

When I read your post, I thought they might have finally pulled all free or out-of-state cards (I'm pretty certain they no longer allow free cards for seniors for the last few years now). When I tried to log in I got the usual "not a valid free card" message. But I tried again a bit later and whew! successfully logged in.

You might try it again a bit later, even the next day to see if you didn't hopefully just run into their glitch or whatever it is that goes on when I get those invalid messages.

FLP no longer offers free cards to new patrons. Fortunately, since adult cards do not expire, the free cards already held by out-of-state seniors and veterans have, in effect, been grandfathered.

[pidgeon92]

I've been a member of the Free Library of Philadelphia for I believe 4 years now. It's always been a paid membership for me as I live in Illinois. It was $35 and is now $50. I have never gotten a renewal notice, they just don't do that. I had to contact the library the first time as they locked out my account. They confirmed that my year was up, so I sent in my check and my account was unlocked about a week later. Now I keep a notation on my calendar to send a check about a week before the year is up, and I'm very careful to note that my account is a renewal on both the form and my check.

[cybmole]

Yes they got back to me with 1. We don't do reminders 2. Login here and pay the 50 which they set up as a "fine", I have done that now on MasterCard, 3. Confirm that and wait for account to be unlocked.
Seems it needs that manual intervention, as I could not logon at the same "here" yesterday !

[jhowell]

The US system of city/county/regional libraries made sense in the era of physical books, but seems antiquated in the e-book era. Each library paying OverDrive to make available a limited number of copies from a limited set of books is just perpetuating the old way of doing things. It would be nice if they could form a single huge consortium of libraries with a large pool of e-books available to all.

[murg]

Originally Posted by Froide

FLP no longer offers free cards to new patrons. Fortunately, since adult cards do not expire, the free cards already held by out-of-state seniors and veterans have, in effect, been grandfathered.

They can always expire those cards.

[Ripplinger]

Originally Posted by murg

They can always expire those cards.

That's my fear, so I really hold my breath every time I try to log in expecting the card to be expired. With nothing on their website clarifying whether or not they are grandfathering those free cards for seniors, there's no guarantee they won't just take them away at some point. I'm hopeful though that if they haven't by now, they do intend to allow them to remain valid.

It wouldn't be the end of the world if they did revoke those cards, but their library has titles which my library doesn't carry. I always check my local library first, and only get titles from FLP which I can't find elsewhere.

[Froide]

Originally Posted by murg

They can always expire those cards.

Yes, they could. But that would require a policy change I don't anticipate, barring a major fiscal crisis on their end. *Knocks on wood.*

NOTE: I'm only referring to the FREE FLP cards obtained by out-of-state military veterans (which my S.O. has) and by out-of-state seniors (which neither of us has) BEFORE FLP's pricing policy changed.

[murg]

Originally Posted by Froide

Yes, they could. But that would require a policy change I don't anticipate, barring a major fiscal crisis on their end. *Knocks on wood.*

NOTE: I'm only referring to the FREE FLP cards obtained by out-of-state military veterans (which my S.O. has) and by out-of-state seniors (which neither of us has) BEFORE FLP's pricing policy changed.

Apparently, there has already been a policy change. They just haven't gotten around to enforcing it on existing card holders.

[Froide]

Originally Posted by murg

Apparently, there has already been a policy change. They just haven't gotten around to enforcing it on existing card holders.

On what information are you basing that statement?

[murg]

Originally Posted by Froide

On what information are you basing that statement?

Your post, actually:

Originally Posted by Froide

FLP no longer offers free cards to new patrons. Fortunately, since adult cards do not expire, the free cards already held by out-of-state seniors and veterans have, in effect, been grandfathered.

And from the FLP site:

Out-of-state residents can obtain a card by paying an annual fee of $50.00. If you wish to pay by mail, please print out the PDF application and send your check for $50.00. If you are registering for the first time and wish to pay online, please complete the form below.

Out-of-state residents who wish to renew their library card, please print out the PDF application (indicate your current card number) and send your check for $50.00. The Free Library does not have an online payment option available at this time for renewals.

I presume that if it is possible to renew your out-of-state card, then they have an expiry.

[Froide]

Originally Posted by murg

Your post, actually:



And from the FLP site:



I presume that if it is possible to renew your out-of-state card, then they have an expiry.

Perhaps my earlier posts didn't make the following clear:

FLP once offered two categories of out-of-state cards (described below).

1. Free cards for out-of-state seniors and military veterans - these do not expire (so, of course, they need not be renewed). No new cards will be offered in this category, but memberships already granted have been grandfathered.
   
2. Fee-based cards for out-of-staters - these do expire, must be renewed, and are increasing in price. New subscriptions are being granted for this category.

[tompe]

Originally Posted by Geralt

I wasn't referring specifically to libraries when I said bad business. I was talking about people who actually sell books ie publishers! As it was noted in the post above me out of state service was abolished because of the complaint of geo restrictions by those same publishers.
If the laws were more inline with the globalized world and the was no such thing as geo restrictions publishers could make a hell of a lot more money.
Similarly libraries could collect more funds from out of state members and those funds could be used for buying more books.
As I said bad business because of outdated laws.

This had nothing to do with laws. It is the contracts. And an author earn more money splitting the right between different regions instead of selling world rights.

[cybmole]

one of the reasons I joined FLP, from UK, was for access to Laurel K Hamilton's books, and one think I notices is that the USA library has omnibus editions ( 5 novel sets) of some of her Anita Blake series ,published by penguin USA. Those omnibus editions are not sold in the UK, and cannot be purchased here. I struggle to grasp the business logic for that, as the component novels are sold individually worldwide. FLP has individual volumes also.

it is also strange because 5 novel omnibus is a poor choice for a library loan unless you read really really fast!. I guess some folks do as you have to put those omnibus volumes on hold & queue up for them!