Libraries and Kindle?

[John F]

I was browsing the new fiction ebook arrivals at a library, and the difference between epub and kindle seemed rather large: 442 new fiction books, 442 epub, 114 Kindle.

I had seen slight differences in the past, but this seems excessive.

Here is the first two book that are epub only:

https://www.amazon.com/Judas-Goat-Po.../dp/1953534643
https://www.amazon.com/Save-Me-Oppos.../dp/B0BBSWC4MN

Checking another library, there are 188 epub and 121 kindle new fiction arrivals.

Any ideas on why there is a large difference?

[jhowell]

It’s likely the publishers choice.

[Paperbackstash]

Ugh. I hate when that happens as I only borrow the book when there's a send to kindle option. Hope that's not a change on the landscape

[luv2readnohio]

There is also the tendency for the epub to come out first on Overdrive/Libby. I have had some titles that were epub and I needed to push them back a week since I did not have time to read them -- when I went back in to check them out, there was now a kindle version available.

[fduniho]

Originally Posted by Paperbackstash

Ugh. I hate when that happens as I only borrow the book when there's a send to kindle option. Hope that's not a change on the landscape

While I normally get the Kindle version for the sake of convenience, the adobe option has also worked out for me. The library gives me a file I can open in Adobe Digital Editions. This program retrieves the actual book, and then I can load it in calibre, strip the DRM, and read it in Moon+ Reader on my Likebook Mars. This might be possible for me, because I own an old Kobo, but I'm not sure. Anyway, I did get an Adobe Digital Editions account back when the Kobo was my only ereader, and I still have it.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by John F

I was browsing the new fiction ebook arrivals at a library, and the difference between epub and kindle seemed rather large: 442 new fiction books, 442 epub, 114 Kindle.

I had seen slight differences in the past, but this seems excessive.

My local library is trending the opposite direction. More new Kindle books than ePubs. Six months back 461 new Kindle books, 411 ePubs. A total of almost 21,000 Kindles and about 18,300 ePubs. I'm guessing most overlap.

[mitford13]

This is something that’s been happening a lot in the last two years or so. I have cards from eight different library systems and I get a lot of new releases on the first day of release; it usually takes at least 24 hours before the Kindle version is available, most often around 36 hours.

[Deskisamess]

I've never paid much attention to the new e-books, so I looked this morning.

Once in a while I have to use the Overdrive app on my iPad mini to read a book I want to borrow. It doesn't happen all that often, and sometimes the Kindle book becomes available a few days after the ePub.

[fduniho]

Checking some of the libraries I use, the Brooklyn Public Library has 149,918 Kindle books and 179,130 EPUB books, and my local public library has 6,023 Kindle books and 6,963 EPUB books. I could not check how many the New York Public Library has, but I'm aware that it has a whole set of books that are not available on the Kindle. So, it looks like they all have more EPUB books than Kindle books. One reason for this is probably that they all use Overdrive, which is owned by Kobo, an ereader company whose own books are all EPUB books. Another factor may be that more ereader companies support EPUB than Kindle books. Nook, Kobo, and Google Play Books all sell EPUB books, but only Amazon sells Kindle books. So, when there is a choice between just getting a Kindle book or an EPUB book, this may give librarians a reason to choose the EPUB book. A third reason, which I think applies to the New York Public Library, is that some of its ebooks are available from Cloud Library rather than Overdrive, and Cloud Library does not include Kindle books. Other libraries may get books through similar services that do not include any Kindle books.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by fduniho

One reason for this is probably that they all use Overdrive, which is owned by Kobo, an ereader company whose own books are all EPUB books.

Minor nit with your comment. Kobo never owned Overdrive. Rakuten which owns Kobo at one point owned Overdrive but Rakuten sold Overdrive to KKR. The transaction was completed about 2 years ago.

Originally Posted by fduniho

Another factor may be that more ereader companies support EPUB than Kindle books. Nook, Kobo, and Google Play Books all sell EPUB books, but only Amazon sells Kindle books. So, when there is a choice between just getting a Kindle book or an EPUB book, this may give librarians a reason to choose the EPUB book.

Another issue is that an epub book is fulfilled by the library's Overdrive connection while a Kindle ebook is fulfilled by Amazon at an extra cost to the library. In Canada, the extra cost and the privacy issues were the main reasons that Canadian libraries do not offer Kindle format loans. You want to find out what books have been checked out and by whom? Get a court order for very specific information to compel the library to give you that information. Amazon? We'll sell you that information.

Originally Posted by fduniho

A third reason, which I think applies to the New York Public Library, is that some of its ebooks are available from Cloud Library rather than Overdrive, and Cloud Library does not include Kindle books. Other libraries may get books through similar services that do not include any Kindle books.

I'm not sure how much of an effect that reasoning would have. For the most part, being a rather cynical sort, it likely comes down to how much money could they make offering Kindle format loans after paying Amazon their gelt.

[shalym]

Originally Posted by DNSB

Another issue is that an epub book is fulfilled by the library's Overdrive connection while a Kindle ebook is fulfilled by Amazon at an extra cost to the library. In Canada, the extra cost and the privacy issues were the main reasons that Canadian libraries do not offer Kindle format loans. You want to find out what books have been checked out and by whom? Get a court order for very specific information to compel the library to give you that information. Amazon? We'll sell you that information.

Yes, epubs are fulfilled by the library's Overdrive connection. Unless, of course, the borrower chooses to use a Kobo and download the book directly to their Kobo, in which case the ebook is fulfilled by Kobo, not Overdrive. I don't have any idea whether or not this costs the library anymore, but then again, I didn't know that it costs the library more to host Kindle ebooks, either.

I'm also curious as to why it isn't a privacy issue for the loans to be fulfilled by Kobo's servers, but it is a privacy issue for the loans to be fulfilled by Amazon's servers? Is Kobo (and Rakuten, who owns Kobo) *really* such a paragon of virtue that everyone explicitly trusts them with all of their data?

Originally Posted by DNSB

I'm not sure how much of an effect that reasoning would have. For the most part, being a rather cynical sort, it likely comes down to how much money could they make offering Kindle format loans after paying Amazon their gelt.

I also wasn't aware that Libraries were out to *make money*. At least in the US, they a public service. They do try not to lose money, and they have to account for the money that they get, but they are not a for profit company...at least not in the US. Maybe that's different in other countries.

Shari

[Slipkid]

I've noticed that if a book is released on a Tuesday, the Kindle version often shows up on Wednesday or Thursday, while the epub is available immediately when the book goes live.

[haertig]

The mix of EPUB and Kindle books is pretty darn close to equal at the Denver Public Library:

[Fat Abe]

Originally Posted by DNSB

Another issue is that an epub book is fulfilled by the library's Overdrive connection while a Kindle ebook is fulfilled by Amazon at an extra cost to the library. In Canada, the extra cost and the privacy issues were the main reasons that Canadian libraries do not offer Kindle format loans.

My main library (HI) out in the ocean seems to offer books in both formats, but the graphics novel e-books (i.e., comics) are only loaned via the Kindle service or the Overdrive web reader (not ebook e-readers). Using the latter app is a pain to read, as they do not offer the reader the option of looking at a pane at a time, whereas the Kindle Fire readers offer such an option. Has anyone complained?

[John F]

Originally Posted by haertig

The mix of EPUB and Kindle books is pretty darn close to equal at the Denver Public Library:

The mix for a couple of my libraries: