joining usa libraries from outside of USA ? - Page 4

orangedotgreen · 03-05-2014, 10:20 AM

Thank you for the details, cybmole. I'll try the contact us address and send it as you did.

I checked the form again and I don't have to fill in any ID card number, just the address, so I'll go ahead and send the email now.

orangedotgreen · 03-10-2014, 10:45 AM

A short update: I sent a message via the contact form asking if I can apply(*) and on the same day I got back a message about how to apply and where to send the filled in form.

As I was preparing the email, I searched online for the email address to check if it was for this purpose only or if I needed to give extra information and found a blog on their website http://libwww.freelibrary.org/blog/?postid=1260 - the reply in the third comment is the same thing I received (the fee is now 50$).

I sent the application form and am eagerly awaiting the response

(*) and slightly off-topic: There are unfortunately some online shops that don't sell to Romania even if the payment is made in advance because of the bad reputation. I was a bit worried that they wouldn't accept my country for a fee card, but it seems they do

cybmole · 03-10-2014, 11:40 AM

yes, I paid USD 50 -so it was just over UKP 30 for me- that blog link is 3 years old so I was also worried by that, but it is still accurate except for the pricing.

they seem to see the world as either you are in Philadelphia, or you are not. Very simple
IN = free, OUT = $50 per year

orangedotgreen · 03-20-2014, 05:16 AM

Today I received the confirmation email, paid the fee and borrowed the first book

I also discovered that there are some magazines that can be read through FLP's Zinio site, and some of them are very interesting. I checked only the overdrive collection before signing up and this was a very nice bonus

If anyone's interested, the list of magazines is: http://www.rbdigital.com/freelibrary.../zinio/landing

Many thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread and to cybmole for the detailed instructions

cybmole · 03-20-2014, 05:46 AM

it may even be possible to borrow music & other digital media from FLP also.. I am happy to stick with my Spotify subscription for music, but others may wish to explore that

rollei · 03-22-2014, 12:53 PM

Quote:

http://libwww.freelibrary.org/blog/?postid=1260

Wed, March 16, 2011

Thank you for your interest in securing a Free Library of Philadelphia library card. The library system is currently accepting applications from overseas residents. In order to obtain a card we ask that you fill out the following application http://www.freelibrary.org/registrat...pplication.pdf and mail it to us along with a $35 payment in U.S. dollars. As an alternate to our overseas patrons who might have trouble sending a payment in U.S. dollars we are allowing you to send a clear scanned copy of the application to erefcpsd@freelibrary.org If anything is unclear please type the information in the text of email as well. 5 to 10 business days after we have received your application we will send you a card number along with information about how to logon and pay the $35 yearly fee with a credit card . We will allow you 2 business days to complete the payment before deleting the record. Once you have made the payment please email a confirmation to erefcpsd@freelibrary.org so we can activate your card. You will not get a physical card due to mailing costs.

If you have access to U.S. funds, you can send a check or money order.

Thank you!

Michelle - Free Library

This is great news for international applicants.

cybmole · 03-22-2014, 02:59 PM

they do take credit cards.
once your application is complete & you have your library number, you log in & see that you owe $50
you pay that by credit card & can start borrowing immediately

rollei · 03-22-2014, 08:34 PM

Quote:

http://libwww.freelibrary.org/blog/?postid=1260

5 to 10 business days after we have received your application we will send you a card number along with information about how to logon and pay the $35 yearly fee with a credit card .

At first I thought they don't take credit cards because of the last sentence that said "If you have access to U.S. funds, you can send a check or money order." but on reading again, it did said the yearly fee can be paid by credit card. So I changed my message. So the yearly fee is now $50..

cybmole · 03-23-2014, 02:18 AM

that is correct. I paid USD50 by credit card.

the 5-10 business days bit is optimistic, mine took a few days longer

stocks are execellent. most books I put holds on become available in a week or so.
there is a big queue for Allegiant but they do have a lot of copies so even that queue is moving along well. I am up to 75 out of 220 & they have 40 copies

tilia · 03-23-2014, 03:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by orangedotgreen

Today I received the confirmation email, paid the fee and borrowed the first book

I also discovered that there are some magazines that can be read through FLP's Zinio site, and some of them are very interesting. I checked only the overdrive collection before signing up and this was a very nice bonus

If anyone's interested, the list of magazines is: http://www.rbdigital.com/freelibrary.../zinio/landing

Many thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread and to cybmole for the detailed instructions

Thank you, I'd missed that they had magazines! Off to browse

cybmole · 03-23-2014, 03:48 AM

could someone who was figured out lending of magazines plase post for-dummies instructions. I see that I need to put a zinio app on my tablet but then do I have to also create a zinio login, somehow ?

do I need to connect tablet directly to FLP or can I go via PC ?

cybmole · 03-23-2014, 04:02 AM

maybe it's too early in the moring but this magazine lending seems to have me beat. on the library zinio page:
if I try create new account I get:
Verification failed
Access Denied. Try again

I've been to the zinio site directly and made an account there, but If i try to log into library page with that account I get
.Registration required

maybe I should wait a while & try later, after zinio & library have synced ?

Or maybe I need a library collection account & that is done on some other page ?

tilia · 03-23-2014, 06:29 AM

@cybmole, first you need to go here and log in to your Philly account. You're then automatically taken to Zinio, and then you make a new account there.

You have to go through the library site first, so that they know you are authorized to borrow their magazines.

cybmole · 03-23-2014, 07:50 AM

thanks - I got there eventually but it's not intuitive. so I now have a library account ( card no & pin) a personal zinio account (email and password) and a library zinio account! (same email, different password) ! but I am getting the mags delivered to tablet OK now.

it actually seems over-generous- you can take as borrow magazines as you like & keep them for as long as you like! I suppose the publishers live in hope hat if you look at enough magazine ads then you'll buy stuff! ( but there's an option in the zinio app to disable click thru to buy options, which is handy )

the main library site as v poor naviagion, IHMO.
it is not at all obvious how to get into the varisou digital lending services from the homw age.

orangedotgreen · 03-24-2014, 04:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cybmole

it actually seems over-generous- you can take as borrow magazines as you like & keep them for as long as you like!

I was very pleasantly surprised by the number of magazines and that they cover most subjects. The photography and science magazines are awesome

I opened the magazines on the pc (windows 7) and as far as magazine viewing on the pc goes, the zinio interface is very good. It's very nice that you can see previous issues - from what I've seen it's 2-3 issues, but I read on the website and it's because they started offering them in December, not a limit imposed by them for new members.

Yesterday I installed the overdrive app for audiobooks and transferred the first audiobook to my mp3 player. The process was straightforward. The audiobook I borrowed was quite small, so there wasn't an issue with space, but there is an option to transfer only some parts and that should cover the big ones.

The navigation on the website could be better, I found the magazines link by mistake when I was clicking around on the main site looking for the overdrive collection link.
I saved a list with the useful links I found and I'm adding it here in case it's useful for someone:
Overdrive collection - ebooks and audiobooks (can be viewed without an account): http://freelibrary.lib.overdrive.com
Digital media page: http://search.freelibrary.org/digitalmedia.cfm

Online Learning Portal: http://search.freelibrary.org/digitallearning.cfm (I haven't created an account and haven't taken any of the classes; the list of classes offered in one of the 'branches' is http://library.universalclass.com/catalog/index.htm and it seems very interesting)

Digital collections: http://libwww.freelibrary.org/diglib/ (includes maps, manuscripts)

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03-05-2014, 10:20 AM	#46
orangedotgreen Enthusiast Posts: 35 Karma: 82424 Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Romania Device: Kindle 3 Wi-fi	Thank you for the details, cybmole. I'll try the contact us address and send it as you did. I checked the form again and I don't have to fill in any ID card number, just the address, so I'll go ahead and send the email now.

03-10-2014, 10:45 AM	#47
orangedotgreen Enthusiast Posts: 35 Karma: 82424 Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Romania Device: Kindle 3 Wi-fi	A short update: I sent a message via the contact form asking if I can apply() and on the same day I got back a message about how to apply and where to send the filled in form. As I was preparing the email, I searched online for the email address to check if it was for this purpose only or if I needed to give extra information and found a blog on their website http://libwww.freelibrary.org/blog/?postid=1260 - the reply in the third comment is the same thing I received (the fee is now 50$). I sent the application form and am eagerly awaiting the response () and slightly off-topic: There are unfortunately some online shops that don't sell to Romania even if the payment is made in advance because of the bad reputation. I was a bit worried that they wouldn't accept my country for a fee card, but it seems they do

03-10-2014, 11:40 AM	#48
cybmole Wizard Posts: 3,720 Karma: 1759970 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: none	yes, I paid USD 50 -so it was just over UKP 30 for me- that blog link is 3 years old so I was also worried by that, but it is still accurate except for the pricing. they seem to see the world as either you are in Philadelphia, or you are not. Very simple IN = free, OUT = $50 per year

03-20-2014, 05:16 AM	#49
orangedotgreen Enthusiast Posts: 35 Karma: 82424 Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Romania Device: Kindle 3 Wi-fi	Today I received the confirmation email, paid the fee and borrowed the first book I also discovered that there are some magazines that can be read through FLP's Zinio site, and some of them are very interesting. I checked only the overdrive collection before signing up and this was a very nice bonus If anyone's interested, the list of magazines is: http://www.rbdigital.com/freelibrary.../zinio/landing Many thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread and to cybmole for the detailed instructions

03-20-2014, 05:46 AM	#50
cybmole Wizard Posts: 3,720 Karma: 1759970 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: none	it may even be possible to borrow music & other digital media from FLP also.. I am happy to stick with my Spotify subscription for music, but others may wish to explore that

03-22-2014, 02:59 PM	#52
cybmole Wizard Posts: 3,720 Karma: 1759970 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: none	they do take credit cards. once your application is complete & you have your library number, you log in & see that you owe $50 you pay that by credit card & can start borrowing immediately

03-23-2014, 02:18 AM	#54
cybmole Wizard Posts: 3,720 Karma: 1759970 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: none	that is correct. I paid USD50 by credit card. the 5-10 business days bit is optimistic, mine took a few days longer stocks are execellent. most books I put holds on become available in a week or so. there is a big queue for Allegiant but they do have a lot of copies so even that queue is moving along well. I am up to 75 out of 220 & they have 40 copies

03-23-2014, 03:48 AM	#56
cybmole Wizard Posts: 3,720 Karma: 1759970 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: none	could someone who was figured out lending of magazines plase post for-dummies instructions. I see that I need to put a zinio app on my tablet but then do I have to also create a zinio login, somehow ? do I need to connect tablet directly to FLP or can I go via PC ?

03-23-2014, 04:02 AM	#57
cybmole Wizard Posts: 3,720 Karma: 1759970 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: none	maybe it's too early in the moring but this magazine lending seems to have me beat. on the library zinio page: if I try create new account I get: Verification failed Access Denied. Try again I've been to the zinio site directly and made an account there, but If i try to log into library page with that account I get .Registration required maybe I should wait a while & try later, after zinio & library have synced ? Or maybe I need a library collection account & that is done on some other page ?

03-23-2014, 06:29 AM	#58
tilia Evangelist Posts: 432 Karma: 1720909 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Voyage, K3	@cybmole, first you need to go here and log in to your Philly account. You're then automatically taken to Zinio, and then you make a new account there. You have to go through the library site first, so that they know you are authorized to borrow their magazines.

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03-23-2014, 07:50 AM	#59
cybmole Wizard Posts: 3,720 Karma: 1759970 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: none	thanks - I got there eventually but it's not intuitive. so I now have a library account ( card no & pin) a personal zinio account (email and password) and a library zinio account! (same email, different password) ! but I am getting the mags delivered to tablet OK now. it actually seems over-generous- you can take as borrow magazines as you like & keep them for as long as you like! I suppose the publishers live in hope hat if you look at enough magazine ads then you'll buy stuff! ( but there's an option in the zinio app to disable click thru to buy options, which is handy ) the main library site as v poor naviagion, IHMO. it is not at all obvious how to get into the varisou digital lending services from the homw age.