How to get around geographic restrictions, legally.

[HorridRedDog]

I live in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, USA. My county library has audio books that you can download over the internet, but NO ebooks at all.

I've heard that some libraries will let out of state (sometimes listed as "out of area") sign up for a "local" library card for a fee. This fee is sometimes described as the amount of local taxes that go to the support of the library. Searching for such libraries led me to "Access Pennsylvania".

If you are in Pennsylvania, and if your library card has a sticker on it that says "Access Pennsylvania" you can get a FREE card from any PA library that is part of that system.

Next part- Philadelphia is a "large" city with a large library system. So I checked them out. Each library that lets out of area people to get a card charges a different amount. But the Free Philadelphia Library system ONLY CHARGES $15 to non-residents. Again, cards for those in the "Access Pennsylvania" system are free.

Say you live in Edinburgh or Frankfurt. Find the library that you want to "borrow" from and get a card, download books.

Now for the bad part. The Free Philadelphia Library system website was written so badly that you really can't, effectively, look up ANYTHING. Government work at its worst.

If I can find any better libraries I'll post them. With a little luck, and the help of others, maybe we can get a new category started - Online Library Access.

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Anyone in the UK know of a similar library where I can get "Under the Eagle" by Simon Scarrow?

P.S. - requests, if not overwhelming, accepted. Well, except for the Free Philadelphia Library system. It does have a huge amount of ebooks, audio books, movies, etc. Just hard to look up.

[daffy4u]

There is a wiki page for EBook Lending Libraries with information on many states and several countries. Pennsylvania is not included so maybe you could just update the wiki to include your states information.

[HorridRedDog]

That's a start. But not quiet what is needed, I'm sorry to say.

Some of what I found:
" For example, it is available to residents of the Dearborn area where nonresidents can apply in person for $80 per year. It is available to residents of the Kalamazoo area where nonresidents can apply in person for $185 per year. It is available to residents of the Grosse Point area where nonresidents can apply in person for $100 per year."

"... state of Minnesota. Nonresidents can apply in person for $10 for two months..."

"Apply in person at any branch library..."

"Applications from nonresidents are accepted in person for free."

All to often it is "available to residents". Where it is available to non-residents you can not find that info (I'm sure that they have the "best" IT people and web designers they can get for a pittance).

Here's what is needed;
LOCATION: Pennsylvania
LIBRARY: The Free Philadelphia Library Link
FEES: Residents - Free (non-residents $15) Link
DOWNLOADS: audio books, e-books, music, movies, plus. Link

Links have to be included. Yes, I know that they may change, but some of the info is VERY hard to find.

(Want an example of government stupidity? The US Tax Code is reported at OVER 80,000 pages.)

P.S. - I created a Wiki account for https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/EBook_Lending_Libraries but can not find where I can add the Pennsylvania info. Any help on where to go?

[daffy4u]

Originally Posted by HorridRedDog

P.S. - I created a Wiki account for https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/EBook_Lending_Libraries but can not find where I can add the Pennsylvania info. Any help on where to go?

There is an "edit" tab at the top of the wiki page. Just try to follow the existing format. You can practice by copying and pasting the contents of the edit window onto your personal wiki page. You can play around until you feel ready to update the live page.

[HorridRedDog]

Working on it now.

[HorridRedDog]

https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/EBoo...s#Pennsylvania

I would love to hear if anyone overseas can download material.