Must I abandon Clara?

[marp68]

So I been happy for many years now with my Kobo reader's. My latest is the Kobo Clara HD. Borrowing books from the libraries where I am registered have been easy enough, even though I have to transfer the borrowed book to the reader via my laptop. I am Swedish by the way, living in Sweden.

Unfortunately two of the municipalities where I am registered for borrowing books have decided to skip ADE and the possibility to transfer the epub via the computer. Now everyone is forced to download the Biblio app to their Android or iOS phone/tablet. Or a reader that run on Android and that can install this app. Only my hometown's libraries are still offering the ADE opotion as well, aside the Biblio app. But for how long they can't answer...

Could it be that Adobe is charging to much for using ADE, or what...?

This is really really bad, since there are not many book readers that run on Android or iOS. I was about to invest in the new Kobo Clara BW, but I am hesitating now.

Is this happening in other countries as well?

What to do now? Will Kobo meet this with enabling to install Biblio? Do I have to buy another reader? I made a search. The ONYX BOOX NOVA 2 seems to be similar to Kobo Clara HD. What are your thoughts on this reader in comparison to Kobo?

Could a workaround be to just install the Biblio app on my Samsung Galaxy, borrow the book and then just transfer the epub from the phone to my reader via the laptop?

Or install a virtual Android on my Windows computer, install the Biblio app, borrow the book and then move the epub to the reader as usual?

Thanks for any suggestion

[meeera]

Biblio's own Help page describes the situation thus (this is an auto translation into English):

"Why can't I use my tablet that works with Adobe Digital Editions?

We have collected information in a longer article here but in short it is due to a new EU directive coming in June 2025 that includes accessibility in e-books so that everyone can read books on their own terms. For example, the reader needs to contain support for text-to-speech / text-to-speech, and if you are visually impaired, you must be able to search for different chapters with assistive devices. Readers using the Adobe Digital Edition will not be usable after this date as the Adobe DRM that protects the files technically does not support the features required by the directive.

There is a lot of information about the new accessibility directive and you can read more at, for example, www.mtm.se or on the government's website."

To me this is a nonsense - so long as an accessible format is also available, why should such a directive prevent people having the option to use ADE as an alternative?

[Aleron Ives]

In the US, most libraries have migrated to the Libby app, but Libby still allows ADE downloads. It's unlikely that Kobo will address this, so your only likely option would be to buy an Android e-reader. If you want another 6" model, the Onyx Boox Poke 5 or Go 6 would be roughly equivalent to your Clara.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by meeera

Biblio's own Help page describes the situation thus (this is an auto translation into English):

"Why can't I use my tablet that works with Adobe Digital Editions?

We have collected information in a longer article here but in short it is due to a new EU directive coming in June 2025 that includes accessibility in e-books so that everyone can read books on their own terms. For example, the reader needs to contain support for text-to-speech / text-to-speech, and if you are visually impaired, you must be able to search for different chapters with assistive devices. Readers using the Adobe Digital Edition will not be usable after this date as the Adobe DRM that protects the files technically does not support the features required by the directive.

There is a lot of information about the new accessibility directive and you can read more at, for example, www.mtm.se or on the government's website."

To me this is a nonsense - so long as an accessible format is also available, why should such a directive prevent people having the option to use ADE as an alternative?

I agree that it's 100% rubbish. Why not allow ADE DRM as well as whatever format they want to switch to. Other then text-to-speech, ADE does everything else. It's possible that Bluefire Reader would do TTS on an iPhone. Bluefire Reader is based on RMSDK.

I'm using Firefox and I found a TTS plugin that allows the use of Piper voices. It sounds quite good. I went to an Overdrive library and read the eBook in my browser. I have the TTS playing the eBook now. So it's BS that ePub with ADE DRM cannot have TTS. I have TTS right now with an ePub with ADE DRM.

[marp68]

Thanks for the information

I just quickly installed the updated version of Biblio on my phone and looked for the epub file, which I then copied to my laptop. I then imported it into Calibre, which went fine. In the metadata page, title, author and booklet text were there, but I had to download the cover.

But when trying to open the book, I got the message that it was DRM protected. This was strange, since I have the DeDRM_tools plugin installed and this works on the books that I borrowed and downloaded to my computer via ADE and then imported them to Calibre and transferred them to the reader.

I assume the Biblio epub has another DRM protection. Is there any similar plugin to the DeDRM_tools that works?

I just don't think I should have to buy another brand to read my borrowed books, so I feel completely okay using a tool that enables me to continue reading it on my Kobo. One could also argue that I am doing the climate a favor, since thousands of people around the world would need to buy new readers just to be able to borrow books from their libraries, if this is the trend.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by marp68

Thanks for the information

I just quickly installed the updated version of Biblio on my phone and looked for the epub file, which I then copied to my laptop. I then imported it into Calibre, which went fine. In the metadata page, title, author and booklet text were there, but I had to download the cover.

But when trying to open the book, I got the message that it was DRM protected. This was strange, since I have the DeDRM_tools plugin installed and this works on the books that I borrowed and downloaded to my computer via ADE and then imported them to Calibre and transferred them to the reader.

I assume the Biblio epub has another DRM protection. Is there any similar plugin to the DeDRM_tools that works?

I just don't think I should have to buy another brand to read my borrowed books, so I feel completely okay using a tool that enables me to continue reading it on my Kobo. One could also argue that I am doing the climate a favor, since thousands of people around the world would need to buy new readers just to be able to borrow books from their libraries, if this is the trend.

Or it's that DeDRM does not have the correct key for the Biblio eBooks.

[John F]

Originally Posted by Aleron Ives

In the US, most libraries have migrated to the Libby app, but Libby still allows ADE downloads. It's unlikely that Kobo will address this, so your only likely option would be to buy an Android e-reader. If you want another 6" model, the Onyx Boox Poke 5 or Go 6 would be roughly equivalent to your Clara.

I believe most libraries still use Overdrive. The Libby app may be an option, but I don't think it is mandatory at most libraries.

I use several U.S. libraries and use the Overdrive and Libby webpages.

[DJUNGELSKOG]

Originally Posted by marp68

Is this happening in other countries as well?

I haven't heard about this happening in our Flemish libraries. We have the option to use an app called "CloudLibrary" but can also download .acsm files and open them through ADE. In addition to that, our library literally has Kobo devices on display. These devices can be borrowed by people that want to try using the e-books from the library.


Is your library replacing the CloudLibrary app or some other app by this Biblio app?

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I agree that it's 100% rubbish. Why not allow ADE DRM as well as whatever format they want to switch to. Other then text-to-speech, ADE does everything else.

It's indeed rubbish, by taking away the ADE option the library would make these e-books inaccessible for people who can't read from phones or tablets (like me!).

Also Pocketbook e-readers have the text-to-speech function and support Adobe DRM.

[marp68]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Or it's that DeDRM does not have the correct key for the Biblio eBooks.

Any recommendations on how to solve it?

[Poppaea]

Originally Posted by marp68

So I been happy for many years now with my Kobo reader's. My latest is the Kobo Clara HD. Borrowing books from the libraries where I am registered have been easy enough, even though I have to transfer the borrowed book to the reader via my laptop. I am Swedish by the way, living in Sweden.

Unfortunately two of the municipalities where I am registered for borrowing books have decided to skip ADE and the possibility to transfer the epub via the computer. Now everyone is forced to download the Biblio app to their Android or iOS phone/tablet. Or a reader that run on Android and that can install this app. Only my hometown's libraries are still offering the ADE opotion as well, aside the Biblio app. But for how long they can't answer...

Could it be that Adobe is charging to much for using ADE, or what...?

This is really really bad, since there are not many book readers that run on Android or iOS. I was about to invest in the new Kobo Clara BW, but I am hesitating now.

Is this happening in other countries as well?

What to do now? Will Kobo meet this with enabling to install Biblio? Do I have to buy another reader? I made a search. The ONYX BOOX NOVA 2 seems to be similar to Kobo Clara HD. What are your thoughts on this reader in comparison to Kobo?

Could a workaround be to just install the Biblio app on my Samsung Galaxy, borrow the book and then just transfer the epub from the phone to my reader via the laptop?

Or install a virtual Android on my Windows computer, install the Biblio app, borrow the book and then move the epub to the reader as usual?

Thanks for any suggestion

German libraries have started to use a different system than ADE. It is called LCP or CARE. Tolino and Pocketbook readers are able to decode it directly, withiut any workaround on a computer.

Maybe there are ereaders available that work directly with the Swedish system. If not, I can recommend the Boox Go 6.

I have been a die hard Kobo user, since Sony eent belly up, but now I gotta say, I love this Go 6 very, very much! It takes a while to find all the things one has to tweak to set it up just so, which seems to be a major PITA, when Kobos are so smooth right out of the box. But the versatility and the ability to fine tune are more than making up for the bumpy first few days.

Now I have set my eyes on the Boox Page. This is how much I like having an android reader.

[marp68]

Originally Posted by DJUNGELSKOG

I haven't heard about this happening in our Flemish libraries. We have an option to use an app called "CloudLibrary" but we also have an option to download .acsm files and open them through ADE.

Is your library replacing the CloudLibrary or some other app by this Biblio app?

We haven't had CloudLibrary. Only the option to also download the ascm file, open it in ADE and then transfer the epub to an in ADE authorised reader.

[marp68]

Originally Posted by Poppaea

German libraries have started to use a different system than ADE. It is called LCP or CARE. Tolino and Pocketbook readers are able to decode it directly, withiut any workaround on a computer.

Maybe there are ereaders available that work directly with the Swedish system. If not, I can recommend the Boox Go 6.

I have been a die hard Kobo user, since Sony eent belly up, but now I gotta say, I love this Go 6 very, very much! It takes a while to find all the things one has to tweak to set it up just so, which seems to be a major PITA, when Kobos are so smooth right out of the box. But the versatility and the ability to fine tune are more than making up for the bumpy first few days.

Any other differences between Kobo and Boox? Advantages, disadvantages, things you miss or appreciate with BOOX?
Now I have set my eyes on the Boox Page. This is how much I like having an android reader.

Biblio app is the only option, so readers that support this seems to be the future.

Will check the Boox GO 6 out. Does it have "nightmode", that is, can you invert the screen? I installed this mod on my Kobo. Really great when you want less light from the screen.

Any other differences? Advantages, disadvantages, things you miss, like with BOOX?

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Aleron Ives

In the US, most libraries have migrated to the Libby app, but Libby still allows ADE downloads. It's unlikely that Kobo will address this, so your only likely option would be to buy an Android e-reader. If you want another 6" model, the Onyx Boox Poke 5 or Go 6 would be roughly equivalent to your Clara.

For what it's worth, Libby is a front end to OverDrive that runs on the user's device. Libby has nothing to do with a Kobo ereader's ability to download library loaned ePubs and nothing to do with the OP's issue with his local libraries switching to Biblio from Overdrive.

[Poppaea]

Originally Posted by marp68

Biblio app is the only option, so readers that support this seems to be the future.

Will check the Boox GO 6 out. Does it have "nightmode", that is, can you invert the screen? I installed this mod on my Kobo. Really great when you want less light from the screen.

Any other differences? Advantages, disadvantages, things you miss, like with BOOX?

Dark mode? I don't know if their native reader has it. I do not use it. But it does not matter anyway. If you need to read your library books in the library app, you need to check if the app has it. And if you want to read DRM free books, you can install any reading app you like. There is Koreader, which does dark mode AFAIK, AIReaderX, Librera Pro , Moonreader Pro, Pocketbook, all tgese apps have dark mode. Librera Pro shows the book description blurb, series, genre, folders, all like tbe Kobo does, lets you chiise with which reading app you want to open a book. There are lots and lots of options.

Cons? Hm. People complain about two things: Android 11 and battery run time. None of them are cons for me. There is no need to update on newer Android versions to run reading apps. They need Android 9 (Kindle) and lots of them are happy with Android as old as 4.1 or 5 (ReadEra and AIReaderX e.g.).

Regarding battery run time: I read with the lights on 75% my brightness most of the time, wifi off, and only dim it if there is zero ambient light. This equals 5% per hour. In other words I can read up to 20 hours between charges if need be. But there is no need to let it run down to zero, because there are at least 20 power sockets in my flat and it charges really fast.

There are youtube videos claiming it is slow. It isn't, once you have fine tuned the apps. If you want an incredibly fas reader, take a look at the Boox Palma. It has 6 GB RAM, some kind of screen wipe thingy, and buttons. The form factor lookex a bit weird to me, but on second thought, news papers and bibles are set in narrow columns because it makes text easier and faster to read, so I might have been wrong to dismiss it.

[Aleron Ives]

Originally Posted by DNSB

Libby has nothing to do with a Kobo ereader's ability to download library loaned ePubs and nothing to do with the OP's issue with his local libraries switching to Biblio from Overdrive.

My point was that other markets are moving to apps as well, but they're still compatible with ADE, so Kobo has little incentive to change anything when library borrowing will continue to work in the regions that aren't moving away from ADE.