Question about Kindle and Sony format, and ebooks from libraries

enarchay · 05-22-2009, 04:07 PM

If I bought some Kindle books and later bought a different ereader, how can I get those books on that new ereader, and would they still be of the same quality? What about with the Sony?

Also, what format do most libraries offer ebooks in and how exactly does checking them out work?

kelly1010 · 05-22-2009, 04:11 PM

Most libraries offer pdf and mobipocket ebooks, and some are starting to offer epub. You check out and return books all through their website (usually). At least thats how my library systems work.

grooks · 05-22-2009, 04:17 PM

If you first owned a Sony and subsequently purchased books through the Sony store, they could not be read on any other device. If ou first owned a Kindle and subsequently purchased books through Amazon, it is possible to read on other devices but the DRM must be removed from the ebook. The ebook may or may not need to be shifted to a different format to be read on another device. The books would be of the same quality after reformatting.

In my experience, most libraries offer more pdf than mobi. Some libraries are beginning to offer epub. For the Sony, assuming you have a card for your local library, one would check-out the book from the library, the ebook would download and open in ADE (Adobe Digital Editions), then it's a simple drag and drop to your Sony Reader. Borrowing mobipocket books from the library requires an extra step which I'm not familiar and will let others speak to that.

enarchay · 05-22-2009, 04:17 PM

How can I figure out if my library offers ebooks? I don't see any page on the website: http://www.cmclibrary.org/

grooks · 05-22-2009, 04:20 PM

http://search.overdrive.com/

Use the link for your state. It will list all the consortiums that use the overdrive system in your state.

grooks · 05-22-2009, 04:24 PM

Found the consortium your library belongs to:

http://sjrlc.lib.overdrive.com/

The current catalog is 2,217 pdf and 495 mobipocket

enarchay · 05-22-2009, 04:30 PM

Thanks.

enarchay · 05-22-2009, 04:33 PM

Jeeze, they only had four titles under philosophy.

grooks · 05-22-2009, 06:11 PM

I think they will only purchase titles they think people will read. Sometimes libraries are hit or miss on certain subjects.

enarchay · 05-22-2009, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grooks

If you first owned a Sony and subsequently purchased books through the Sony store, they could not be read on any other device. If ou first owned a Kindle and subsequently purchased books through Amazon, it is possible to read on other devices but the DRM must be removed from the ebook. The ebook may or may not need to be shifted to a different format to be read on another device. The books would be of the same quality after reformatting.

Two more questions while I'm at it. 1) How many ereaders natively support the Kindle format, or do you anticipate most future ereaders to do so? 2) Are you sure that the converted-Kindle books would look just as good? From what I've seen, PDF-to-Kindle doesn't look as good as just PDF - converting causes some problems - so I would wonder if it would be the same with converted Kindle books.

wallcraft · 05-22-2009, 10:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by enarchay

Two more questions while I'm at it.

The Kindle AZW format is identical to the MOBI format, so what you end up with is DRM-free MOBI ebooks. MOBI is the most popular format in the US at present. The Adobe ePub format is catching up, but there are plenty of Readers using MOBI and MobiPocket has software for many handheld devices.

The difference between format shifting MOBI and PDF is that MOBI is a reflowable format (it is essentially simplified HTML) and can be converted easily to other reflowable formats, like ePub.

enarchay · 05-22-2009, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wallcraft

The Kindle AZW format is identical to the MOBI format, so what you end up with is DRM-free MOBI ebooks. MOBI is the most popular format in the US at present. The Adobe ePub format is catching up, but there are plenty of Readers using MOBI and MobiPocket has software for many handheld devices.

The difference between format shifting MOBI and PDF is that MOBI is a reflowable format (it is essentially simplified HTML) and can be converted easily to other reflowable formats, like ePub.

I see. What exactly is DRM?

wallcraft · 05-22-2009, 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by enarchay

What exactly is DRM?

DRM is Digital Rights Management, i.e. encryption to lock an ebook to one or more devices. Almost all ebooks you buy have DRM.

On library ebooks the DRM includes a time limit for the book as well as being locked down to your reading devices.

enarchay · 05-22-2009, 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wallcraft

DRM is Digital Rights Management, i.e. encryption to lock an ebook to one or more devices. Almost all ebooks you buy have DRM.

On library ebooks the DRM includes a time limit for the book as well as being locked down to your reading devices.

So converting them removes the DRM?

wallcraft · 05-23-2009, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by enarchay

So converting them removes the DRM?

In most cases you first remove the DRM, and only then is it possible to convert to another format. The entire point of DRM is to prevent you moving the ebooks from devices supported by the DRM-provider to other devices. So the DRM has to go if you want to use a new device with a different DRM-provider (or no DRM at all).

05-22-2009, 04:07 PM	#1
enarchay Zealot Posts: 144 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2009 Device: none	Question about Kindle and Sony format, and ebooks from libraries If I bought some Kindle books and later bought a different ereader, how can I get those books on that new ereader, and would they still be of the same quality? What about with the Sony? Also, what format do most libraries offer ebooks in and how exactly does checking them out work?

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05-22-2009, 04:11 PM	#2
kelly1010 Book Addict! Posts: 533 Karma: 1070 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: CA Device: Sony PRS-505, iPod Touch, Kindle 3G + Wi-Fi	Most libraries offer pdf and mobipocket ebooks, and some are starting to offer epub. You check out and return books all through their website (usually). At least thats how my library systems work.

05-22-2009, 04:17 PM	#3
grooks Wizard Posts: 1,326 Karma: 30250 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Fort Myers, FL Device: Pocketbook Era, Kobo Forma	If you first owned a Sony and subsequently purchased books through the Sony store, they could not be read on any other device. If ou first owned a Kindle and subsequently purchased books through Amazon, it is possible to read on other devices but the DRM must be removed from the ebook. The ebook may or may not need to be shifted to a different format to be read on another device. The books would be of the same quality after reformatting. In my experience, most libraries offer more pdf than mobi. Some libraries are beginning to offer epub. For the Sony, assuming you have a card for your local library, one would check-out the book from the library, the ebook would download and open in ADE (Adobe Digital Editions), then it's a simple drag and drop to your Sony Reader. Borrowing mobipocket books from the library requires an extra step which I'm not familiar and will let others speak to that.

05-22-2009, 04:20 PM	#5
grooks Wizard Posts: 1,326 Karma: 30250 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Fort Myers, FL Device: Pocketbook Era, Kobo Forma	http://search.overdrive.com/ Use the link for your state. It will list all the consortiums that use the overdrive system in your state.

05-22-2009, 04:24 PM	#6
grooks Wizard Posts: 1,326 Karma: 30250 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Fort Myers, FL Device: Pocketbook Era, Kobo Forma	Found the consortium your library belongs to: http://sjrlc.lib.overdrive.com/ The current catalog is 2,217 pdf and 495 mobipocket

05-22-2009, 04:30 PM	#7
enarchay Zealot Posts: 144 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2009 Device: none	Thanks.

05-22-2009, 04:33 PM	#8
enarchay Zealot Posts: 144 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2009 Device: none	Jeeze, they only had four titles under philosophy.

05-22-2009, 06:11 PM	#9
grooks Wizard Posts: 1,326 Karma: 30250 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Fort Myers, FL Device: Pocketbook Era, Kobo Forma	I think they will only purchase titles they think people will read. Sometimes libraries are hit or miss on certain subjects.

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