TeleRead: Bring the E-Books Home

Archive for the ‘Jeff Scott’ Category

By Jeff Scott, Director of the City of Casa Grande Public Library in Arizona

Editor’s note: Your library may not carry e-books for the Sony Reader—despite all the talk about the Sony LibraryFinder. TeleBlog contributor Jeff Scott agrees with Co-Editor Paul Biba’s complaint. Jeff is Deputy Director of the Tulare County Library System in California. Also see our post telling how Sony could help bring Long Tail books to libraries.

I was disappointed that Sony’s August 26th announcement didn’t add more to libraries.

Earlier I’d thought that Sony presenting at the New York Public Library would indicate improved performance and potential for new services at public libraries.

Not the case, though. Anything Sony has done for libraries has already been accomplished over a year ago. Except for Sony’s LibraryFinder, nothing is new.

A Link and Nothing More

If you go into the Sony Reader Ebook software, there is now a link to search public library ebooks. I entered my zip code and found the closest library that had Overdrive books. Thus, I was presented with two problems with this set-up. The site link goes to an Internet browser to the library instead of going inside the Sony E-book software. It’s great promotion for libraries (that provide the service), but it isn’t inside the e-book software to make the search and download process easier to use. It’s just a link, nothing more. (photo by by inky (contact)

(more…)

By David Rothman

Sony’s new deals with Smashwords and Author Solutions were progress, all right. 

People there see a role for Long Tail books—in other words, the non-bestsellers that so often are better than potboilers from the big guys.

But how can Sony get these books onto the e-readers, laptops and desktops of consumers? Public libraries are one way.

Bypassing the big p-retailers

Perhaps Sony should make a special push for this to happen, with special emphasis on title of local interest. Both Sony and the public would win. Yesterday I showed how inept the retail chains could be in their handling of books by local writers. Sony and public libraries to the rescue? Ahead are specifics. Other companies, too, might consider such strategies—something for Sony to ponder, now, lest it dillydally as it once did with e-book standards.

(more…)

By David Rothman

Want economic stimulus and literacy?

How about more money for libraries and perhaps a TeleRead-style approach, with a well-stocked, tax-supported national digital library system, blended in with local libraries and schools?

Aside from the benefits to readers, besieged publishers would enjoy a new income stream. Plus, there’s another factor to be considered—less of a piracy risk.

Consider a post from librarian Jeff Scott (photo), also a TeleBlog contributor:

E-books in libraries are the best way to combat any piracy. That’s the next big issue of online content. I also think it is ironic that Scribd will start selling e-books when that was one of the biggest book piracy sites available (not of their own doing of course). Many of the book piracy sites are going away now that more attention has been paid. Prior to researching the topic, I didn’t realize that most of the books available through these sites didn’t exist digitally before. There was no deal with the author or publisher; they were illegal. I think a lot of this can be stopped if more current e-books are available online through public libraries. They are the only medium that currently provides free content that is legal. I just hope that isn’t taken away in the digital age.

By David Rothman

Congrats to TeleBlog contributor Jeff Scott and other librarians in the Phoenix area.

Reuters highlights the area’s extensive collection of audiobooks and e-books and also includes some tips for users in other locations.

See an earlier how-to article and accompanying video that Jeff made for PRS-505 owners with PDF books available at their local libraries.

Thought: I’d be curious to hear from librarians on the kinds of e-gizmos they’re loaning out these days, be they MP3 players, Sony Readers or Kindles. And is it possible that Friends of Library-related organizations can team up with geeks to sell and support e-book-capable gadgets? Is this even happening already in some locations?

(Via LISNews.)

By Jeff Scott, Director of the City of Casa Grande Public Library in Arizona

Own a Sony PRS-505? Want to borrow best-sellers and other e-goodies offered by local libraries—for free?

Here’s how to check out titles from OverDrive, a provider of e-books to public libraries in the U.S. and seven other countries, including Canada, Mexico, the U.K. and Australia. Search here for a library using OverDrive’s service. In some cases, for a fee or otherwise, you may be able to enjoy OverDrive books even if you aren’t a resident. The New York Public Library charges $100 for a card (here’s the application). But the actual checkouts will be free.

Procedures at different libraries may vary, but this guide and my accompanying video should give you a general idea. Significantly, DRMed Adobe PDF is the most common e-book format at many libraries. And through a just-released upgrade, your PRS-505 can now read it. What’s more, starting next month, you’ll be able to buy 505s with the Digital Editions upgrade already built in, so that you can skip the first two steps.

Step #1: Upgrade your PRS-505

Download the latest Sony Reader firmware.

Step #2: Get Adobe Digital Editions

Here.

Step #3: Go to your library’s site

Visit your local library’s site. If you live in the States, there’s a good chance it will subscribe to OverDrive’s service directly or through a consortium. Here’s a downloading area for Phoenix-area library users.

Have you library card number and Personal Identification Number (PIN) ready.

Step #4: Find the book you want to read.

Yes, some of the most popular books might be already checked out, but you can do an electronic hold and be notified via e-mail. Even if you can’t locate a best-seller, you might find another recent title of interest.

Just as an example, I downloaded What Happened, the best-seller by former White House press secretary Scott McClellan.

Step #5: Put the book in your electronic book bag

Add the book to your electronic book bag and check out the book with your library card number, PIN, and the selection of your library, if it’s in a consortium.

Step #6: Confirm the check-out and download the title

Next, confirm the checkout and download the title.

Step #6: Open the book on your desktop

Open the title on your desktop and your Adobe Digital Editions will open the file.

Step #7: Connect

Connect your Sony PRS-505 to your laptop or desktop computer via the USB cable.

Step #8: Drag and drop the file

Open your Digital Editions Library, drag and drop the e-book file into your Sony Reader (either the main part or the memory card if you have one). The book should show up within the "Borrowed" category of "Bookshelves." You may need to click first on the book icon at the left of the screen, just under the Digital Editions logo.

That’s it!

Imagine the benefits here. If you are a voracious reader, you can now always have a book available with your Sony Reader, a laptop, and an Internet connection. Think about it. Everybody is talking about that latest book and you badly want to read it. Perhaps your flight has been delayed and you could really use something to read.  Now, you can download books for free to your Sony Reader.

Moderator’s note: We’ll also be interested in guides to popular library e-offerings from services besides OverDrive. Same for instructions for other hardware besides the Sony. – D.R.

By Jeff Scott, Director of the City of Casa Grande Public Library in Arizona

Moderator: Welcome to our latest contributor, Jeff Scott, library director in Casa Grande, Arizona! His bio is at the end. An aside: We’re also eager to run balanced write-ups of library e-offerings from companies besides Overdrive. – D.R.

Double-click for Jeff’s audiobook video in greater detail. May other library systems create their own! – D.R.

Find free audiobooks on the Web. Libraries can use hooks like this to help advertise their downloads of audiobooks, e-books, movies, and music.

Some libraries team up in consortia to have better selection. The Greater Phoenix Digital Library in Phoenix, Arizona, is among the bigger ones and is an example of what Overdrive-style services can provide.

The allure of audio

Audio books are the most popular items for download. Many libraries with less buying power will purchase the Overdrive service with audiobooks only. Audiobooks are popular because they are the easiest and most ubiquitous of formats—easier to use in most cases than e-books, which have far more problems with clashing formats. 

Most people have an MP3 player or something similar to use. The availability of titles is quite amazing. Go over to the Phoenix site and click on Audiobooks, click on Browse all, and you will find more than 10,500 titles available to you. Certain audiobooks are by the most popular authors or may even be pre-releases—as fresh as, yes, September 2008! So just imagine, having the ability to download the latest audio-book from the comfort of your own home whenever you wanted it! This is a great service.

The negatives: Long hold lists for hit titles and less-than-perfect searching

While the OverDrive audio books are a hit, with all those thousands of titles available, people may have to wait too long for the ones they want. Overdrive needs to provide more “Maximum Access” titles—those without a wait list. Let’s hope for a more liberal rights agreement between Overdrive and the publishing industry.

(more…)