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Le Taz Hot

(22,271 posts)
Mon Dec 19, 2011, 03:11 PM Dec 2011

For those of you with E-readers:

Did you know that most libraries now have e-books that you can check out? It's a good alternative for those who don't want to/can't afford to buy books. Granted, only a small part of their inventory will be available as e-books but a lot of the new books are included in that list. I just finished reading "The Help" as an e-book from the library. Additioally, most older classics are available for free download via Project Gutenberg.

Anyway, just an FYI post.

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For those of you with E-readers: (Original Post) Le Taz Hot Dec 2011 OP
yes i did. ours just started up in Oct. hubby checked out on my card seabeyond Dec 2011 #1
One thing I've never understood with library e-books... SidDithers Dec 2011 #2
I think that a better question is why Boojatta Dec 2011 #7
Some people read slowly and have limited hours to read csziggy Dec 2011 #11
Even with a physical book, all you're buying is a license. After all, they have a photocopy machine Romulox Dec 2011 #13
thank you roguevalley Dec 2011 #3
archive.org is another great place to look suffragette Dec 2011 #4
Ah hah! Le Taz Hot Dec 2011 #6
If you have an Android device... Staph Dec 2011 #5
Been reading them for a year. Ms. Toad Dec 2011 #8
Thanx! MarianJack Dec 2011 #9
That was the deciding factor for mine. knitter4democracy Dec 2011 #10
Yes. In fact I've never bought a book for my ereader. PotatoChip Dec 2011 #12
My complaint as well. Le Taz Hot Dec 2011 #14
Oh yes. I've heard that Catherine the Great PotatoChip Dec 2011 #17
Unfortunately that's a publisher issue MountainLaurel Dec 2011 #15
Thanks for the background info. PotatoChip Dec 2011 #18
We have that! wildeyed Dec 2011 #16
 

seabeyond

(110,159 posts)
1. yes i did. ours just started up in Oct. hubby checked out on my card
Mon Dec 19, 2011, 03:13 PM
Dec 2011

so i had to wait. then i went to library and got five books, so reading now. and have a good 200 books yet to read on my kindle. free or .99 books. so, i will get to the library online in a little while.

busy with christmas and guest.

SidDithers

(44,228 posts)
2. One thing I've never understood with library e-books...
Mon Dec 19, 2011, 03:22 PM
Dec 2011

they only have a limited number of copies of a book. My local library might have, say, 10 copies of The Magic of Reality, but there might be a waiting list of 30 people to download it.

I understand licensing, but it doesn't make any sense to be on a wait list for something that exist only virtually. It's not like there's a physical file on a flash drive being passed around. Why isn't the download available to everyone who wants it all at once?

If the license is only for 14 days, what does it matter if my 14 days is now, or in 3 months, when everyone on the waiting list ahead of me is done with it?

Sid

 

Boojatta

(12,231 posts)
7. I think that a better question is why
Mon Dec 19, 2011, 04:35 PM
Dec 2011

you would need an e-book for fourteen days. If there's a line of people waiting, then why not have somebody borrow it for twelve hours? Then you won't borrow it until you're ready to use it, and somebody else in line will get a chance to use it.

As for your question, if we were using e-money then would you allow each of thirty people to simultaneously download one dollar if there are only ten dollars available? In the case of e-books, the copyright owner has the right to make copies (hence the word "copyright" = copy + right). The issue isn't what is practically feasible, but the rights of the copyright owner.

csziggy

(34,120 posts)
11. Some people read slowly and have limited hours to read
Mon Dec 19, 2011, 05:19 PM
Dec 2011

My husband loves to read but is dyslexic so reads slowly. These days he usually only has an hour or two a day he can read so it can take him weeks to read a book. To his credit, he reads almost exclusively non-fiction, serious political and historical works. And he retains most of what he reads.

But if he had waited to check out a book, either hard copy or ebook, why should he give up his place in line for a supposedly faster reader?

I'm the other side of the coin - I can read the average mystery or science fiction book overnight if I can stay awake long enough. But I don't read a lot of non-fiction and I retain less of what I read. I've been looking at ereaders but many of the books I like to read (old science fiction, especially old anthologies, mysteries, and oddball science books on paleontology, forensics and anthropology) are not available as ebooks.

Romulox

(25,960 posts)
13. Even with a physical book, all you're buying is a license. After all, they have a photocopy machine
Mon Dec 19, 2011, 05:24 PM
Dec 2011

and a wait list for best sellers, so what's the problem?

suffragette

(12,232 posts)
4. archive.org is another great place to look
Mon Dec 19, 2011, 04:12 PM
Dec 2011

for texts.

It includes results from Project Gutenberg as well as many other sites hosting the texts. Also includes results from Librivox, etc for audio recordings of books.

Staph

(6,245 posts)
5. If you have an Android device...
Mon Dec 19, 2011, 04:18 PM
Dec 2011

get a copy of Aldiko to use as your reader application. It works beautifully with Project Gutenberg, www.feedbooks.com/, and probably a load of other ebook sites as well.

I like Aldiko's features, including the ability to click on a word or phrase and instantly look it up in a dictionary, on Google or Wikapedia. Nice tool!

I have no monetary interest in the product -- I'm just a user and a fan!

www.aldiko.com


Ms. Toad

(33,915 posts)
8. Been reading them for a year.
Mon Dec 19, 2011, 04:52 PM
Dec 2011

I've read more books in the last year than the several previous ones because of it. But thanks for spreading the word.

knitter4democracy

(14,350 posts)
10. That was the deciding factor for mine.
Mon Dec 19, 2011, 05:11 PM
Dec 2011

When I saw that they have a lot of my fluff reading that I don't like to spend much money on all for free, that decided it, and I freakin' love my Kindle Touch. Great, great tool.

PotatoChip

(3,186 posts)
12. Yes. In fact I've never bought a book for my ereader.
Mon Dec 19, 2011, 05:23 PM
Dec 2011

Always borrow from my library.

My only complaint is my library's (very) poor selection of non-fiction and long waits for new arrivals.

Le Taz Hot

(22,271 posts)
14. My complaint as well.
Mon Dec 19, 2011, 05:32 PM
Dec 2011

There are two new non-fiction books I'm chomping at the bit to read: One on James Madison and the other on Catherine the Great. My other complaint is that so many of the e-books are romance novels. I made the mistake of checking out a book by Catherine Coulter not knowing who she was. I learned a hard lesson there.

PotatoChip

(3,186 posts)
17. Oh yes. I've heard that Catherine the Great
Mon Dec 19, 2011, 09:16 PM
Dec 2011

was, well... Great (sorry I couldn't resist ) Seriously though, if it's the one by Robert Massie, I've been wanting to read that too. My sister recommended it and I've heard that it's gotten good reviews.

I bet the James Madison biography would be interesting too.

And yeah, I know what you mean about the romance novels. Many other EPub library book readers must feel the same way, because there are usually a ton of them available.

MountainLaurel

(10,271 posts)
15. Unfortunately that's a publisher issue
Mon Dec 19, 2011, 05:33 PM
Dec 2011

A lot of publishers aren't offering e-books via Overdrive (the main system libraries for libraries to offer e-books). Just a few weeks ago Penguin dropped access to its books at 9 am one morning, without any of the participating libraries being notified. The embargo on e-versions of new books is similar: Publishers do not want free access of its materials when new ones (print or electronic) can be sold.

PotatoChip

(3,186 posts)
18. Thanks for the background info.
Mon Dec 19, 2011, 09:35 PM
Dec 2011

I've always wondered what the deal was w/that, but your explanation comes as no surprise, sadly. Oh well.

Fortunately, with enough perusing, I can always find plenty of older titles and at least w/them, it's easier to find lots of reliable reviews with much less new-book hype.

Also on the rare occaision that I see or hear about something I just can't wait for, I'll go out and buy it w/far less guilt now that my ereader has kept me from spending too much. Something really good is worth having available on the book shelf for a possible re-read (or loan to a friend) anyway.

wildeyed

(11,240 posts)
16. We have that!
Mon Dec 19, 2011, 05:52 PM
Dec 2011

I love it. I have read a ton of memoirs/biographies that way. I also get classics for free or .99 via Amazon (I have a Kindle). I have been on a Dickens roll recently.

They raised the price of most e-books recently, so I refuse to buy them. I do not understand how they can charge more for a book in digital form than for a paper book that they had to print and ship and will be remaindered if they don't sell them all. Plus I will buy a ton of books in the 7.99-9.99 range, and very few that cost more. If it is more, I will generally take the time to borrow it from the library anyway, so they don't get any of my money. The publishing industry seems intent on destroying itself....

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