eBooks in public libraries

Welcome to eBooks in public libraries

2020-02-18T10:35:00.036-06:00

I am glad you are here.

My message for library patrons:
Selecting eBook reading hardware

My message for librarians:
How should librarians respond to eBooks?

Chris Rippel

Does eReader ownership hurt library borrowing?

2011-04-13T20:00:00.000-05:00

I recently conducted a poll on Mobilereaders in which I asked two questions. I received 113 useful responses.

BEFORE you started reading eBooks, how often did you borrow books from the library?

Once and week
1-3 times as month
1-6 times a year
Never or almost never

AFTER you started reading eBooks, how often did you borrow books/eBooks from the library?

Once and week
1-3 times as month
1-6 times a year
Never or almost never

Comparing the results of 113 respondents revealed the following.

Decrease in library borrowing of books/eBooks: 19%
Same amount of library borrowing of books/eBooks: 40%
Increase in library borrowing of books/eBooks: 41%

Discussion and interpretation of results

According to these responses, owning eReaders appears help rather than harm library borrowing.
However, this claim may overestimate library borrowing of eReader owners in the general population because analysis of the respondents' Mobileread profiles show clearly that they own an unusually high percentage of devices, particularly Sony Readers, that accept Overdrive's library eBooks and relatively few Kindles compared to the rest of the population.

What eBook readers want from libraries

2011-04-13T11:19:00.009-05:00

I recently conducted two polls on Mobileread Forums.

Poll 1 asked What do you like to read? The poll asked respondents to check the "two most common" types of documents loaded onto their devices. So the blue bars indicate the two most important categories people have on their devices, not all categories on their devices. Though 114 people voted, only 90 actually followed the directions. (Respondents = 90)
Poll 2 asked How have eBooks changed your borrowing from library? This poll asked respondents to check three types of documents they would check out from libraries. So red bars indicate the three most important documents they want from libraries, not everything they might check out from libraries. Though 124 people voted, only 75 actually followed these directions. (Respondents = 75)

Here are the results.

Blue bars, i.e., poll 1, are the types of eBooks people are loading into their devices now.
Red bars, i.e., poll 2, are the types of eBooks people want libraries to loan.

Explanation of horizontal axis labels

New bestsellers are described in the polls as "eBook versions of just published, bestselling print books"
New, not bestsellers are described in the polls as "eBook versions of new, but not bestselling, print books".
Older books are described as "eBook versions of older, but still in copyright, print books". In poll 2 I added the phrase "up to 40 years old."
Indie eBooks only are described as "eBooks with no print versions by independent publishers".
Reference are described as "eBook versions of reference resources" This answer was only available in poll 2.
Good non-fiction are described as "eBook versions of good non-fiction". This answer was only available in poll 2.
Free public domain are described as "eBooks of free, public domain classics".
Web documents are described as "Documents from the Web, e.g., articles, master's thesis, etc." In poll 2 I added fanfiction to the list.
Other languages are described as "eBooks in languages I can't get around here".

Interpretation of chart,
i.e., what people want from libraries

Blue bars, i.e., what people are current loading into their devices: People are loading into their devices free, public domain eBooks and the cheaper eBooks still in copyright. They load fewer of the brand new bestsellers, probably, because they will cost more.

Brand new bestsellers cost more because they are hot titles AND because they are being sold under the "agency" model. Before the "agency" model, Amazon was buying eBooks for around $13 and selling them for $9.99. Selling at a loss gained Amazon market share. At one time, Amazon sold 90% of all eBooks. This, unfortunately, set in consumers' minds $9.99 as the fair price for eBooks. Publishers, however, complained that selling at a loss is not a sustainable model in the long run. To make a long story short, the "agency" model was introduced, allowing publishers to set the retail price of their eBooks. That price is around $14.99, plus or minus a dollar. As publishers feared, many consumers now claim they will not pay more than $9.99 for new eBooks. This may account for the statistical pattern in the chart above.
Red bars, i.e., what people want libraries to provide: People want libraries to provide the expensive eBooks versions of print books. And the demand is not just for fiction, over 40% want good non-fiction. People care less about libraries providing cheaper indie eBooks and care almost nothing about eBook versions of free public domain books.

What do eBook readers read most?

2011-04-03T10:03:00.008-05:00

This page provides the rank order of the types of documents eReader owners are putting on their devices.

I ran a poll on MobileRead Forums from March 15, 2011 to April 14, 2011 requesting, "Please click the two most common documents you load into your eBook reading device". There are 114 respondents by April 8. The voting of 24 respondents are removed because they voted for more than two categories. I left voting by respondents voting for only one document type.

The percentages below are the percentages of 90 respondents claiming that an option is their top two types of documents loaded into their eReaders.

eBook versions of older, but still in copyright, print books: 43%
eBook versions of new, but not bestselling, print books: 38%
eBooks of free, public domain classics: 37%
eBooks with no print versions by independent publishers: 18%
eBook versions of just published, bestselling print books: 16%
Documents from the Web, e.g., articles, master's thesis, etc.: 11%
eBooks in languages I can't get around here: 3%
Documents I wrote myself: 2%

One respondent says that since just published, bestselling eBooks are the most expensive document type in the list, he loads less expensive alternatives. If this is true of many eReader owners, then libraries could serve readers of eBooks by providing these titles.

My second MobileRead Forums survey, currently under way with already 114 votes, asks what eReader owners would like libraries to provide.

Additional Resources

2011-03-30T12:05:00.004-05:00

These are resources and stories gathered by the Northeast Kansas Library System for Librarians and Library Members:

eReader Resources
eBook Videos for Patron Assistance (YouTube Videos)
eBooks: Libraries at the Tipping Point (notes from a Webinar)
The Death of Libraries: Overdrive, Harper-Collins and You
eReading: The Basics of eReaders
eReading: Lendle and online eReader Guide
eBooks and eReaders: from "eek!" to geek
Life after E-Books
eReading: eBooks Never Went Away (story by Royce Kitts, Tonganoxie Public Library)
NEKLS Digital Media Resources (including information about the Tech Toy box)
NEW: Overdrive tutorial and FAQs from East Baton Rouge Parish Library

Loaning and Borrowing

2011-03-21T18:24:00.001-05:00

Many libraries are lending Ebooks for all eReaders, except Overdrive. Ask your local librarian about getting free content for your eReader.

In addition, both Nook and Kindle owners can loan some titles once for 14 days. Only those eBooks the publishers allow can be lent.

Lendable Nook eBooks are identified a "LendMe" phrase beside eBooks.
Barnes & Noble's Nook store even has a special page promoting LendMe Nook books.
For Kindles, look down in "Product details" for "Lending: Enabled."

Lent eBooks can not be read by the owner during the 14 days the eBooks can be read by the borrower.

There are a growing number of Web sites for listing eBooks to be lent and borrowed. These sites follow the rules above for lending and borrowing. The main purpose of these sites is to match lenders with borrowers of specific eBooks.

I noticed many free and cheap eBooks listed, but some jewels as well. So, on those sites where lending earns credits spent for borrowing, I recommend looking up titles in Amazon's and Barnes & Noble's online stores before borrowing to make sure you are getting your money's worth, so to speak.

Nook

Instructions for lending (Uses BookFriend.me for the example.)
Nook special page promoting LendMe books.
Sites for finding people to lend to and borrow from.

Bookfriend.me (FAQ)
ebooklending.com (Nooks, Sony Reader and Kindles)
ebookfling.com (both Nooks and Kindles) You can also rent eBooks.

Kindle

Instructions for lending.
Sites for finding people to lend to and borrow from.

BookLending.com (FAQ)
ebooklending.com (Kindles, Sony Readers and Nooks)
Bookfling.com (both Kindles and Nooks) You can also rent eBooks.

Sony Reader

ebooklending.com (Sony Reader, Nooks and Kindles)

eReaders vs. smartphones

2011-03-21T16:21:00.004-05:00

Before buying an expensive eReader, check out reading on the devices you already own.

In 2009, Ann Kirschner, dean of William E. Macaulay Honors College at the City University of New York, read "Little Dorit" by Charles Dickens in paperback, on a Kindle, on her iPhone and listened to it as an audiobook. Dr. Kirschner "abandoned the Kindle ... almost as soon as I read one chapter on my iPhone. Kindle, schmindle. It does almost nothing that the iPhone can't do better-and, most important, it is always with me. Woody Allen is right: Seventy percent of success in life is showing up." Dr. Kirschner also preferred reading on the iPhone over the paperback and audiobook. - "Reading Dickens Four Ways"

Lately, I find myself agreeing with Dr. Kirschner. I have been reading on a Nook for a year. Even though I love reading on it, for the past 2 months, I have been reading Kindle eBooks on my Blackberry Storm 2. Amazon has apps called "Kindle on the PC," Kindle on the Mac," "Kindle on the Blackberry," "Kindle on the Android." I loaded Kindle on the PC on my home laptop, Kindle on the Mac on my work computer and Kindle on the Blackberry on my smartphone. (Nook has the same array of apps, but I don't like the app on my Blackberry as well.)

Using Kindle on the PC, I click "Buy from online store" this opens my Web browser and takes me to Amazon's Kindle store. There I can search and buy, usually less than $2 eBooks.

To buy an eBook, I look to the right side for an orange bar called, "Buy now with 1-Click". Just below that bar is a drop down menu that says, "Deliver to:" and gives me the following choices.

Christopher's Blackberry 9500 (This is actually Christopher's Kindle on Blackberry.)
Christopher's Kindle on Mac
Christopher's Kindle on PC
Or register a new Kindle

Amazon limits each eBook to six devices. All the devices must be registered to the same account. In a survey I did in late 2009 and 2010, a wife says that she and her husband one their own devices. They buy one eBook and both read it at the same time.

"Kindle on ..." software has two sections for eBooks.

"Home" which contains the collection of eBooks on the device.
"Archived items" which lists titles purchased, but not loaded on the device.

Whatever device the eBook is "delivered to", the eBook goes in the "Home" section and ...
... the eBook appears in the "Archived items" section of the other devices.

To load the eBook on the other devices:

on the smartphone, click the menu button, click "Archive items"; on the computer, at the top of the window, click "Archived items" button,
on a smartphone, click once on eBook to highlight; on computer, right-click the item to pop up a menu
on a smartphone, click the menu button to pop up a menu, then click "Home"; on the computer pop up menu, left-click "Add to home".

I can the same eBook on different devices. When I start reading on a different device, I click "Sync to furthest location" to take me to the spot I stopped reading on the previous device.

Books in browsers

2011-03-18T01:36:00.011-05:00

Books in browsers is a keynote address describing the history of eBooks in various forms culminating in an explanation of showing eBooks in Web browsers.

Since people do not like to read text on computer screens, eBooks in browsers seems like a poor idea at first glance.

However, two factors create a context in which displaying eBooks begins to make sense.

Web browsers provide a relatively ubiquitous and robust platform in which to display eBooks. In addition to displaying text, Web browsers can display pictures, play video and audio quite well.
The growing popularity of mobile Internet capable devices, e.g., iPad, provides a Web browser that can be used and read in comfortable reading positions.

Web sites

The British Library's "Turning the Pages" application displays 30,000 of their most precious and gorgeous books. Clicking books downloads the application which will take a couple of minutes the first time, then the book. The books are displayed in gorgeous color and detail. Clicking arrows will turn the pages one by one. Click "listen" and a natural speaker will read the book aloud.
Open Library displays the full-text of 1 million books. I recommend using the search box in the upper right corner. To see books you can read online, look below the search box and click the check box beside "Show ebooks only." When list is displayed, click the title or the "read" icon. Not checking that check box is include real books. When books are displayed, clicking a speaker in the upper right corner will start the computer reading the work. The computer voice is understandable, but lacks inflection of the human voice.
Project Gutenberg over 33,000 books. Search by keywords in the title or author's name or check out the "bookshelves" on various topics. To read in a browser, choose the "HTML" format
Online Book Page is an index of dozens of digital archives. Searching is by keywords in title and author or browse by subject. There are also special collections of banned books and prize winners. Almost all books can be read online in either HTML or PDF format.
Google Books has lots of classics and older books that are free, but it also has excerpts of newer books that must be purchased to read completely. After searches or while browsing, look in the left menu and click the "Free Google eBooks." The online display of eBooks is clean and intuitively easy to use. eBooks can be displayed as images of original or just the text. When opening books plops you in the middle of the book, click "Contents" will display chapters. Downloads can be made in PDF or ePub. FYI: After being sued by publishers and the Association of American Publishers in 2005, Google hammered out a deal with that was acceptable to these parties. However, other competitors and authors brought a second suit and, in March 2011, federal court condemned the deal as a violation of copyright.
24symbols, opening in Europe on June 30th, will offer current content from a variety of publishers. Content displayed with ads is free. Ad free content costs.

Library eBooks in browsers

Several companies are leasing to libraries eBook collections displaying eBooks in browsers. In most cases, eBooks can also be downloaded to the local computer for reading offline. In the case of ebrary, for example, the software for reading on the local computer offers numerous extra features. Ask your local librarian if eBooks are available this way. Some companies leasing such collections to libraries are:

ebrary
NetLibrary (now owned by Ebscohost.)
Ingram

Three eBook indexes

2011-03-12T12:36:00.012-06:00

Index #1

Inkmesh is an online index of, at this writing, 34 major Web sites providing eBooks for free and for sale.

Inkmesh's listings show

covers,
Amazon ratings if there are any,
subject headings,
devices, e.g., Nook, Sony Reader, Blackberry, Kindle, etc.,
cheapest price and
how many sites offer the eBook.

To search type an author, title or subject in the search box, then click either:

"Find eBooks" for free and eBooks for sale.
or "Find free eBooks

After searching, clicking choices in the left side will limit results by price, rating, device, etc.

eBooks can be downloaded and read immediately. Buying eBooks will, of course, require registering with the seller with a credit card. If you are already registered with the eBook seller's Web site, the download progresses smoothly. Pretty cool actually.

Index #2

eBook AddAll searches 30+ online eBook Web sites: 18 U.S. retailers, 7 U.K. retailers, 1 Australian retailer, five free Web sites. At the bottom of the page are links to browsing several dozen categories, free eBooks from Amazon, BN, Sony and Harlequin and Advanced search. Advanced search lets you select by device brand, format, source and sort by price.

Index #3

The following Google search engine indexes 68 Web sites NOT covered by Inkmesh.

Talking points to patrons

2011-03-09T15:11:00.001-06:00

Word version of this document.

Suggested points to make when talking to patrons

If your library does not have an eReader to lend, you could say …

The library does not own eReaders to lend, but we do have handouts and a Web site about eBooks and hardware to get you started. You could give them a “Handouts for patrons” called “Introduction to eBooks”.
At least half of eBook readers are reading on their computers, laptops and smartphones. eBook readers often read on these devices for six months to a year before buying an eReader hardware. So you probably already own a device for reading eBooks. All you need is software. The Web site http://ebooksinlibraries.blogspot.com has links to reviews of software. Look in the “For patron” section for “Information and reviews”.
Before buying an eReader we recommend looking over the sources of eBooks before buying. The Web sites of eReaders tell you where to buy online eBooks for their devices.
To see where eBooks are available, check out the links in the “For patrons” section in “Free eBooks” and “Cheap eBooks.” These links are in print form on the “Handouts for patrons.” Web page. The document is called “Sources of eBooks”.
Libraries have Overdrive collections for all eReaders, except Kindles.
When you finding an eBook you want to read, jot down the formats the eBook is published in. Use this list of formats to select an eReader that will display this format.
Another factor you should consider in purchasing an eReader is what do you want to do with it. If you want to only read eBooks, then the e-ink eReaders are probably best. Those are the the nook, Sony Readers and Kindles.
When you are ready to consider purchasing a device, we have three documents and a Web site that can help.

In Handouts for patrons, read “Comparison os six devices for reading eBooks” and “Devices compatible with Kansas’ online collection of audiobooks, eBooks and movies”.
In the “For patrons” section, look at the Web page called “Information and reviews”. This gives links to the official Web site of the devices and online video reviews of the devices.

If your library is circulating eReaders, you could say …

The library lends the following eReaders:

We lend them for the following purpose, e.g., he--p patrons choose an eReader, teach patrons how to download Overdrive eBooks, supplement interlibrary loan and holds of new bestsellers, introduce new eBook authors, etc.
If you are considering buying an eReader, we recommend:

Investigate where you will get your eBooks. For example, many patrons are buying Kindles and THEN asking their local librarian if the library can provide eBooks. The answer is “No.” Libraries can provide eBooks for any eReader except Kindle. So investigate where you want to get your eBooks from. The Web site http://ebooksinlibraries lists sources of free and cheap eBooks. We recommend checking out these sources.
When you identify where you want to get your eBooks, write down the formats of the eBooks on that Web site.
Use the list of formats to select which eReaders to investigate.
Another thing to consider is whether you only want to read eBooks or do you also want to surf the Web and do email. If you only want to read eBooks, then e-ink eReaders, e.g., Sony Reader, nook “classic”, Kindle, are probably best. For surfing the Web and doing email, consider tablets like iPad.>

When you are ready we can teach you how to load free and cheap eBooks from free Web sites such as Overdrive into the eReader of your choice.Edit HTML

Options for libraries

2011-03-02T09:20:00.009-06:00

Word version of this document.

Option 0: Ignore eBooks
Pros Easiest response Print books by bestselling authors, which most patrons want anyway will remain available in the foreseeable future. Your library could focus on non-book related services such as programming.	Cons Books are already being published only as eBooks. This trend is likely to increase in the future. Eventually, you and your patrons will start noticing this. This will ultimately start affecting patrons and your opinion of your library's worth.
Option 1: Buy an eReader; load it with eBooks of print bestsellers; circulate it
Pros Easy response Option already implemented in a number of libraries. http://tinyurl.com/62gqv52 http://tinyurl.com/4q5oky8 http://tinyurl.com/47bogga http://tinyurl.com/4cozvm9 http://tinyurl.com/26wwaw7 http://tinyurl.com/4ppa7po http://tinyurl.com/48xpaw9	Cons It is monetarily wasteful to spend $160, i.e., $150 for eReader plus $10 for eBook, to circulate eBook versions of print titles they could be circulated for $16. Putting many bestsellers in one device is even more wasteful because patrons wanting one bestseller walk out with a device containing many bestsellers. Since libraries cannot afford to purchase devices for many patrons, this option is not affordable in the long run. Circulating Kindles teaches patrons to buy Kindles and Kindle eBooks from Amazon rather than using library resources.
Option 2: Use eBooks to fill interlibrary loan requests and holds on new bestsellers. Buy some eReaders. When taking holds for new bestsellers, ask patrons if they would read an eBook version. When holds build up for a new print book and your library should buy an additional print book, buy eBook versions instead. Search Inkmesh at http://inkmesh.com/ for new eBooks. eBook versions of classics and new books would provide immediate delivery rather than next day delivery of interlibrary loan.
Pros Almost all new books you want are available in eBook versions. A look at 39 new releases on one day showed 9 titles (23%) were not available as eBooks. eBooks are, on average, $2.21 cheaper than hardbacks at the library vendor discount. Immediate filling of holds and ILL requests for new books. Extra copies do not fill up library shelves to be weeded later when demand falls.	Cons Taking holds requires collecting information about whether people will read an eBook.
Option 3: Let patrons request or buy what they want to read Sparta (New Jersey) Public Library loans Kindles and lets patrons buy on eBook on the library's credit card. Patrons are told that they will pay for any extra eBooks they purchase. The system is working. Crestview High School in Georgia asks students to browse the Kindle online store and write down on a form up to 10 titles they want to read. Up to 10 of the requested titles are loaded into a Kindle. The Kindle is circulated. Students claim reading what they want is important. Go to http://www.theunquietlibrary.libguides.com/kindles and scroll down to Blog entries #8, #9, #12, #13.
Pros Patrons get what they want and very personalized service.	Cons Sparta Library's method requires the library board and library staff to trust patrons. Crestview's method requires the extra step of collecting desired titles. Though the library may own hundreds, thousands of eBooks, the library can only serve as many patrons, at one time, as the number of Kindles the library owns. It is a little more complicated since a single eBook can only be access in six different Kindles.
Option 4: Buy an eReader; load it with eBooks only available as eBooks; circulate it
Pros Introducing new authors is a traditional and sensible role for libraries. Providing media unavailable in other formats is a traditional and sensible role for libraries. This makes financial sense for libraries because many eBooks published by independent eBook publishers and self-published are cheaper than the eBook versions of print books sold by Amazon and Barnes & Noble.	Cons Library staff must learn where independent eBooks are located. In the left menu called "For patrons," "Cheap eBooks" and "Free eBooks" provides sources of eBook only eBooks. Library staff must download these eBooks into devices using a method that is a bit slower than using the device itself to buy and Amazon’s and Barnes & Noble’s eBooks.
Option 5: Help patrons select the eReaders To me, this option includes teaching patrons about: Dedicated eReading devices plus Reading on other devices such as PCs, laptops and smartphones plus Sources of free public domain eBooks, independent eBooks provided by companies other than Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Sony.
Pros Fulfilling a role patrons expect from us. Influence patrons’ decision in choosing a device that could allow libraries to continue their traditional role as providers of reading materials. Thereby, libraries remain valuable even for those using eReaders.	Cons Requires training of library staff for supporting this role. Requires obtaining educational resources for supporting this role. (The Message to patrons on the Home page and the links in the "For patrons" menu provide advice and information for helping patrons select eReaders.
Option 6: Patrons buy a device; library provides content for patrons’ devices
Pros Most affordable response for libraries because patrons purchase devices. Libraries spent their budget on relatively cheap eBooks. Since this option skirts the problem on having all library eBooks in a single device, this option allows the most efficient distribution of eBooks to patrons. Since this model is much like the traditional library checkout model, the model is easy to explain to patrons.	Cons Availability of an affordable source of library eBooks that can be loaded into patrons’ devices. At this time, Overdrive is about the only source that provides public libraries with content for patrons’ devices. Overdrive has a number of problems. Read "Where do libraries fit?" the in the "For librarians" menu.

Selecting eBook reading hardware

2011-03-01T18:22:00.005-06:00

Find sources for the eBooks you want to read before buying an eReader, i.e., eBook reading hardware. Many people buy Kindles and THEN ask their local librarians whether the library has eBooks for Kindles. The answer is "NO" because Amazon prevents librarians from providing eBooks for Kindles. Librarians can provide eBooks for other eReaders, but not Kindles.
So where can we find eBooks? The Web sites of major eReader manufacturers have online stores selling eBooks for their devices. Lesser-known eBook manufacturers list independent online stores selling eBooks. In the upper left menu called "For patrons," the links called "Free eBooks" and "Cheap eBooks" list independent providers of eBooks for many eReaders. "Free eBooks" includes a description of Overdrive. Many public libraries provide eBooks library patrons can load into their eReaders, except Kindle.
When finding Web sites with desirable eBooks, write down the formats of the eBooks on those Web sites. The most common eBook formats are PDF and EPUB. Slightly less common formats are DOC (Word document), TXT (plain text document), MOBI (MobiPocket), HTML (Web browser). Read "Digital Rights Management" in the "For patrons" section for an additional issue.
Use your list of formats to identify which eReaders and software you should consider. Before running out and buying an eReader, consider the fact that half of eBooks readers read eBooks on their computers, laptops and smartphones. eBook readers often read on these devices for a year before buying eReaders.
Reading eBooks on computers, laptops or smartphones require software that can display the format of the desired eBooks. Many eBook manufacturers' Web site provide links to software for reading their eBooks on computers, laptops and smartphones. In the upper menu called "For patrons," the link "Information and Reviews" provides links to reviews of software for reading on computers, laptops and smartphones.
Before purchasing an eReader, consider whether you want to only read eBooks or do you want to also surf the Web, email, etc. Reading eBooks is probably best on devices with e-ink screens like Nook, Sony Reader and Kindle. If you also want to also surf the Web and email, then consider LCD color screen devices such Nook Color, Pandigital and tablets, e.g., iPad. LCD color devices give a very good reading experience, but they are more expensive and their screens harder to read in sunlight than e-ink devices. In the upper menu called "For patrons," "Information and Reviews" provides links to reviews of eReaders and tablets. Increasing numbers of libraries have devices to try out. Ask your local librarian.

How should librarians respond to eBooks?

2011-03-01T18:21:00.004-06:00

In the menu called "For librarians," the first three documents provide background.
- "Why do people read eBooks?" presents survey evidence showing eBooks are about reading books, not just a gadget.
- "Growing eBook market" explains results of a survey about the reading habits of 4,000 Americans. The author them makes predictions about the dramatic growth of eBook sales and its affect on publishing economics.
- "Where do libraries fit?" compares the differences in the print and eBook publishing models and role of libraries in each model.
"Options for libraries" describes six responses toward eBooks for librarians.

One of those responses is to help patrons select eReaders and, in the process, telling them which eReaders allow the library to provide reading materials for their Since I want libraries to continue providing reading materials to patrons, even eReader owners, I ask librarians' to encourage patrons to buy eReaders that allow libraries to provide eBooks for those devices. The handouts and links in the "For patrons" section take this approach.

Future eBook market

2011-02-28T18:07:00.011-06:00

Word version of this document.

During the Summer of 2010, Forrester Research surveyed 4,000 U.S. adults about their reading. From this survey, James L. McQuivey wrote a report called US eBook Forecast, 2010 to 2015. Since McQuivey’s report costs $500, I could not afford to read it. So, the following information comes from his online articles and an interview about this report.

7% of adults read eBooks.
Another 8% of adults claimed they would probably start reading eBooks by the middle to end of 2011.
½ of eBook readers do not own eReaders. They read eBooks on laptops, smartphones, etc. These people read 40% of their books as eBooks.
The ½ of eBook readers owning eReaders read 66% of their books as eBooks. - http://tinyurl.com/3y6keub
“What you need to understand, though, is of readers, [eBook readers] are the crème de [la] crème. They spend the most, they read the most, they are the most interested in best sellers, in literary works, in what’s winning the latest literary prizes. These people are the people that you want to have coming in and out of your bookstore. And if they’re not coming in and out of your bookstore anymore because they are reading so much digitally, they inadvertently cause a dramatic shift in the business.” -http://tinyurl.com/6dq2obu
My chart shows AAP's estimated net sales from 2002 to 2009 for a variety of print media, audiobooks and, on the bottom, eBooks. During these years, eBook net sales grew at an median rate of 80% a year. This growth just starts being noticeable in 2006 and 2007. McQuivey predicts “eBook buying is about to spiral upward” to $2.8 billion by 2015. $2.8 billion is the peak sales year for hardbacks in 2007. In other words, in 4 years, eBook sales will equal to hardback sales.
This “dramatic shift in the business” means a change in the economics of publishing, not just a change in formats. Based on his observations of the digitalization of music, movies and newspapers, James McQuivey makes the following predictions.

Eventually, publishers will decide their eBook marketing strategy first. Their print book marketing strategy will be secondary.
So, for example, many, many books will be published as eBooks only. If eBooks sales are good, print versions may be published.
Authors will get smaller royalties for print books. Amazon.com is now offering Kindle authors royalties 70% of the retail price and paid monthly, not annually.
These changes will reduce the number of print books available both wholesale and the amount of retail shelf space devoted to print books.

Award-winning science fiction writer CJ Cherryh and two colleagues have noticed changes in the publishing world over the past 20 years that limit the distribution and availability of their work. They are trying to expand the distribution and availability of their work by publishing eBooks distributed from their Web site, Closed Circle. (http://tinyurl.com/ykucbmz)
Thriller writer Joe Konrath claims self-publishing eBooks provides the greatest income. His six print books earned good money the first year, but earned less each succeeding year. His seven eBooks, however, increase earnings each year. (http://tinyurl.com/2ejbko3) eBook publishers want to sell his eBooks for $5.99. Though he earns more money per book, Konrath earns the most money selling eBooks for $2.99 because he sells many more eBooks. (http://tinyurl.com/2dgf5pl)

http://tinyurl.com/294xc8z

- http://tinyurl.com/2bvagvo

Digital Rights Management

2011-02-27T15:46:00.020-06:00

Librarians have trouble just buying and loading eBooks into patrons' devices for two reasons.

U.S. librarians follow U.S. copyright laws. The "First Sale Doctrine" in U.S. copyright law allows librarians to buy a print book and lend that copy repeatedly.
This is very generous to U.S. libraries compared to other countries. Copyright laws in fifty-one countries reserve for authors the "Public Lending Rights" of their books. However, only 29 countries have actual systems in place paying authors to allow public libraries to lend their books. During 2009, for example, the Canadian Public Lending Rights Commission distributed $9,938,089 to 17,058 Canadian authors for libraries lending 68,287 titles. Annual payment per title ranged from $209.16 to $348.60 depending on number of years titles are registered with the PLR Commission.
U.S. copyright law does not allow librarians to make additional copies without permission. Copying an eBook from a library computer onto a patron's eReader would be making a second copy.
eBook copyrights can be enforced with software called Digital Rights Management (Digital Restrictions Management) or DRM. DRM software controls eBook uses like downloading, copying, modifying the text, amount of text that can be viewed under varying conditions, lending from one computer or eReader to another computer or eReader, printing, computer reading the text aloud, etc.

A company called Overdrive leases to libraries collections of eBooks library patrons can check out for 7 to 21 days and load into patrons' eReaders. This model looks very much like checking out print books.

Overdrive eBooks are in one of three formats: PDF, EPUB and Mobipocket.
Amazon's Kindle can handle the following formats: PDF, Mobipocket and TXT.
Overdrive's PDF eBooks cannot be loaded into Kindles because Kindles will not accept Overdrive's Adobe DRM software.

Information and reviews

2011-02-26T18:49:00.011-06:00

Comparisons of features

eBook reader software comparison reviews
for reading eBooks on computers, laptops and smartphones

Free eBook Reader Software describes 10 popular eBook reader programs.
ePub reader software rates the support, ease of use, table of contents (TOC) support and overall of 13 programs for use on computers, laptops and mobile devices. A summary table is at the bottom of the page.
Non-Adobe PDF Software rates 5 programs for reading PDF documents.

eReader comparison reviews

E-Reader Reviews summarizes the reviews and ratings from many sources for a large number of devices.
eBook Reader 2011 gives breaks down their rating into design, content, battery life and additional features plus a table summaries basic characteristics.
cnet E-book Readers reviews give editor ratings and user ratings.
PC World E-Reader Reviews give long and detailed analysis.

eReader Web sites and video reviews

Barnes and Noble Nook

Official information: WiFi and 3G and Color
Video reviews: WiFi and 3G and Color

Sony Reader

Official information: PRS-350 Pocket Edition, PRS-650 Touch Edition and PRS-950 Daily Edition
Video reviews: PRS-350 Pocket Edition, PRS-650 Touch Edition and PRS-950 Daily Edition

Pandigital Novel

Official information: Personal eReader and Color Multimedia eReader
Video reviews: Personal eReader and Color Multimedia eReader

Kobo eReader

Sharper Image Literati

PocketBook Pro 602

Amazon.com Kindle

Official information including software for Kindle on PC, Macs, iPads and smartphones
Video reviews: Kindle latest generation

Tablet information

Apple iPad 2

Archos 5 Internet Tablet

Cruz Reader

Sylvania MID Tablet

Video reviews

Calibre

2011-02-24T14:49:00.003-06:00

Calibre eBook Management is unique software for controlling a collection of eBooks. Part catalog it allows adding titles, authors and descriptions about the eBooks collected. Part format converter it allows converting 18 different eBook formats into 13 common eBook formats and upload those eBooks into numerous different eReaders. Part eBook viewer, it displays a numerous eBook formats on the computer or laptop. Very cool program for free.

eBooks cataloging

2011-02-24T14:05:00.001-06:00

e-discover offers MARC cataloging for 500 Project Gutenberg eBooks.

History of project.

Library's Web presence

2011-02-22T08:30:00.000-06:00

Rapid City Library eReader Guide:

defines eBooks,
provides information about Sony Reader, Nook, Kindle, Kobo, Cruz Reader,
provides Overdrive instructions for downloading eBooks in Sony Reader, Nook, Kobo, iPad.
contains a FAQ
contains a blog about the eBooks offered by the library.

Other library Web pages describing library eBook services.

Portsmouth http://tinyurl.com/62gqv52
Stratham http://tinyurl.com/4q5oky8
Groton http://tinyurl.com/47bogga
Orcus Island http://tinyurl.com/4cozvm9
Darien http://tinyurl.com/26wwaw7
Charles M. Bailey http://tinyurl.com/4ppa7po
Cleveland Heights - University Heights http://tinyurl.com/48xpaw9

Overdrive instructions

2011-02-21T09:49:00.003-06:00

-> Earl Givens at the State Library of Kansas created two YouTube videos demonstrating how to checkout an Overdrive ebook and transfer it to an eReader.

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pm1AjzdRKxQ

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19J_23cjzvw

-> Gwinnett County Public Library in Lawrenceville, Georgia has a very clear six-minute video on loading Overdrive eBooks into Nooks at http://vimeo.com/15959459

-> Illustrated written Nook instructions by Chris Rippel, Central Kansas Library System in Great Bend, Kansas

Table of Contents

Preliminary 1: Getting a Kansas Library Card
Preliminary 2: Download and install Adobe Digital Editions
Major step 1: Finding Overdrive e-books
Major step 2: Download Overdrive e-books to computer
Major step 3: Transfer Overdrive e-books to e-reading device
Major step 4: Properly disconnect e-reading device from computer
Free content for e-reading devices
Downloading free e-books into a Nook
Using Calibre to make free e-books for e-reading devices

-> Ilustrated Nook and Sony Reader instructions by Cari Taylor, Mesa County Public Library District in Grand Junction, Colorado.

Table of Contents

What is an ebook?
What software do I need?
Part One: Download Adobe Digital Editions
Part Two: Find and Download an eBook from Overdrive
Part Three: using Adobe Editions
Part Four: Downloading Public Domain eBoosk from Overdrive
Part Five: Transferring Overdrive eBooks to the Sony and Nook eReaders

Where do public libraries fit?

2011-02-18T12:33:00.008-06:00

"Where do public libraries fit?" compares the libraries solid place in the traditional publishing and distribution model of print books with the tenuous place of the publishing and distribution of eBooks. This Word document will be displayed online. To print this document, I recommend clicking File->Download original and printing the download because it looks better than the displayed Google Doc version.

Do Kindles and Nooks affect reading habits?

2011-02-18T10:37:00.002-06:00

Purpose of survey

Ten years ago, I watched people's interest in Rocketbook and Softbook ebook reading devices appear and then disappear. A new generation of ebook devices was introduced 2006. The new devices use a different display technology that alleviates several problems and issues with the first devices. Despite the title of this article, these surveys were originally intended to answer questions about whether these new devices will fade away like the earlier devices or stay. If these devices are here to stay then I feel libraries must provide content and, possibly the devices themselves, to remain relevant to future readers.

Three surveys of Kindle and Nook users.

Kindle survey 1: Posted on Amazon Kindle forum February 5, 2010. Responses collected until February 9, 2010. Responses: 27
Kindle survey 2: Posted on KindleBoards February 10, 2010. Responses collected until February 20, 2010. Responses: 54
Nook Survey: Posted on Barnes and Noble’s Nook forum January 28, 2010. Responses collected until February 14, 2010. Responses: 24

The surveys asked the same five questions.

What month and year did you get your Kindle [Nook]?
Since getting your Kindle [Nook] do you read more, the same number, or fewer books than before getting your Kindle [Nook]?
Do you read different types of books on your Kindle (or Nook) than before getting a Kindle [Nook]?
Has a Kindle [Nook] affected your reading in other ways?
Do you think any changes reported above are permanent or temporary? E.G., Are these changes temporary because you are reading on a new "toy"? Or are they permanent because the Kindle [Nook] has made a fundamental change in your life?

Links to:

My conclusions from the survey

I had expected these surveys to reveal that Kindles and Nooks provided a "satisfactory" reading experience. I did not expect readers to claim they are reading 2, 3, 4, even 10 times, more books. I did not expect 77% to claim they are reading different stuff than they read before. I did not expect claims of reading faster and with greater comprehension. I did not expect devices to make reading easier for those with carpal tunnel syndrome, arthritis and ADD. I did not expect 90% to claim their reading habits are permanently changed. But they did.

When discussion ebooks vs. print books, print book defenders frequently express sentimental attachment to the smell and touch of ebooks. In these surveys, Kindle and Nook users reveal numerous characteristics worthy of their loyalty and love. Their loyalty and love, furthermore, is not infatuation for a new toy, but a permanent affection for a device that enhances their reading life. The survey results strongly suggest these devices and their descendants are here to stay. The next question is how should libraries respond?

Chris Rippel
Central Kansas Library System
Great Bend, Kansas

Reviews

2011-02-17T18:08:00.007-06:00

Wikipedia comparisons

Video reviews

eReaders

Tablets

Handheld media player

iPod Touch

Why do people read eBooks?

2011-02-17T16:37:00.071-06:00

Book lovers often express their affection for the smell and touch of bound paper. What do eReader owners love? Books? Or gadgets? Why do people buy eReaders and read eBooks?

In surveys, about 30% of eReader owners say their purchases are related to "gadget love". The other 70% of eReader owners say their purchases are for convenience, which means, on closer scrutiny, overcoming problems with bound paper. Ironically, the two most frequently mentioned problems are caused by loving books so much that the amount of paper is the problem. This essay uses four surveys to show how eReaders and eBooks help people acquire, store, carry and read more books.

The first two surveys are from the Mobileread Forums' Web site. Though not scientific with a random sample of a carefully calculated size, these surveys do, nevertheless, provide useful insight into the opinions of eReader owners.

Between from January 27, 2011 to February 18, 2011, 247 eReader owners responded to the request, "Tell us the reason why you bought an ereader". Respondents checked one of six choices. 71% checked,"I really read a lot, very convenient device". 7% checked one of three statements about liking gadgets, e.g., "I'm a casual reader so I thought it was cool to have one." Only 2.4% thought eReaders might be useful as a student. 19% chose "none of the above." The most useful part of this survey are the explanations given by respondents. The 10 responses capture the range of eReader benefits.

"My initial motivator was how my home was overflowing with physical books."
"I've had the Kindle on my wishlist for years but kind of worried I would over spend on ebooks ... I quickly discovered the endless supply of legal free ebooks and now actually spend much less on books. An ereader will literally pay for itself in short order. Had I known, I would have had one years ago."
"Most of the books I like to read are out of copyright. So rather than paid $20 a pop for printed versions, I could buy a Kindle and read them all for $139."
"I am an avid reader, but issues with hands have made it difficult for me to hold a book, so this was the primary reason for an e-reader (lighter than most books). Also it's convenient when going to appointments, hospital stays, traveling, I only need to take this along instead of a ton of books. I was the girl who would travel with 10+ lbs of books in my carry on cuz I never knew what I wanted to read, and I HAVE to go to sleep with a book..."
"I'm the same as Pooky's girl. I had sooo many books, I love reading them, and collecting them. But I have a small apt! My sisters were always telling me I should get rid of some of them. Easy for the ones I no longer had use for... but that was only a trickle compared to the 3 bookcases I had. So, I got a Palm to read with first, and then I started reading up on the ereaders coming out. I had no idea about the speedy effect! I've read almost twice as much as I usually do a year!"
"I told my husband we could either buy another bookshelf (which we really don't have room for), or we could buy an eReader. And with all the freebies and deals, an eReader has ended up costing a lot less than anticipated. Oh, I still lose my 'book' ... it's just that now when I walk around the house going 'WHERE IS MY BOOK?!', everyone knows which book (I usually read 3 concurrently), because there's only one."
"I spend most of my time in Mexico. We have a small English library and a very small bookstore that caters to tourists. For twelve years I read what I could find rather than what I wanted. My tastes obviously don't match with most of the Americans here. Now, I get to order from the internet and actually read what interests me."
"... It's also nice because I can be a bit fickle with what I read, so if I start reading something new and don't like it, I can stop reading it right then and still have hundreds of books to choose from. XD"
"I'm an avid reader but I didn't pay much attention to e-readers until the first Kindle was released. I bought my 505 after debating between the Kindle and Sony. There aren't many things that thrill me more than being able to check out a book from the Phoenix online library and be reading in a matter of minutes all without leaving my house."
"I have a few reasons for making the jump to an eReader. One is also the lugging around books. I like to read a whole series at one time once I get started. So I would just hate to be hauling around my big old back breaker purse full of (for example) yard sale paperbacks volume 3 and 4, borrowed friend's hardback volume 2 and library hardback volume 5 and trying desperately to find vol 1! Then eye problems made most paperbacks a pain to focus on and hand problems make it yet another pain to hold heavy hardbacks... Ereaders are SO SO much easier to buy the whole set in one fell swoop and be reading in 5 minutes, adjust the font size, prop it up between the cat and the cookie box and just read read read. So nice to have my reading habit back."
1) I tutor English/literature, so it's important for me to be able to pull up anything and everything that a student might want to discuss. Having an ereader lets me do my job more efficiently. 2) I don't always know what I'm going to be in the mood to read when I'm heading out of the house for the day. 3) My pbook editions of Chaucer and Shakespeare weigh close to 8 lbs EACH. My Kindle weighs just a smidge less than that. (This is sarcasm. Kindles actually weigh about a pound. - Editor.) 4) Since I'm able to increase the font size on ebooks, I can read for longer stretches of time. 5) I like gadgets.

- http://tinyurl.com/477ruc5

Though these lengthy explanations describe a range of benefits, they do not tell us which benefits are most frequently mentioned. A second survey will provide a ranked list of benefits.

From January 2010 to January 2011, another Mobileread Forum survey asked, “What are the reasons that made you decide to buy an e-reader?” Since this survey allowed the 255 respondents to check as many choices as desired, the percentages below add up to much more than 100%. Below is the ranked order of the responses.

1. Portability (carrying many books on a trip) 86%

2. Lack of shelf space in the home 64%

3. Legally free books 52%

4. Instant gratification through immediate downloading of eBooks 38%

5. eReaders are more comfortable to hold than paper books 38%

6. More choice than in a local bookstore or library 37%

7. eBooks cost less than paper books 30%

8. Gadget love 29%

9. eBooks are more environmentally friendly 18%

10. Love anything shiny, just like a crow 16%

11. Can’t read paper books because of poor eyesight 14%

12. Access to English books when in a foreign country 13%

13. eBooks don’t age like paper books 13%

14. eBooks have built-in dictionary and other features not related to reading 10%

15. It’s easier to read an LCD screen in the dark 8%

16. Eyes hurt less reading e-paper than reading real paper 8%

17. Looking cool, want people to see you using it 5%

- http://tinyurl.com/4v3wt2j

The unexpected coincidence in 71% checking "I really read a lot, very convenient device" in the first survey and 29% checking "gadget love" in the second survey is the basis of my claim in the first paragraph that purchases of eReaders are 30% about gadgets and 70% about overcoming problems with bound paper. The estimate of "30% about gadgets" is, in fact, probably less, maybe a lot less. In the first survey, only 7% checked one of the three statements about gadgets and only 4.8% of the comments mentioned "gadgets". And, in most of those comments, love of gadgets followed benefits about carrying or storing lots of books, etc.

Furthermore, E-ink eReaders such as Nook classic, Sony Readers and Kindles are relatively uninteresting gadgets compared to smartphones and iPads. The only things e-ink eReaders do well are acquire, store and display lots of book-length texts. Web surfing is clunky. They are poor gaming platforms. So gadget-lovers would only find e-ink readers interesting if they are also be devoted readers.

Comment on "portability": eReader owners frequently report enjoyment in carrying around a variety of books. They claim to read more frequently throughout the day while waiting in line, at the doctor's office, at lunch. Reading more frequently partially accounts for their reports of reading of more books with eReaders. Frequent travelers, especially with tighter airline weight restrictions,appreciate replacing a suitcase full of paper books with one eReader.

Comment on "lack of shelf space": For the past decade, people consistently compared the price of a $200+ eReader with the price of $25 hardbacks which, obviously, favors print books. People are now comparing eReaders with the price and space requirements of bookshelves. And many are now buying eReaders instead of more shelves. Since eReaders can hold thousands of eBooks, these devices can, in fact, be reasonably compared with entire libraries, private libraries with access for a family of six, not public libraries required access to all books by many people at the same time.

Two eReader owners, one in a workshop and another in my survey mentioned below, claimed that non-reading family members appreciate that books are no longer stacked all over the house. One respondent in the first Mobileread Forum survey wrote that, "my wife made me," possibly for this reason.

Comment on "eReaders are more comfortable to hold": Readers with carpal tunnel and arthritic hands often find holding and turning pages on eReaders less painful than bound books.

Comment on "Can't read print books because of eyesight": This comment refers to the ability to increase the font size to a readable size. Nooks and Kindles offer six font sizes. A respondent to my survey has ADD and uses font size in an interesting way. When reading in a public area, he increases the font size to compete with the noise. When reading alone in a quiet area, he reduces the font size to what is needed for seeing.

If I could add one reason to the above list, it would be privacy, i.e., other people can not see what you are reading. This reason was mentioned twice in an interview of a high school student at http://www.theunquietlibrary.libguides.com/kindles Scroll down to blog post #9. A respondent to my own survey described below also mentioned privacy as a reason for preferring eBooks. Privacy may be more important than any surveys have measured.

The two Mobileread surveys strongly suggests that eReaders are about more about acquiring, storing and reading books than they are about gadgets. The next survey drives home this point more strongly.

During the summer of 2010, Forrester Research surveyed 4,000 Americans about their reading habits. This survey compares the reading habits of eBook readers with print books readers, etc. In an interview, the author of this report said, “What you need to understand, though, is of readers, [eBook readers] are the crème de [la] crème. They spend the most, they read the most, they are the most interested in best sellers, in literary works, in what’s winning the latest literary prizes. These people are the people that you want to have coming in and out of your bookstore. And if they’re not coming in and out of your bookstore anymore because they are reading so much digitally, they inadvertently cause a dramatic shift in the business.” - http://tinyurl.com/6dq2obu

What affect does owning an eReader have on readers' reading? In December 2009 and January 2010, I conducted online surveys Kindle owners and Nook owners. I asked five questions which were variations of "How does owning a Kindle or Nook affect your reading habits?" The 105 respondents claimed owning eReaders resulted in reading:.

Different genres (18%), different authors (10%), more independent authors (10%), more classics (6%), more non-fiction (3%)
A few more books (8%), more books (46%), many more books (30%)
More frequently throughout the day while waiting in line, at lunch, etc.
Faster. (Reading faster may be an illusion of using larger print. In a July 2010, Jacob Nielsen measured reading speeds on a Kindle 2 and an 1st generation iPad as slower10.7% and 6.2 respectively than a print book. User satisfaction, however, was slightly higher for the eReaders than the print book. - http://tinyurl.com/242j935

I began this essay claiming eBook readers are big readers of books and use eReaders to overcome problems with paper books. This point needs one clarification.

Numerous respondents report that eReaders are returning them to reading. In other words, at some point in the past, they had been readers. Then for some reason they had stopped reading. Two respondents report that holding a print book had become too painful. Another's eyesight had become too poor. One claimed the local bookstore and library did not have the books they wanted.

Then someone gave them, or they purchased, an eReader. This eReader overcame these problems and they are reading again, in some cases, more than ever. One wrote on February 14, 2011 in the first survey above: "I think I must have read less than 10 books a year the last couple of years. I'm currently on book #8 since Jan 29th. I can feel my braincells regenerating each time I sit down to read."

eBooks are about reading more books.

Don't believe anyone telling you otherwise.

Options for libraries

2011-02-16T12:08:00.014-06:00

Six options for libraries describes and gives pros and cons for the following options.

Ignore eBooks
Buy an eReader; load it with eBook versions of print bestsellers; circulate it.
Use eBooks to provide fill interlibrary loan requests and holds on new bestsellers.
Buy an eReader; load it with eBooks only available as eBooks; circulate it.
Help patrons select eReaders.
Patrons buy a device; library provides content for patrons' devices.

This Word document will be displayed on the screen. To print, I recommend clicking File -> Download original and then printing the downloaded document because it looks better.

This document has the following links to library info and borrowing agreements for the following libraries.

Portsmouth http://tinyurl.com/62gqv52
Stratham http://tinyurl.com/4q5oky8
Groton http://tinyurl.com/47bogga
Orcus Island http://tinyurl.com/4cozvm9
Darien http://tinyurl.com/26wwaw7
Charles M. Bailey http://tinyurl.com/4ppa7po
Cleveland Heights - University Heights http://tinyurl.com/48xpaw9

Handouts for patrons

2011-02-16T11:35:00.035-06:00

The following documents are intended for educating library patrons. I give permission to make any change to these documents and distribute as many copies as necessary. - Chris Rippel

Introduction to eBooks is a one page Word document explaining:

what eBooks and eReaders are
why people read eBooks
how to read eBooks
where to get eBooks

eBook terminology is a Word document with paragraph-long definitions of eBook, eReader, format, e-ink, LCD Touch, fonts and DRM. To print this document, I recommend clicking File->Download original and printing the download because it looks better than the displayed Google Doc version.
Comparison of six devices for reading eBooks is an Excel document comparing the features of several dedicated eReaders and iPad. Click "Download (38kb)" to display on your computer. The "print area" is set to print two pages. Feel free to make changes, additions and corrections to this spreadsheet.
Devices compatible with Kansas' online collection of audiobooks, eBooks and movies is an Excel spreadsheet listing the devices that can play or display Overdrive's audiobooks, eBooks and movies. The source of this information is Overdrive's own Web page on compatible devices. Click "Download (38kb)" to display on your computer. The "print area" is set to print two pages. Feel free to make changes, additions and corrections to this spreadsheet.
Illustrated instructions for downloading Overdrive eBooks onto a Nook goes step-by-step through the process of downloading Overdrive Adobe Digital Editions, checking out an Overdrive eBook, downloading it into Adobe Digital Editions and transferring the Overdrive eBook to a Nook.
Sources of eBooks lists sources of free public domain eBooks and eBooks from eBook publishers other than Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Sony. This Word document will be displayed in the Web browser. To print, I recommend clicking "File-> Download original" and printing the downloaded document because it looks better. Feel free to make any corrections, additions or changes to this document.

Deeper analysis

2011-02-16T01:21:00.005-06:00

Library Journal and School Library Journal survey of eBook use in libraries, "measure current and projected ebook availability in libraries, user preferences in terms of access and subjects, and library purchasing terms and influences," February 9, 2011 More statistics

eBooks in libraries map by the American Library Association

Report by Yankee Group predicts that eReader sales will grow to $8.4 billion and the price will fall to $114 by 2014," February 8, 2011

Turning the page: the future of eBooks "examines trends and developments in the eBooks and eReaders market in the United States, United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Germany, and discusses major challenges and key questions for the publishing industry worldwide," January 2011

Five eBook trends that will change publishing, December 27, 2010

"On The Certain Economics Of Relegating Paper Books To The Margins Of The Business," November 16, 2010

Eli Neiburger's presentation at the LJ/SLJ eBook Tipping Point Summit, October 2010. Eli is brash, but I believe he makes some brilliant points about the affect of eBooks and on the future value of library collections.

Part 1 (12 minutes)
Part 2 (9 minutes)

Three videos on the future of the book and reading, September 2010

Cheap eBooks

2011-02-15T21:46:00.009-06:00

Independent eBook publishers provide eBooks that:

are often half the price (or less) than eBooks sold on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Sony Web sites
come in a variety of formats that can be used on many different devices including PC computers, laptops, smartpones and dedicated eReaders such as Kindles, nooks and Sony Readers.

Here are some ways to find eBooks by independent eBook publishers.

Fictionwise aggregates fiction and nonfiction eBooks produced by over 660 independent publishers. This site groups titles into categories and also provides lists of publishers, authors, award winners, series list, etc. The description of each title gives a synopsis, excerpt, reader ratings, author information and reading time.
Google Books is another aggregator of eBooks from a variety of publishers. Watch the video for an explanation of Google Books vision of providing access to eBooks over many different devices, i.e., Androids, iPhone, iPad, iPod, Web browser, Nook and Sony Reader. To see the titles, click "Shop for books." Titles are grouped by broad subjects. The description of each title gives a synopsis, reader ratings, reader reviews, a list of related eBooks and links to more specific subjects.
Below is a Google search engine looks through the Web sites of Fictionwise, Google Books and over 50 other other independent publishers. Try it.

Bluefire eBook Reader app for iPads, iPhones and iPod Touch

2010-11-18T13:17:00.000-06:00

The free Bluefire Reader eBook app (for iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch) was recently updated to allow transfer/reading of Adobe-DRM-protected eBooks. This means that patrons *can* read Overdrive ebooks on their iOS device!

The app is a free download from the iTunes app store: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bluefire-reader/id394275498

More info from the developer can be found here: http://www.bluefirereader.com/help/libraryBooks.html

I have been working with the app for a few days now, and it works pretty well. The "trickiest" part is transferring titles onto the iOS device, but there are a number of methods that can be used.

Download ebooks into Adobe Digital Editions, then transfer the files via iTunes' file transfer feature.
Download the .acsm file from Overdrive, email it yourself, and open the attachment in your iOS device's mail app. (I've put together a brief tutorial on the above two methods which can be downloaded from: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1572127/bf2.pdf)
Create a javascript 'bookmarklet' in Safari on your iOS device that will allow downloads to take place entirely on the iOS device. I've been working on the code for such a bookmarklet, and the current version is available here: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1572127/bfr_bookmarklet_1.1.txt. General instructions for installing/using this bookmarklet (featuring an older version of the code) can be found here: http://www.pigsgourdsandwikis.com/2010/11/reading-library-ebooks-with-bluefire.html
The app also features a "hidden" wireless transfer option, which can transfer files from a desktop machine (provided you have the URL of the .acsm file, or the local network location of the downloaded eBook). I haven't yet had a chance to try this method out.

None of these methods are seamless, but once you've transferred the files a couple of times, it's a fairly simple process. And, for people who have been dying to read Overdrive content on their iPads (like me!), it's well worth the effort. Overdrive has been promising an iOS app for a while , but until they actually release one, this seems like a good alternative.

I've personally been using it for a week or so, and haven't run into any major issues. I did run into a couple of problems reading titles that I had already checked out before, but I believe the developer is aware of that issue.

Hope everyone finds this information useful.

Greg Williams, MLIS
West Linn Public Library
West Linn, Oregon

Instructions by Chris Rippel

2010-11-12T16:59:00.003-06:00

I have written a Word document with illustrated step-by-step instructions for downloading Overdrive e-books and free e-books from other sources into my Nook.

Copyright statement: Feel free to modify any part of this handout for your own situation and use. Acceptable modifications included replacing my name and organization with your own name and organization.

The two preliminary steps listed in the table of contents below are necessary for downloading Overdrive e-books into Sony Readers and Nooks.

After getting a Kansas Library Card and downloading and installing Adobe Digital Editions, from then on, the process of getting Overdrive e-books into your e-reading device begins with Major Step 1 and ends with Major Step 5.

The three sections after Major Step 5 explain how to get free e-books from other Web sources. These sections would be useful to owners of any e-reading device including Kindles.

Table of contents

Preliminary 1: Getting a Kansas Library Card
Preliminary 2: Download and install Adobe Digital Editions
Major Step 1: Finding Overdrive e-books
Major step 2: Download Overdrive e-books to computer
Major step 3: Transfer Overdrive e-books to e-reading device
Major step 4: Properly disconnect e-reading device from computer
Free content for e-reading devices
Downloading free e-books into a Nook
Using Calibre to make free e-books for e-reading devices

Ebook statistics

2010-10-02T15:20:00.004-05:00

Library Use of eBooks, 2011 Edition by Primary Research reports:

Only 5.6% of libraries surveyed had produced a video on using library ebooks.
Only 19% of libraries had produced online tutorials.
Only 13% of libraries have incorporated ebooks on smartphones into their patron training.

Below you will find the statistic that says 10% of the readers of ebooks read them on smartphones.

Ebook sales

Association of American Publishers' Chart (PDF document) showing net sales and percent change from 2002 to 2009 of hardbacks, paperbacks, audiobooks, ebooks.

In July 2010, Amazon sold 143 digital ebooks for every 100 hardbacks. Amazon.com expects Kindle ebook sales to exceed paperback sales in 2011. Bookseller.com reports that the two genres most effected by ebook sales are romance and science fiction.

Who buys ebook reading devices

The demographics are as follows.
Gender: 56% men; 44% women
Average age: 35-54 years
Average household income: $100,000+
Average education: bachelors or Post Graduate degrees
Heavy Internet users

They also love to read books.

Popularity of eReading devices

2010 report,"Consumer attitudes toward e-book reading," by Book Industry Study Group found the most popular devices for reading e-books.

PC computer and laptops: 44%
Amazon Kindle: 34%
Smartphones and Blackberry: 10%
iPhone: 10%
Sony Reader 10%
iPod Touch: 9%
Netbook: 7%
Other: 7%
Barnes & Noble Nook: 5%

Though young adults are outside the age, income and educational range of most e-book device purchasers described above, a March 12-16, 2010 survey of awareness and purchase in young adults arranges e-reading devices in a similar order.

Amazon Kindle: awareness = 65%; purchase = 6%
Apple iPad: 65%; 1%
Sony Reader: 39%; 4%
Barnes & Noble Nook: 28%; 2%
Samsung Papyrus: 11%; 1%

When asked “If you owned an iPad, how likely would you be to use the following features of activities on the device?”

Read books: Likely 37%; Unlikely 28%
Read newspapers/magazines: 34%; 30%

Video tutorials

2010-09-21T14:07:00.002-05:00

Nook

Official Nook videos: registration, updating software, sideloading content, replacing batteries, navigation, features.
10-minute overview of 1.3 firmware features by ZDNet
5-minute overview of 1.4 firmware features

E-reader classes in public libraries

2010-07-09T13:17:00.003-05:00

Sara Weissman at Morris City Library does e-reader classes. The workshop was a little overwhelming to participants. Besides the novelty of e-reading devices, many patrons did not know know about the library's Overdrive collection. In the future she has decided to offer two classes that will cover audiobooks and e-books.

Overdrive's subscription
Four leading e-readers and how to use them.

Nook: reading html e-books

2010-04-25T19:22:00.002-05:00

On April 23, 2010, Barnes and Noble released an upgrade of the Nook software. On improvement was increased speed on page turning. According to one Web site, page turning on the Nook is 1/10th of a second slower than the Kindle.

Another improvement was the availability of Web browser. Nook's Web browsing, in my opinion, works well, but is slower and less easy to use than surfing on a PC. However, once readers get to the html e-book reading is very like the reading experience of e-books loaded onto the Nook. The advantage of reading with the Web browser is that thousands of e-books become available to read on the Nook without spending time to convert them to epub format for loading on the Nook and this also saves Nook flash-drive space. The disadvantage is that reading html e-books on the Web requires being connect to Internet with WiFi. And running the WiFi connection eat battery power.

Recommended Web sites for reading html e-books

Since Nook's Web browser is controlled with the small touch screen at the bottom 1/5th of the Nook, the display of e-books dramatically affects the ease of use, e.g., turning pages. Scrolling down a long page is easier than clicking links on the touch screen to go to the next page. Page-turning links close to the bottom of the text are easier to reach than links way off to the side. The following Web sites offer a large selection of html e-books; the e-books have long scrolling pages, e.g.., whole chapters are displayed as one Web page; page-turning links are near the text for easy clicking.

Classic Reader (http://www.classicreader.com/) offers thousands of classic fiction, non-fiction, short stories, drama, and poetry grouped into categories.
Cranky Librarian (http://www.crankylibrarian.com/) contains over 3,000 classic fiction, non-fiction, poetry, drama.
World Wide School (http://www.worldwideschool.org/library/catalogs/bysubject-top.html) provides a large number of e-books in several dozen categories.
Alex Catalogue of Electronic Texts (http://infomotions.com/alex/) offers 14,000 texts. Entire books are one one long page.
Classic Authors (http://classicauthors.net/) offers the works of over 100 authors.

Working the Web browser

Nook's touch screen controls surfing the Web. A larger portion of the Web page is displayed on the e-ink screen above. A large dark-lined square outlines the portion of the Web page displayed on the touch screen. Rubbing your fingers across the touch screen scrolls you around the Web page. As the Web page on the touch screen moves, the dark-lined square moves around the Web page and, when necessary, the Web page is rewritten to display other part of the Web page.

Pressing a link clicks the link and displays the next page.

Pressing a text box, puts the cursor in the text box and automatically displays the keyboard. Typing displays the typed letters in the text box on the e-ink screen. When finished typing, click submit to finish putting text in text box. On touch screen, press "go" or "search" after, or below, the text box to begin search.

In the touch screen area, upper left corner, press the lines to display browser menu. Press "Go to ..." to type in URL for a Web site. Press "Web page" to type in URL.

E-books on iPod

2010-04-04T22:14:00.005-05:00

Other instructions

2010-04-01T15:12:00.029-05:00

-> "How to Get Library Ebooks on the iPad/iPhone, No Sync Required" are written and video instructions by Josh Hadro on the Library Journal Blog.

-> Greg Williams at West Linn Public Library in Oregon provides instructions on using Bluefire ebook reader application on iPads, iPhones and iPod Touch.

-> Ilustrated Nook and Sony Reader instructions by Cari Taylor, Mesa County Public Library District in Grand Junction, Colorado.

Table of Contents

What is an ebook?
What software do I need?
Part One: Download Adobe Digital Editions
Part Two: Find and Download an eBook from Overdrive
Part Three: using Adobe Editions
Part Four: Downloading Public Domain eBoosk from Overdrive
Part Five: Transferring Overdrive eBooks to the Sony and Nook eReaders

->Gwinnett County Public Library in Lawrenceville, Georgia has a very clear six-minute video on loading Overdrive eBooks into Nooks at http://vimeo.com/15959459

-> Rockaway Township Free Library in New Jersey has a Web page about eBooks.

Table of Contents

Library presentation
Introduction of e-readers handout
How to download e-books from library catalog
How to download e-books from the Internet
How to download e-books handout
Plus links to online sources of free e-books.

eBooks on iPods

Essay introductions about reading e-books on iPods

Reading ebooks on an iPod by Digital Bits technology column
Reading e-books on your iPhone/iPod Touch by Joeyanne Libraryanne
iPhone/iPod Touch: The Ultimate E-book Reader by Paul Natch
Review: The iPod Touch as an e-book reader.
Where to get free iPod Touch e-books?

Step-by-step written instructions about read e-books in iPod "Notes"

Several sets of moderately easy instructions for putting e-books into iPod "Notes": 1, 2, 3
How to convert PDF e-books to iPod "Note": 1, 2

Videos

Using Stanza for read e-books on a iPhone or iPod Touch: 1, 2

Web sites

This Web page is at http://tinyurl.com/yewx2d9

What is a fair E-book price?

2010-03-27T12:46:00.001-05:00

Readers assume the cost of printing, storing, and transporting print books are major factors determining the price of print books. Readers, therefore, believe that e-books should be much less than paper books, even paperback books. E-books costing near the price of print books seem like "rip offs." Therefore, the price of e-book relative to the price of print books affects readers' acceptance and purchase of e-books. This, in turn, affects the future perceived value and circulation of library collections. The following articles grapple with the question, "What should be a fair price for e-books?"

How to set e-book prices: A trained economist speaks out.
Notes from a lecture by Professor Cader
Book Cost Analysis - Cost of Physical Book Publishing
Math of publishing meets the E-book - New York Times article, February 28, 2010

Free eBooks

2010-03-21T00:26:00.012-05:00

Here are the formats for various eReaders

Nook e-ink: PDF, EPUB, PDB and Nook's own format
Nook Color: PDF, EPUB, DOC, text.
Sony Reader: BBeB Book (LRF), PDF, TXT, RTF, EPUB
Kindles: PDF, Mobipocket and Kindle's own format
Pandigital Novel: EPUB and PDF
Kobo: PDF, EPUB, txt

Inkmesh is a search engine and browser for free eBooks and cheap eBooks. Links on the front page will list free books for Sony Reader, Nooks, Kobo, Kindles, etc. The search engine will search for author, titles or subjects. The "Find eBooks" link will list eBooks from a variety of sources. Clicking a title lists the title from a variety of sources. The "Find free eBooks" will find free eBooks.

Munseys offers 20,000 titles in 12 formats. The proper choice for Kindles, Nooks and Sony Readers are explicitly identified. Titles can be found by searching author, title or tags. Lots of books have tags, most don’t. You can also browse by category. To find the categories when you are on the main page, scroll down to a red box with 39 categories. Munseys’ e-book collection has many titles found in the other collections below. However, the “pulp fiction” and “orient express” seem unique to me. Tip: When downloading a title, first click “Select One” to choose the desired format, then click “download.”

Palimpsest Online provides high-quality pdf titles by over 70 authors. Titles are mostly European and American serious novels, but also include the King James Bible, plays, poetry, fables, epic sagas, philosophy and histories. Extensive collection of P.G. Wodehouse titles. The numbers "6X9" refers to 6 inches by 9 inches. The other size is "3X5" for 3 inches by 5 inches.

Feedbooks provides high-quality titles in a variety of formats: EPUB, PDF, MobiPocket/Kindle. This site contains: Public domain classic fiction and nonfiction titles can be browsed by 30 categories or 600 authors; and titles by new authors.

Manybooks provides thousands of Project Gutenberg ebooks in dozens of formats including PDF, EPUB, Kindle, Sony Reader, etc. The site offers search, advanced searching and browsing by author, title and over 60 genres.

PDFBooks offers classics and unpublished fiction and nonfiction in pdf format. Titles can be searched or browsed by author. The Web page for each title gives a description and table of contents.

DigitalBookIndex offers an extensive list of nonfiction in PDF, EPUB and even Kindle formats mixed with Web books and even some subscription titles. Search by author or title or browse by subject. Contains a special American studies section.

eBooks Directory has over 4,000 PDF titles divided into over 400 categories. Most of these eBooks are new.

Globusz offers lots of old and new eBooks. eBooks can be read online or downloaded in txt format. Access to older eBooks is through 20 categories and a list of authors in the center of the page. Access to newer eBooks is through a list of featured authors on the left side bar.

Online Books Page is one of the largest of these indexes. Titles can be searched by author and title and browsed by subjects, which is actually browsing by Library of Congress call number or subject term. Since this is an index of other archives including all the ones listed below, the format of the content varies from txt and pdf to html Web pages. The index and archives page is the most comprehensive list of etext archives I know.

Internet Archive is probably the second largest index of ebooks. This archive offers simple and advanced searching, but no browsing capabilities. Each title has a unique page offering complete title, author and publisher information, a description of the content, and, on the left-side of the page, links to the variety for formats available for the title. Other areas of this index include "moving images," audio recordings, and software. This archive is unfortunately including the growing number of Google Books.

Project Gutenberg is an index and an archive actively collecting texts produced by volunteers. The index can be searched and browsed by author or title. Volunteers have created "bookshelves" with lists of titles in categories they define, e.g., "best books ever" and "precursors of science fiction." Advanced searched allows narrowing by format, e.g. epub.

Best World Free Digital Libraries is a list of digital libraries in the world.

Ebook price increase is opening for libraries

2010-02-21T22:49:00.006-06:00

Table 1 below gives and average and median prices of 43 fiction bestsellers listed in Amazon's Kindle store on February 21, 2010.

Table 1 shows a difference in average price of Kindle and Nook ebooks. However, Kindle and Nook ebooks are the same price for 90.8% of their shared titles, most frequent price is $9.99. Nook prices are 40% to 50% higher on three of the four titles with different prices.
The predicted rise to $14.99 makes ebooks 49.8% higher than the average Amazon's paperback discount price. A rise to $16 as reported in the quotes below is 64% higher than the average paperback discount price.

Table 1	Kindle ebook price	Nook ebook price	Hardback list price	Amazon's hardback discount price	Amazon's paperback discount price
Average	$8.91	$9.37	$26.37	$16.07	$10.01

During February 2010, Nook owners began angrily reporting on Barnes and Noble's Nook forum that Nook prices are rising. Here are some quotes.

"Have only had my nook a few days and will probably return it. Prices for books I want are $16 through B&N, $9 on Amazon for Kindle. What's going on??"
"Sue Grafton's "U is for Undertow" is now $13.97 at B&N and still $9.99 at Amazon."
"I know we won't be buying Ebooks at these higher prices. I'm just going to keep looking for interesting free Ebooks and checking out authors I might not have otherwise. Our library also offers Overdrive so we'll be looking into that, too."
"I noticed prices going up on my ebook wish list as well. Annoying? yes. Suprising? no. .... But then again, 3 out of the last 4 books I've read? I have, completely legally, not paid a single, solitary dime for. Because I have a library card (and I happen to have a library system that has a robust ebook library). So I look at the price I need to pay for books that I can't get from the library (or books that I don't want to take the time to wait on the wait list for) as being amortized over the cost of all books that I read."

Kansas' "Audiobooks, Music and More" offers 15,000 ebooks. These ebooks can be downloaded into Sony Readers and Nooks, but not Kindles. Here are instructions

Ebook reading devices in libraries

2010-02-21T15:28:00.000-06:00

Thoughts:

Comparing Kindles and Nooks with books is natural because, on the surface, Kindles and Nooks seem to function like books. However, Nooks and Kindles come with enough memory to hold approximately 1,500 books. Devices holding 1,500 print books are called bookshelves. So in addition to comparing ebook reading devices with books, Kindles and Nooks should also be compared with bookshelves. One comparison is price.

Nook and Kindle capable of holding 1,500 books: $260.
Cheap bookshelves capable of holding 1,500 books: ~$1,200 (8 $150 bookcases of six shelves with 30 books on a shelf.)

Adding an $80 ScanDisk 16GB microSD high capacity flash drive card increases Nooks’ capacity to 17,000 books. Devices holding 17,000 print books are called libraries. The Minneapolis (Kansas) Public Library claimed in their 2008 statistical report to have 17,176 print materials.

Nook capable of holding 17,000 books: $340
2008 total operating expenditures of the Minneapolis (Kansas) Public Library: $55,494

Questions:

If some school administrators wonder why school libraries are necessary because “everything is on the Web,” will future city council members who never come into your library wonder why your public library is necessary when everyone has thousands of books on their Kindles, Nooks and IPads? If yes, what would you say to them?
In addition to price, what other comparisons should be made between Kindles and Nooks and bookshelves and libraries? E.G., ease of browsing? Ease of selecting?
Should libraries be lending Kindles and Nooks, just content for these devices, or both devices and content? Or none of these things?