Linda Beauvais of Guilford loves to read. She loves reading old fashioned books with covers and paper, and she loves reading e-books on her Kindle. She spends so much time on her Kindle, that's she's already gone through three. Her first one croaked after two years of heavy use. Her second one broke after only a few months of use.
"I'm a Kindle killer," she said Wednesday, laughing. "I'm on my third Kindle."
eBooks, audiobooks, music and video also available
And with all of that experience reading e-books, she still had questions about how to borrow eBooks from her local library. So she headed to the Madison town green Wednesday afternoon, where librarians from Madison, Guilford, and other towns were gathered at the OverDrive Bookmobile, a shiny 74-foot, 18-wheel tractor-trailer set up to show people, in a high-tech and high-touch way, how to get eBooks from the library. And not just eBooks; downloadable audiobooks, music, and video are available as well.
There she had a chat with Scranton Memorial Library Director Beth Crowley about the best way to use her Kindle, however long may this one last. While they were talking Kindles, much of the what they discussed is also true of other compatible computers and devices include PC, Mac®, iPhone®, iPad®, Android™, BlackBerry® and Windows® Phone. Kindle® compatibility requires Kindle device or Kindle reading apps developed by Amazon.
One title to one person at one time
Crowley explained that, for the most part, one title is available to one person at one time, just as with regular books. The first step is to go to your library website (which can be located through http://search.overdrive.com).
Crowley recommended going to "collections" and then going to "all available," to avoid frustration, since some titles will be checked out or on hold. Then, add selections to your cart. Click on "proceed to checkout." At that point, you will be prompted to enter the bar code on your library card. And then, click on the "download" button under each title.
Titles will show up in your Amazon account
If you're using a Kindle, the books will show up in your Amazon account, but they will say "get my library book" under them. Titles can then be transferred to your mobile device, and, in some cases, burned to a CD.
If you own more than one device that accepts your Kindle books, they will become available on all of those devices, Crowley said. Crowley said she learned that when she tried to borrow Fifty Shades of Grey, a rather steamy novel appropriate for adults. It also showed up on her daughter's Kindle.
"She told me she doesn't read my boring books," Crowley said. Still, she said, it's good for people to know that books downloaded to a Kindle account will show up on all devices that are linked to the main Amazon account.
Then, they just disappear
After two weeks, for the most part, the books will just disappear.
"Oh, that's good to know!" Beauvais said. "I was wondering about that. I didn't know if I would have to tell it to go back to the library."
Beauvais said she had many similar questions and was glad to be able to talk with Crowley to clear them up. She said she looks forward to using her Kindle to get library books. "I love to read," she said. "It's my one vice."
"This is very, very timely"
Charley Shelley, also from Guilford, said he thought the bookmobile was "fabulous." He's been trying to decide which device to buy and his research at the bookmobile Wednesday will help inform his decision, he said. "So this is very, very timely," he said.
Todd Fabian, the director of the Woodbridge Town Library, is also the vice president of LION, the library consortium. He said he the bookmobile is a great way to introduce people to the pleasures of eBook and electronic downloads, and to help them through some of the intricacies.
"We want people to utilize our resources," he said. "OverDrive is a nice way to help them do that."
For more information about downloading, this link on the OverDrive website will provide you with some resources: http://www.overdrive.com/Resources/, including information on the OverDrive Media Console and other software that may be needed to download books.
Libraries in the LION consortium include:
Brainerd Memorial Library (HA)
920 Saybrook Road
Haddam, CT 06438
(860) 345-2204
Search their Catalog
Durham Public Library (DU)
7 Maple Avenue
Durham, CT 06422
(860) 349-9544
Search their Catalog
E. C. Scranton Memorial Library (MA)
801 Boston Post Road
Madison, CT 06443
(203) 245-7365
Search their Catalog
East Lyme High School Library (EH)
30 Chesterfield Road
East Lyme, CT 06333
(860) 739-1470/2
Search their Catalog
East Lyme Library (EL)
39 Society Road
East Lyme, CT 06333
(860) 739-6926/7/8
Search their Catalog
Essex Library Association (EX)
33 West Avenue
Essex, CT 06426
(860) 767-1560
Search their Catalog
Ivoryton Library (IV)
100 Main Street
Ivoryton, CT 06442
(860) 767-1252
Search their Catalog
Guilford Free Library (GU)
67 Park Avenue
Guilford, CT 06437
(203) 453-8282
Search their Catalog
James Blackstone Memorial Library (BR)
758 Main Street
Branford, CT 06405
(203) 488-1441
Search their Catalog
Ledyard Libraries (LB)
Bill Library (BL)
Colonel Ledyard Highway
Ledyard, CT 06339
(860) 464-9912
Search their Catalog
Gales Ferry Library (LG)
18 Hurlbutt Road
Gales Ferry, CT 06335
(860) 464-6943
Search their Catalog
Meriden Public Library (ME)
105 Miller Street
Meriden, CT 06450
(203) 238-2344
Search their Catalog
Mitchell College Library (MC)
437 Pequot Avenue
New London, CT 06320
(860) 701-5156
Search their Catalog
North Branford Libraries
Atwater Memorial Library (NB)
1720 Foxon Road
North Branford, CT 06471
(203) 315-6020
Search their Catalog
Edward Smith Library (NT)
3 Old Post Road
Northford, CT 06472
(203) 484-0469
Search their Catalog
North Haven Memorial Library (NH)
17 Elm Street
North Haven, CT 06473
(203) 239-5803
Search their Catalog
Old Lyme-Phoebe Griffin Noyes (OL)
2 Library Lane
Old Lyme, CT 06450
(860) 434-1802
Search their Catalog
Orange-Case Memorial Library (OR)
176 Tyler City Road
Orange, CT 06477
(203) 891-2170
Search their Catalog
Otis Library (NW)
261 Main Street
Norwich, CT 06360
(860) 889-2365
Search their Catalog
Public Library of New London (NL)
63 Huntington Street
New London, CT 06320
(860) 447-1411
Search their Catalog
Rathbun Free Memorial Library (RA)
36 Main Street
East Haddam, CT 06423
(860) 873-8210
Search their Catalog
Russell Library (MD)
123 Broad Street
Middletown, CT 06457
(860) 347-2528
Search their Catalog
Wallingford Public Library (WA)
200 North Main Street
Wallingford, CT 06492
(203) 265-6754
Search their Catalog
Yalesville Library (WB)
400 Church Street
Yalesville, CT 06492
(203) 269-3688
Search their Catalog
Westbrook Public Library (WS)
61 Goodspeed Drive
Westbrook, CT 06498
(860) 399-6422
Search their Catalog
Willougby Wallace Memorial Library (ST)
146 Thimble Islands Road
Stony Creek, Ct 06405
(203) 488-8702
Search their Catalog
West Haven Public Libraries
West Haven Public Library (WM)
300 Elm Street
West Haven, CT 06516-4603
(203) 937-4233
Search their Catalog
Louis Piantino Branch
1 Forest Road
West Haven, CT 06516
(203) 933-9335
Search their Catalog
Ora Mason Branch (WO)
260 Benham Hill Road
West Haven, CT 06516
(203) 933-9381
Search their Catalog
Woodbridge Town Library (WD)
10 Newtown Road
Woodbridge, CT 06525
(203) 389-3433
Search their Catalog
