How Do I Borrow an eBook From the Public Library on My New Nook?

[Just_Me_6]

Hello all:

I am expecting my new Nook to arrive within the next two weeks. I plan to buy some eBooks from Barnes & Noble but I'm also interested in borrowing ebooks from public libraries.

I went to a site called Clevnet Library Corporation (http://dlc.clevnet.org/D3D206C0-9646-459D-A925-294D9270031D/10/241/en/Help-QuickStartGuide.htm) to try to figure out how to borrow eBooks from a public library. After reading their instructions, I still wasn't sure whether I could use my Nook to borrow and read their eBooks.

These are the formats this particular site says it will support: 

• Adobe® EPUB eBooks
• Adobe® PDF eBooks
• Mobipocket® eBooks
• OverDrive WMA Audiobooks
• OverDrive MP3 Audiobooks
• OverDrive Music
• OverDrive Video

Will I be able to use my new Nook to borrow from this site and, if so, is it an easy download or do I have to do some kind of tricky conversion to read one of these formats on my Nook?

Thanks!

[kylejohnson]

The Adobe ePub format should work.  You have to download Adobe Digital Editions (ADE) for your computer, manage the books there, and have ADE authorize your Nook.  There are a number of posts on the board about this, so I'd suggest searching for "Adobe Digital Editions" and read through those.

[AdamSelene]

You can use all ePub and PDF books from Overdrive.  You will need to install Adobe Digital Editions on your desktop computer, and use it to download the books.  (When you install it, it associated with the ".acsm" file type, so when you click on "Download" on their site it automatically launches ADE and downloads the book.)  Then plug in your nook, tell ADE to "authorize" it (the first time), and drag the book cover onto the nook (shown on the lefthand side).  After you "eject" the nook, the book should appear under "My Documents".

[wrapunzel]

You are also able to download MP3 Audiobooks onto your pc and from there, onto your Nook.

[Evrosado]

Thank you, thank you!!  I had "borrowed" an ebook from the library and was trying to figure out how to have it show up on my Nook.  I had to keep playing with ADE and found the way to transfer to my Nook!!!

[very-simple]

I just downloaded my first book (The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown) from the New York Public Library, and the ADE system worked pretty flawlessly.  I downloaded the book, double-clicked on the file, which launched ADE, plugged in my nook (which I had previously authorized on ADE), and then dragged the book to the nook.  unmounted the nook from my computer and the book is there, and I've paged through the first couple of pages and it appears OK.  

VERY excited about this money-saving option (even though there's a wait list for every popular book I actually want to read!).  

[AdamSelene]

> VERY excited about this money-saving option (even though there's a wait list for every popular book I actually want to read!). 

Yah, one book I requested I ended up being #19 on the wait list.  If you do the math (14-day maximum checkout period, 5-day hold period), that means I could end up waiting up to 361 days for that book.

One problem here is that the libraries are tending to only purchase one electronic copy, even for a whole library network like the Boston Public Library, where they would normally have several physical copies spread among the individual locations.  Hopefully this will change.

Worse, when I forgot to return some books first and tried to check out a held title that had become available, I got an error and my hold was removed.  Back to #7 on that queue.  *sigh*

[very-simple]

The NYPL is at least buying more licenses for really popular books.  The Lost Symbol has 40 licenses, so even though I was 16 on the waitlist when I signed up, it actually only took a few days for it to become available.  On the other hand, another book that I want that isn't nearly as popular has only 1 license, but there are only 2 people on the wait list, so it will, I imagine, take longer.   Splitting the difference, the Girl Who Played With Fire has 7 licenses, and I'm 3rd on the list, so I'm thinking another week and I should have it.

And the NYPL lets you check out books for 21 days at a time, which was actually a pleasant surprise for borrowing, but not so much for waiting!!

[AdamSelene]

Awesome. Unfortunately, with budget shortfalls all around, I'm not very hopeful that the BPL will catch up this year.  *sigh*

[cherice]

You are so lucky to have this option! I do not live in a big city and our local library has no e-lending.

[JustMelissa]

Cherice, you should check the libraries in the big cities in your state. Lots of larger libraries serve people outside of their city. For example, here in California, I can get a card from SF or LA. I do have to go in to activate the card the first time, but it's worth it to have access to their collections. Depending on how far you are from big cities, it might be worth it.

It's a bit convoluted, but you can go to http://www.overdrive.com/# and search by zip code to find libraries in your area that lend ebooks. Look carefully - some libraries subscribe to overdrive, but only get audiobooks. Check the library's web site to see if their overdrive subscription includes ebooks.

[EileenP]

Success!! Now I am really in love.  I followed the directions posted here and on the ADE website and just opened my first library book on my nook!  "Traveling with Pomegranites" by Sue Monk Kidd.  I have 21 days before it goes back.  Not sure how that will work yet.

Mind you, it is 13 degrees in upstate NY with a windchill of probably 0! 

Price of Nook $259, cover $39, going to the library online and borrowing my book without stepping outside priceless!

I live in a small town, but am have access to a larger library system through the local library.

[Doc_R]

In some circumstances small libraries might be part of larger consortiums that lend e-books - this is the case in Maryland, for example.

Theoretically, the e-book lending system is very intriguing though the limited number of e-book copies creates great frustration.  I've found that popular books/new releases have impossibly long waiting lists and are rarely available.  In contrast where I find the e-book lending system useful is in locating obscure or older titles that are still under copyright and are therefore not open source.  In my experience, the quality of the scanned e-books has ranged from fair to abysmal. 

[Wiggum]

I signed up with the NYPL, but since I live on Long Island, I have to actually go to NYC to show them ID and such to get the card.

Well worth it in my opinion.

[lizzyizzy]

Wiggum why would you need to go into NYC. You can just go into Queens to do that.

[very-simple]

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You can just go into Queens to do that.

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Not sure about this.  My NYPL card says on the back "This card entitles you to borrow materials from all NYPL Branch Libraries and from the Brooklyn Public Library".  

I'm not sure if this means that each of the boroughs has their own system and only Brooklyn is connected, or if Brooklyn is the outlier and everything in the Queens/Bronx/Staten Island is actually consolidated under the NYPL.  Might just be worth checking first before you pick a destination

[lizzyizzy]

You're right very-simple forgot. When I lived in NYC it was a different card when I lived in Queens. Thx for the clarification.

[Robocheme]

I like the option of borrowing books from the library, but I had one question.  What happens when your 2-3 week checkout time ends?  Do you send it back somehow or is there some kind of time stamp that prevents you from reading it after the due date?

[lizzyizzy]

Robocheme- it expires from your comp and automatically deletes. If you are done reading before the 3 week period (for me at my public library it's 21 days) you can return it.

[AdamSelene]

There's a time stamp in the file that the reader uses to refuse displaying the book any more.  With ePub or PDF files, you can also return it early, but it will be "returned" at the end of the checkout period whether you take any action or not.