A few forward-thinking libraries in the UK have started offering ebook downloads as an alternative to borrowing physical copies of books, and the local public's reaction has been one of overwhelming enthusiasm. Seemingly attracted by the idea of being able to collect
and return books without having to actually attend the library, Brits have been eagerly joining up to the new scheme. Free downloads that last for 14 days before self-deleting can be had either in the library or at home, and transitioned onto your
Sony Reader,
iRex iLiad, or that new hotness,
B&N's nook. Naturally, the proprietary-format Kindle isn't invited to this party. We've already seen
a similar initiative in the USA, and can only hope this kind of convenience becomes mainstream before too long.
posted Oct 27th 2009 7:51AM
Germany has it, too: http://www.onleihe.net/
Certainly something that makes me think about getting an ebook... But I am still waiting. I tried a sony at a local bookstore and flipping the page not only took ages but also looked crappy with the display first going to inverted view before turning black, then white and then showing the new page. Can anyone from a more advanced country tell me: are all readers like that? It's just not nice and I like things to be nice when reading...
yeah, they are.
all current eBook readers need to refresh the page this way.
I find her scrunchy to be charming and functional.
her watch on the other hand....
I like the way she's sitting... she seems fun.
Well if more chicks like her go to the libraries I'm sure they'll be popular without any Ebooks.
I concur, leave the scrunchie alone, LEAVE IT ALONE! (as mascara drips down my face)
i am misbehaving too much in my mind to properly respond to this comment regarding the proper use of a ponytail
Not enough irony.
Great idea, and the only thing DRM should ever be used for - free borrowing.
So let me get this straight. Are you saying, people who spent years of their life writing books, hoping to make a little cash from selling what they made, can now expect them to be downloaded for free?
Are you familiar with the concept of libraries?
i like this idea and hope it will put more into e-readers. May make me even consider one.
Books are already free from libraries. all this does is make them even more accessible. i don't see why you think this books downloadable for free model differs from the library model where you get a library card for free and borrow books for free.
As opposed to being freely available... from a library?
I just wanted to know what was being done (if anything) to protect the authors. I think your reason for justifying the legal and moral issues is understandable. However I feel the world has changed drastically since people started using computers and so must the way we think of protecting intellectual property. This is the sort of stuff that can lead to flame wars so I am not going to write anymore. To everyone, I am sorry I posted my first comment. I never wanted to start a negative thread.
you could always grab her hair while.......well, you know......do the nasty nasty.
Does SHE come with the e-reader?
*Oh me!*
When I quick read that I read Scurvy.
thebomberman,
please excuse ddapore99. He was actually born in 1999. He did all his school research from the internet.
hehe, i remember elementary school 10 years ago when we actually had to go to the library to research and work. It was a very dark time. I'm happy for everybody who is born into this modern age of Google and Wikipedia.
I was born in 1979. Do you have something against learning about things from the internet? By the way what about my comment made it worth insulting?
Libraries should do this for all Music, Movies, TV shows and everything. And DRM should not be used because DRM is by definition worthless. They should just let people borrow it again as many times they want when the 14 days are up.
N30 G30 instead of insulting me why don't you help me to understand?
What is there to understand? You are insinuating that these books are just being given away, as if this isn't EXACTLY how a library already works. Except, now, you can't keep a book for longer than your liking. This is actually better for a writer than a normal library is.
We have had this in Canada for quite a while now too. Well, it was mostly Adobe Digital Editions but now they're becoming available in epub format, too.
We do? At where?
In Halifax we do, at least: http://digitalmedia.halifaxpubliclibraries.ca/ I imagined other big cities would have it as well!
Sheesh, I never thought to look. I wonder if Waterloo region offers it, and if so, what the selection is like.
Thanks!
The Boston Public Library has been offering this option for years. They have the EPUB, Mobi, and Adobe PDF formats available. It's great. I've saved so much money on buying books and I am equally thrilled with how lazy I can still be. No need to visit the library or bookstores.
Seattle Public Library has a digital books and media collection that supports ePub, PDF and Mobipocket eBooks in addition to MP3 and WMA audiobooks. We are very fortunate here that our library system is already forward looking and we have been enjoying this convenience for quite a while already. With reduced funding affecting the library's operating budget and resulting in impending branch library closings, the digital collection is one sure way of keeping libraries viable for all of us. I hope all American libraries will start to consider stocking their digital collection to offset general operational costs.
why in the fuck would you read an ebook...at the library
It is a quiet place devoted to focused reading. You can pray at home, but you can also go to Church. You may meet people at the library that shared your same literary interest. You know? Socialization?
Same reason you would read a normal book at the library. The Nook allows free book previews while on the B&N wifi, kinda like flipping through that "Glamor Photography" book you aren't really going to buy.
Pretty much adapting technology to... non-technological restraints?
*emulating non-technological restraints
So you can hit on that cute girl with the scrunchie, get horribly rejected, and then drown your sorrows in a comforting ebook.
how do the libraries license this? assuming that the library in your country license enough ebooks you'd never actually need to buy any? just keep downloading and swapping everything for free?
i don't think it can happen without great restrictions.
I would like to understand more about the licensing system too. Currently, in Seattle, it looks like the library purchases each eBook and loans them out just like a regular book. Instead of a site licensing system that would take advantage of the fact that there are no physical copies to limit the number of copies that can be lent out. Libraries should negotiate a purchase of a certain number of books from the publishers and take advantage of the nature of the digital medium, cutting down on wait times and improving the convenience of using the library.
It works just like real books do.
The library only has so many DRM "copies" available for download that can be out at one time. If all copies of the ebook you want are already out, you get on the wait list. When it available for download, they send you an email.
Each ebook has a DRMed time limit. When your time is up, the ebook will no longer open on the eReader and automatically become available to the next person to download from the library.
Just like it happens with a real book but you never have to go the brick and mortar library.
she's already got nook. that's cool.
I can see potentially having a problem with this as a publisher or author. A lot of people don't go to the library now because it's not convenient for them, for whatever reason. However, if I grow accustomed to reading books in an e-reader format, and I know I can read a book under two weeks, why would I ever pay for a book again? I can't display it when I'm done on a bookshelf. I don't re-read books (and I could always potentially download it again for two weeks if I wanted to). Why should I ever lay down $10-$20 again, when all I have to do is pick up my e-reader and read whatever I want for free.
She has a time machine??? The scrunchie was patented in 1994.
Velvet scrunchie???? Kramer!!!!
My library (in the US) has had this for a few years. ePubs, PDFs, audio books, music (limited selection) and video (heavy on the PBS).
Her hair sur iz purty?
Tony Little (that infomercial guy) is jealous of the ponytail.
Seriously, this is awesome. I love free book checkouts at the library, but in this day and age, who wants to physically go there? Lol, mostly kidding. Please bring this to the states!
Hopefully this is a way to force the Kindle to support the "standard" ePub format. I'm assuming that's what they're using here.
We need a common format for all the eBook readers so that all our books don't vanish when we change readers.
Is this story accurate? B&N's nook is not available in the UK.
If i want to create and make e-book web for loan in favorite e-book i can make or not?